1. Glycerol kinase (EC 2.7.1.30) is shown to catalyse a non-equilibrium reaction in rat liver; and, as it is the first enzyme in the pathway metabolizing glycerol, its properties may be pertinent to the metabolic regulation of glycerol uptake and utilization by this tissue. 2. The properties of hepatic glycerol kinase were studied by using a radiochemical technique to measure the enzyme activit...

PURPOSE To evaluate the role of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) on the induced osteogenic differentiation of human dermal fibroblasts. METHODS We performed four groups with cultured dermal fibroblasts according to the culture medium: CONTROL (DMEM culture medium); TGF-β1 (DMEM culture medium with 10 ng/ml of TGF-β1); OSTEOG (DMEM culture medium with 0.5 µg/ml of ascorbic acid, 10 m...

Devitalized hypertrophic cartilage matrix (DCM) is an attractive concept for an off-the-shelf bone graft substitute. Upon implantation, DCM can trigger the natural endochondral ossification process, but only when the hypertrophic cartilage matrix has been reconstituted correctly. In vivo hypertrophic differentiation has been reported for multiple cell types but up-scaling and in vivo devitaliza...

Although it is well established that estrogen inhibits bone resorption, its effects on bone formation remain controversial. We studied the effects of intermittent and continuous treatment with estrogen on bone formation in vitro using long term cultures of SaOS-2 cells under conditions that permit mineralization. SaOS-2 cells cultured in dexamethasone, ascorbic acid and beta-glycerophosphate fo...

To gain insight into the regulation of pancreatic beta-cell mitochondrial metabolism, the direct effects on respiration of different mitochondrial substrates, variations in the ATP/ADP ratio and free Ca2+ were examined using isolated mitochondria and permeabilized clonal pancreatic beta-cells (HIT). Respiration from pyruvate was high and not influenced by Ca2+ in State 3 or under various redox ...

The mechanism of action of 4'-demethylepipodophyllotoxin-9-(4,6-O-ethylidene-beta-D-glucopyra noside) (VP-16), an important antitumor agent, is unclear. There is evidence that DNA may be the target of action because VP-16 causes single-strand and double-strand breaks in DNA and produces cytotoxicity over a similar dose range. We have hypothesized that an enzyme system, such as dehydrogenase, ca...

Under conditions favoring its autocatalytic reaction, phosphorylase kinase may be activated and phosphorylated in 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonate (Mes) buffer to a much higher level than in beta-glycerophosphate buffer. The fact that the reaction is autocatalytic is supported by several observations: (a) the progress curve of the reaction exhibits a pronounced lag phase, (b) the reaction is str...

Thermoreversible biogels can serve as effective systems for delivery of drugs through nose with increased nasal residence time. The objective of this study was to use chitosan and glycerophosphate based thermoreversible systems for delivery of doxepin to brain through intranasal administration. Formulations were prepared by admixture of suitable dilutions of chitosan and glycerophosphate with o...

Inhibition of purified AMP-deaminase from chicken breast muscle by phosphate esters and inorganic phosphate has been investigated. When tested at a concentration of 3 mM, in the presence of 0.15 M potassium chloride, the order of effectiveness as inhibitors of deaminase activity was: 2,3diphosphoglyceric acid, 3-phosphoglyceric acid, 2-phosphoglyceric acid, 2-phosphoenolpyruvate, fructose 1,6di...

Passaged primary cultures of young adult rat bone marrow cells were maintained in medium containing combinations of the supplements dexamethasone, ascorbic acid and Na-{3-glycerophosphate. The cultures were examined by both light and scanning electron microscopy (with additional energy dispersive X-ray analysis). In cultures with fully supplemented medium, an extracellular matrix formed at the ...