Cryopreservation of mature oocytes and embryos has provided numerous benefits in reproductive medicine. Although successful cryopreservation of germinal-vesicle stage (GV) oocytes holds promise for further advances in reproductive biology and clinical embryology fields, reports regarding cryopreservation of immature oocytes are limited. Oocyte survival and maturation rates have improved since v...

A quantitative determination method using HPLC with fluorescence detection for the xanthine derivative 3-methyl-8-(piperazin-1-yl)-7-(thietan-3-yl)-1-ethyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione hydrochloride (Angipur drug substance) in donor blood plasma was developed and validated. The optimal conditions of Angipur substance were KH2PO4 buffer (50 mM, pH 6.5); aqueous-to-organic phase ratio 55:45 v/v; ad...

AIMS A decrease in L-type calcium current (ICaL) is an important mechanism favouring atrial fibrillation (AF). Here, we aimed to identify pathogenic factors associated with ICaL downregulation. METHODS AND RESULTS Atrial myocytes were isolated from right atrial appendages obtained from 86 adult patients in sinus rhythm with coronary artery disease, aortic valve disease, or mitral valve diseas...

The present study was undertaken to investigate the mechanism by which 1α, 25-dihydroxy-cholecalciferol [1α,25-(OH)₂-VD₃] modulates the differentiation of mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes into mature adipocytes. Treatment with 1α,25-(OH)₂-VD₃ in the presence of insulin, dexamethasone and 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine significantly inhibited the triacylglycerol accumulation, and mRNA expressions of adi...

We have devised a quantitative way to measure the agglutination of cells which utilizes the size discrimination feature of an automatic particle counter. With this method we have studied the agglutinability by concanavalin A of 3T3 cells, a mutant of 3T3 cells (3T3cAMP(tcs)) in which cyclic AMP levels fall when the cells are subjected to temperature change or fresh serum, and L929 cells. We fin...

Previous investigations in the female blowfly Phormia regina have shown that 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), a broad spectrum inhibitor of phosphodiesterases (PDEs), fails to mimic the steroidogenic effects of cAMP on ovaries, although it efficiently increases the concentrations of this second messenger. In this study, experiments carried out to clear up this contradiction demonstrated that...

PURPOSE A striking characteristic of the human meibomian gland is its rich sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic innervation, yet the functional relevance of these nerve fibers remains unknown. Acting on the hypothesis that neurotransmitters are released in the vicinity of the gland, act on glandular receptors, and influence the production, secretion, and/or delivery of meibomian gland secr...

The field EPSP recorded in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices is potentiated by bath application of the direct adenylate cyclase activator forskolin (Chavez-Noriega and Stevens, 1992a). We have now used the whole-cell patch-clamp technique to analyze the effect of forskolin on evoked synaptic currents and on spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs and mEPSCs) re...