In this study we provide a characterization of the fibronectin (FN) binding to endothelial cells (EC), and we identify the FN binding site on these cells. 125I-FN binding to EC in suspension was time dependent and reached a plateau at 4 h. Cold FN inhibited this interaction in a concentration-dependent way, but vitronectin, fibrinogen, and IgG were poorly effective. About 80% of the total FN as...

Let Fn be the free group of rank n and let Aut +(Fn) be its special automorphism group. For an epimorphism π : Fn → G of the free group Fn onto a finite group G we call Γ (G, π) = {φ ∈ Aut+(Fn) | πφ = π} the standard congruence subgroup of Aut+(Fn) associated to G and π. In the case n = 2 we fully describe the abelianization of Γ(G, π) for finite abelian groups G. Moreover, we show that if G is...

The members of the antigen 85 protein family (Ag85), consisting of members Ag85A, Ag85B, and Ag85C, are the predominantly secreted proteins of mycobacteria and possess the ability to specifically interact with fibronectin (Fn). Because Fn-binding proteins are likely to be important virulence factors of Mycobacterium spp., Ag85 may contribute to the adherence, invasion, and dissemination of orga...

OBJECTIVES To investigate recipient characteristics and rates of index angiography among First Nations (FN) and non-FN populations in Manitoba, Canada. SETTING Population-based, secondary analysis of provincial administrative health data. PARTICIPANTS All adults 18 years or older who received an index angiogram between 2000/2001 and 2008/2009. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Des...

We studied integrins involved in the adhesion of resting and activated megakaryocytes (MK) to fibronectin (FN) and fibrinogen (FGN). Guinea pig MK were isolated and in some experiments were activated by thrombin. MK adhering to FN or FGN coated on coverslips were quantitated by a computerized image analysis program. The binding of soluble human FN to MK was detected by Western blotting. Anti-in...

Defined biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) matrices are needed to decipher the complex cellular signalling during wound healing at high resolution in vitro. Soluble factors like TGF-β1 and adhesion promoting structural components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) are known to be key regulators of fibroblast behaviour. The ECM component fibronectin (FN) bears a complex function as adhesion promot...

We investigate n-ary semigroups as a natural generalization of binary semigroups. We refer it as a pair (X ,Fn), where X is a set and an n-associative function Fn : Xn → X is defined on X . We show that if Fn is idempotent, n-associative function which is monotone in each of its variables, defined on an interval I ⊂ R and has a neutral element, then Fn is combination of the minimum and maximum ...

BACKGROUND BBK32 is a surface expressed lipoprotein and fibronectin (Fn)-binding microbial surface component recognizing adhesive matrix molecule (MSCRAMM) of Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Previous studies from our group showed that BBK32 is a virulence factor in experimental Lyme disease and located the Fn-binding region to residues 21-205 of the lipoprotein. MET...

In diabetic nephropathy the progressive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins results from an imbalance between synthetic and degradative pathways. While the role of the different matrix metalloproteinases in the impaired ECM degradation has been studied in detail, the function of lysosomal cysteine proteinases has not received adequate attention. The aim was to investigate a pote...

The interaction of cells with the extracellular matrix (ECM) form of fibronectin (FN) triggers changes in growth, migration, and cytoskeletal organization that differ from those generated by soluble FN. As cells deposit and remodel their FN matrix, the exposure of new epitopes may serve to initiate responses unique to matrix FN. To determine whether a matricryptic site within the III1 module of...