Controlled orientation of a small laccase on a multi-walled carbon nanotube electrode was achieved via copper-free click chemistry mediated immobilization. Modification of the enzyme was limited to only the tethering site and involved the genetic incorporation of the unnatural amino acid 4-azido-L-phenylalanine (AzF). This approach enabled efficient direct electron transfer.

Angiotensin II (ANG II) inhibits bTREK-1 (bovine KCNK2) K(+) channels in bovine adrenocortical cells through a Gq-coupled AT(1) receptor by activation of separate Ca(2+)- and ATP hydrolysis-dependent signaling pathways. Whole cell patch-clamp recording from bovine adrenal zona fasciculata (AZF) cells was used to characterize the ATP-dependent signaling mechanism for inhibition of bTREK-1 by ANG...

BACKGROUND Deletions of the AZF (azoospermia factor) subregions on the Y chromosome are accompanied by a diverse spectrum of spermatogenic disturbances ranging from hypospermatogenesis to total depletion of germ cells causing infertility. The AZF region encodes gene products which are candidates for the genetic control of spermatogenesis. Although it is known which genes are involved, a general...

Received: 22 December 2014 Revised: 26 April 2015 Accepted: 12 May 2015 Abstract Background: Infertility is a health problem which affects about 10-20% of married couples. Male factor infertility is involved approximately 50% of infertile couples. Most of male infertility is regarding to deletions in the male-specific region of the Y chromosome. Objective: In this study, the occurrence of delet...

We have studied the effect of the Ca(2+) antagonist mibefradil on low voltage-activated T-type Ca(2+) channels in whole-cell patch clamp recordings from bovine adrenal zona fasciculata (AZF) cells. AZF cells are distinctive in expressing only T-type Ca(2+) channels, allowing the mechanism of pharmacological agents to be explored without interference from other Ca(2+) channels. The inhibition of...

BACKGROUND It has been hypothesized that Y-q microdeletion can account for significant proportion of infertility in men. There are three nonoverlapping regions referred to as the "azoozpermia factors" AZFa, AZFb, and AZFc from proximal to distal part of Y-q. These have been defined as spermatogenesis loci, this region deletions have been shown to be involved in male azoospermic or severe oligoo...

this study was designed to determine the frequency of y chromosome azf (azoospermia factor ) subregions, microdeletions in patients with idiopathic nonobstructive azoospermia and severe oligozoospermia. subjects included 40 men who had been referred to infertility clinics for assisted reproduction, 37 were azoospermic and 3 had severe oligospermia. medical history and physical exam revealed no ...