background: melatonin has receptors in substantia nigra pars compacta (snc) and regulates development of dopaminergic (da) neurons. this study was undertaken to determine ability of melatonin to protect snc dopaminergic neuron loss induced by estrogen deficiency in ovariectomized rats. methods: female rats were randomized into four groups of seven each: control, ethanol sham, ovariectomy (ovx) ...

Urate is a major antioxidant as well as the enzymatic end product of purine metabolism in humans. Higher levels correlate with a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD) and with a slower rate of PD progression. In this study we investigated the effects of modulating intracellular urate concentration on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium (MPP(+))-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neuron...

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a widespread age-associated neurodegenerative disorder. Current treatment is symptomatic rather than curative. However, stem cell replacement therapies may have the potential to offer curative treatment. In this study, we demonstrate that rat CD49f+ spermatogonial stem cells (rSSCs) can be induced to become functional dopaminergic neuron-like cells in vitro. Furtherm...

Background: Melatonin has receptors in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and regulates development of dopaminergic (DA) neurons. This study was undertaken to determine ability of melatonin to protect SNc dopaminergic neuron loss induced by estrogen deficiency in ovariectomized rats. Methods: Female rats were randomized into four groups of seven each: control, ethanol sham, ovariectomy (ovx) ...

introduction: embryonic stem (es) cells are pluripotent cells derived from inner cell mass of blastocyst. these cells can product any cell by spontaneous or directed differentiation. this study was started to produce neuron cells by directed differentiation of new murine es cell line in vitro. materials and methods: murine es cells (royan b1 derived from c57bl/6 strain) were used for in vitro n...

Wnts are secreted, lipidated proteins that regulate multiple aspects of brain development, including dopaminergic neuron development. In this study, we perform the first purification and signaling analysis of Wnt2 and define the function of Wnt2 in ventral midbrain precursor cultures, as well as in Wnt2-null mice in vivo. We found that purified Wnt2 induces the phosphorylation of both Lrp5/6 an...

Background Endometriosis is a common gynecological disease, can cause severe pelvic pain. Studies demonstrated the presence of sensory nerve fibers in endometrium of endometriosis patient. Nevertheless, no information is available on mechanisms of sensory nerve formation in eutopic or ectopic lesions. Since HOX genes have important roles in both reproductive tract and nerve growth, we decided t...