Several different gap junction channel subunit isotypes, known as connexins, were synthesized in a cell-free translation system supplemented with microsomal membranes to study the mechanisms involved in gap junction channel assembly. Previous results indicated that the connexins were synthesized as membrane proteins with their relevant transmembrane topology. An integrated biochemical and bioph...

Introduction Biliary cysts with an abnormal pancreatobiliary junction are one of the most common pancreatobiliary malformations. The main symptom is cholestasis; endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) plays a key role in diagnosis. Aim Retrospective evaluation of ERCP performed to diagnose abnormalities of the pancreatobiliary junction. Material and methods We retrospectively...

Connexin46 (Cx46) forms functional hemichannels in the absence of contact by an apposed hemichannel and we have used these hemichannels to study gating and permeation at the single channel level with high time resolution. Using both cell-attached and -excised patch configurations, we find that single Cx46 hemichannels exhibit some properties expected of half of a gap junction channel, as well a...

A high density of Na+ channels at nodes of Ranvier is necessary for rapid and efficient action potential propagation in myelinated axons. Na+ channel clustering is thought to depend on two axonal cell adhesion molecules that mediate interactions between the axon and myelinating glia at the nodal gap (i.e., NF186) and the paranodal junction (i.e., Caspr). Here we show that while Na+ channels clu...

Introduction: Recent studies have shown the presence of Cl- channels in heart and liver mitochondrial membranes. In this work, we have characterized the functional profile of a Cl- channel from rat brain mitochondria. Methods: After removing and homogenizing the rat brain, the supernatant was separately centrifuged in MSEdigitonin, H2O and Na2CO3 and mitochondrial inner membrane vesicles wer...

Introduction: Different ATP-sensitive potassium channels have been detected in the mitochondrial inner membrane of cells. They are suggested to be involved in cell processes including cell protection. Here, we characterized the biophysical and electropharmacological properties of a KATP channel in the brain mitochondrial inner membranes. Methods: After removing and homogenizing the rat brain...

We analyze the structure of networks minimizing the global resistance to flow (or dissipative energy) with respect to two different constraints: fixed total channel volume and fixed total channel surface area. First, we show that channels must be straight and have uniform cross-sectional areas in such optimal networks. We then establish a relation between the cross-sectional areas of adjoining ...

Breakup of droplets at bi-layer bifurcating junction in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel has been investigated by experiments and numerical simulation. The pressure drop in bi-layer bifurcating channel was investigated and compared with single-layer bifurcating channel. Daughter droplet size variation generated in bi-layer bifurcating microchannel was analyzed. The correlation was propo...

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a well-known intracellular and intercellular second messenger. The membrane permeability of such molecules has potential importance for autocrine-like or paracrine-like delivery. Here experiments have been designed to demonstrate whether gap junction hemichannels, composed of connexins, are a possible entrance pathway for cyclic nucleotides into the inte...

In this paper, we demonstrated the shallow NiSiGe Schottky junction on the SiGe P-channel by using low-temperature microwave annealing. The NiSiGe/n-Si Schottky junction was formed for the Si-capped/SiGe multi-layer structure on an n-Si substrate (Si/Si0.57Ge0.43/Si) through microwave annealing (MWA) ranging from 200 to 470 °C for 150 s in N₂ ambient. MWA has the advantage of being diffusion-le...