Canalicular bile formation is a complex process that involves basolateral and apical cell membrane transport, paracellular transport and vesicular transport, all of which may be subject to regulation by pH. We review the concept that apical cell membrane bicarbonate secretion promotes bile salt independent canalicular bile formation. We show that the presence of paracellular electrolyte transpo...

The relationship between bile flow and Na+,K+-ATPase activity in liver plasma membranes enriched in bile canaliculi was studied in rats treated with ethinyl estradiol, phenobarbital, or 20-methyl cholanthrene. In comparison with controls (1.49+/-0.12 microliter/min per g liver), bile flow was significantly diminished by ethinyl estradiol, increased by phenobarbital, and unchanged by 20-methyl c...

The hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), HIF-1α and HIF-2α, are the central mediators of the homeostatic response that enables cells to survive and differentiate in low-oxygen conditions. Previous studies indicated that disruption of the von Hippel-Lindau gene (Vhl) coincides with the activation of HIFα signaling. Here we show that inactivation of Vhl in mature osteoblasts/osteocytes induces their...

A 69-year-old female patient underwent a standard laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for repair of a hiatal hernia and correction of reflux. A Harmonic scalpel was used as the only energy source intraoperatively. The operation was uneventful until the middle of the procedure when a significant amount of blood was noted in the left upper quadrant. After aspiration and careful inspection, a 5-cm ...

A rare case of pediatric brachial plexus laceration is presented. A five-year-old boy who sustained a sharp laceration on his right axillary region was immediately operated. The axillary artery, radial, ulnar and musculocutaneous nerve branches of the brachial plexus, and the lateral root of the median nerve were totally lacerated. The medial root of the median nerve was partially transected. A...

We report a relatively rare case of acute aortic regurgitation due to spontaneous laceration of aorta without dissecting aneurysm. A 73-year-old male who had complained of sudden onset of chest discomfort was admitted to our hospital, and severe aortic regurgitation with aortic valve prolapse was detected by echocardiography. There were not any echographic and radiographic evidences of dissecti...

PURPOSE To report the finding of Thelazia callipaeda within the human subconjunctival space. METHODS An 81-year-old man with a history of traumatic conjunctival laceration that occurred 2 years previously had white worms in the subconjunctival space of his right eye. RESULTS Five worms were removed from the subconjunctival space via a local peritomy, since there was no conjunctival lacerati...

Osteocytes, the major type of bone cells which reside in their lacunar and canalicular system within the bone matrix, function as biomechanosensors and biomechanotransducers of the bone. Although biomechanical behaviour of the osteocyte-lacunar-canalicular system has been investigated in previous studies mostly using computational 2-dimensional (2D) geometric models, only a few studies have use...

ABCB4/MDR3, a member of the ABC superfamily, is an ATP-dependent phosphatidylcholine translocator expressed at the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes. Defects in the ABCB4 gene are associated with rare biliary diseases. It is essential to understand the mechanisms of its canalicular membrane expression in particular for the development of new therapies. The stability of several ABC transporter...

Direct photoaffinity labeling of liver plasma membrane subfractions enriched in sinusoidal and canalicular membranes using [35S]adenosine 5'-O-(thiotriphosphate) ([35S]ATP gamma S) allows the identification of ATP-binding proteins in these domains. Comparative photoaffinity labeling with [35S]ATP gamma S and with the photolabile bile salt derivative (7,7-azo-3 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-[...