PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of calpains in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) apoptosis and the protection afforded by calpain inhibitors against cell death. METHODS Two different models of RGC apoptosis were used, namely the RGC-5 cell line after either intracellular calcium influx or serum withdrawal and retinal explant culture involving optic nerve axotomy. Flo...

Corresponding Author: Sang Un Park Department of Crop Science, University of Chungnam National, 99 Daehak-Ro, Yuseong-Gu, Daejeon, 305764, Korea Email: [email protected] Abstract: Plant tissue culture has proven to be commercially important for the replication of various plants species, including medicinal and ornamental plants. This technique has been used extensively in research for applicatio...

This study establishes a protocol for the induction of somatic embryogenesis in Anthurium andraeanum cv. Eidibel. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized 5 x 5 x 5 factorial design using five explant types (whole leaves, half leaves; petiole; nodal segments and root segments) from in vitro plantlets; five auxins: indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-...

The central nervous system and gut peptide neuromedin U (NMU) inhibits feeding after intracerebroventricular injection. This study explored the hypothalamic actions of NMU on feeding and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. Intraparaventricular nucleus (intra-PVN) NMU dose-dependently inhibited food intake, with a minimum effective dose of 0.1 nmol and a robust effect at 0.3 nmol. Feeding in...

This investigation was carried out at the Tissue Culture Lab., Biotechnology Research Center (BTRC) in Tripoli, Libya 2009 to establish a micro propagation protocol for two hybrids of Tomato which several factors were studied including effect concentration growth regulator on shoot multiplication, and rooting explant MS media. Shoot tips cultured into (MS medium) with different concentrations b...

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) establishes productive (lytic) infections in nonneuronal cells and nonproductive (latent) infections in neurons. It has been proposed that HSV establishes latency because quiescent neurons lack cellular factors required for productive infection. It has been further proposed that these putative factors are induced following neuronal stress, as a requirement for HSV rea...

BACKGROUND The strongest predictor of tumor relapse after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is vascular invasion, appreciated only on explant analysis. High serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is associated with worse outcomes after resection or locoregional therapies but its role in liver transplantation remains undefined. OBJECTIVE We report the f...

To study the roles of viral genes in the establishment and maintenance of herpes simplex virus (HSV) latency, we have developed a polymerase chain reaction assay that is both quantitative and sensitive. Using this assay, we analyzed the levels of viral DNA in trigeminal ganglia of mice inoculated corneally with HSV mutants that are defective for virus replication at one or more sites in mice an...

Cortical development involves complex interactions between neurons and non-neuronal elements including precursor cells, blood vessels, meninges and associated extracellular matrix. Because they provide a suitable organotypic environment, cortical slice explants are often used to investigate those interactions that control neuronal differentiation and development. Although beneficial, the slice ...

Enzymes within the CYP3A subfamily are major Phase I drug-metabolizing enzymes present in hepatocytes and small bowel enterocytes. These enzymes are highly inducible in the liver by many structurally diverse compounds, including a number of commonly used medications. Studies indicate that CYP3A enzymes present in small bowel enterocytes are also inducible. However, the regulation of CYP3A enzym...