In response to stress, the corneal endothelium must maintain or region its barrier function. To study cellular responses of the corneal endothelium, our laboratory has developed an in vitro model of rabbit corneal endothelial wound closure. When cells are free to divide, a 3 mm diameter wound closes within 4 days. 5-fluorouracil added to these cultures does not affect the cellular morphology or...

Using a silver-enhanced, gold-secondary antibody immuno-location approach, we investigated the mechan­ isms for the switch from {3-l,4to {3-l,3-glucan biosynthesis upon wounding. Antibodies against {3-l,4and {3-l ,3-glucan synthases were used to locate these synthascs before and after wounding of Mung bean (Vigna radiata val' Berken) hypocotyls. Within 5 min of wounding, {3-l,4-glucan synthases...

Monitoring transcriptional reorganization triggered in response to a particular stress is an essential first step for the functional analysis of genes involved in the process. To characterize Cicer arietinum L. defence responses against Helicoverpa armigera feeding, transcript patterns elicited by both herbivore and mechanical wounding were profiled and compared, and the application of defence ...

We analyzed the developmental regulation and the activation by wounding of several stress-related genes in various parsley organs. The genes encode phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and 4-coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL), two enzymes of general phenylpropanoid metabolism; a flavonoid specific enzyme, chalcone synthase (CHS); a furanocoumarin specific enzyme, bergaptol O-methyltransferase (BMT); and a...

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) serves as a reference dicot for investigation of defence mechanisms in Asteraceae due to abundant secondary metabolites and high resistance/tolerance to environmental stresses. In plants, phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways are considered as two central defence signalling cascades in stress conditions. Here, we describe the isolation of two major genes in ...

Individually housed rhesus monkeys sometimes spontaneously develop self-injurious behavior (SIB) in the form of self-directed biting that, on occasion, results in severe tissue damage and mutilation. We previously demonstrated lower levels of plasma cortisol in rhesus monkeys with a history of self-wounding (SW) when compared to non-wounders (NW). Furthermore, cortisol levels were negatively co...

Suberin is a protective hydrophobic barrier consisting of phenolics, glycerol, and a variety of fatty acid derivatives, including C18:0-C22:0 primary fatty alcohols. An eight-member gene family encoding alcohol-forming fatty acyl-coenzyme A reductases (FARs) has been identified in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Promoter-driven expression of the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene indicated th...

     Nitric oxide (NO) is an important molecule synthesized during wound repair. Studies have reported the use of NO donors on cutaneous wound repair, but their effects in different phases of healing are not elucidated. The aim of this work was to investigate the effects of topical sildenafil on wounds in rats. Sildenafil (25 mg) was topically applied once daily on wound in treatment groups. On...