The expression of four different gap junction gene products (alpha 1, beta 1, beta 2, and beta 3) has been analysed during rat skin development and the hair growth cycle. Both alpha 1 (Cx43) and beta 2 (Cx26) connexins were coexpressed in the undifferentiated epidermis. A specific, developmentally regulated elimination of beta 2 expression was observed in the periderm at E16. Coinciding with th...

During hair follicle development several cell streams are programmed to differentiate from the cell population of the follicle bulb. In the hair cells, a number of keratin gene families are transcriptionally activated. We describe the characterization of the type II keratin intermediate filament (IF) gene family which is expressed early in follicle differentiation. In sheep wool, four type II I...

Activation of the Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway, primarily through mutational inactivation of the PTCH1 gene, is associated with the development of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Gli1, a member of the Gli family of transcription factors, is expressed in BCC and in transgenic mice targeted expression of Gli1 in basal keratinocytes leads to BCC development. In addition to BCC, previous studies ha...

Recent genetic and molecular studies of hair follicle (HF) biology have provided substantial insight; however, the molecular data, including expression patterns, cannot be properly appreciated without an understanding of the basic cellular rearrangements and interactions that underpin HF cyclic transformations. We present a novel interpretation of the major cellular processes that take place du...

A 53-kDa protein from the outer sheath of the oral spirochete Treponema denticola was purified to homogeneity and shown to reconstitute channels in black lipid bilayer model membranes. The channel had a single-channel conductance of 1.8 nS in 0.1 M KCl, making this the largest porin channel observed to date (estimated diameter, 3.4 nm). Electron micrographs of 53-kDa-protein-containing outer sh...

In order to quantitatively investigate the importance of transfollicular pathway for drug delivery, drug penetration through human scalp skin was investigated using liquid formulations containing lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs in vitro. The penetration pathway for drugs through the scalp skin was examined using fluorescent probes. Additionally, the drug penetration through the scalp skin was ...

In endodontics, treatment of an open apex tooth with necrotic pulp is a problem. It seems that with promotion of remnants of Hertwig's epithelial sheath or rest of malassez accompany with a good irrigation of root canal we can expect root formation. (Iranian Endodontic Journal 2008;3:42-43).

A Parylene C neural probe with a three dimensional sheath structure was designed, fabricated, and characterized. Multiple platinum (Pt) electrodes for recording neural signals were fabricated on both inner and outer surfaces of the sheath structure. Thermoforming of Parylene was used to create the three dimensional sheath structures from flat surface micromachined microchannels using solid micr...

Bacteria use rapid contraction of a long sheath of the type VI secretion system (T6SS) to deliver effectors into a target cell. Here, we present an atomic-resolution structure of a native contracted Vibrio cholerae sheath determined by cryo-electron microscopy. The sheath subunits, composed of tightly interacting proteins VipA and VipB, assemble into a six-start helix. The helix is stabilized b...