Cilia Not Only Move, but also Have Taste!

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-8
Author(s):  
Stephen W. Carmichael
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Machines ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Mechanical Activity ◽  
Sensory Receptors ◽  
Pulmonary Infections ◽  
Immotile Cilia ◽  
Specific Direction ◽  
Motile Cilia ◽  
First Time ◽  
Sensory Functions

Motile cilia are organelles that contain amazing molecular machines that bend each cilium in a rhythmic and coordinated movement. This allows a liquid film, perhaps with particles embedded within, to move in a specific direction. The classic example is the cilia of the respiratory passages that move a layer of debris-carrying mucus out of the lungs. When this mechanism is not working properly, recurrent pulmonary infections result. The classic example of this is immotile cilia syndrome that results in chronic bronchitis and related problems. However, no sensory function has been assigned to these classic motile cilia until now (although nodal cilia have both mechanical activity and sensory functions). Alok Shah, Yehuda Ben-Shahar, Thomas Moninger, Joel Kline, and Michael Welsh have demonstrated sensory receptors on motile cilia for the first time.

scholarly journals Beyond switches: Rotaxane- and catenane-based synthetic molecular motors

2008 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Euan R. Kay ◽  
David A. Leigh
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Motors ◽  
Physical Science ◽  
Statistical Physics ◽  
Biological Process ◽  
Molecular Level ◽  
Molecular Machines ◽  
Interlocked Molecules ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
New Generation ◽  
First Time

Nature uses molecular motors and machines in virtually every significant biological process, but learning how to design and assemble simpler artificial structures that function through controlled molecular-level motion is a major challenge for contemporary physical science. The established engineering principles of the macroscopic world can offer little more than inspiration to the molecular engineer who creates devices for an environment where everything is constantly moving and being buffeted by other atoms and molecules. Rather, experimental designs for working molecular machines must follow principles derived from chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and nonequilibrium statistical physics. The remarkable characteristics of interlocked molecules make them particularly useful for investigating the control of motion at the molecular level. Yet, the vast majority of synthetic molecular machines studied to date are simple two-state switches. Here we outline recent developments from our laboratory that demonstrate more complex molecular machine functions. This new generation of synthetic molecular machines can move continuously and progressively away from equilibrium, and they may be considered true prototypical molecular motors. The examples discussed exemplify two, fundamentally different, "Brownian ratchet" mechanisms previously developed in theoretical statistical physics and realized experimentally in molecular-level devices for the first time in these systems.

scholarly journals Identification of Species of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Clinical Isolates from 8 Provinces of China

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haican Liu ◽  
Lulu Lian ◽  
Yi Jiang ◽  
Mingxiang Huang ◽  
Yunhong Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nontuberculous Mycobacteria ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Pulmonary Diseases ◽  
Pulmonary Infections ◽  
Internal Transcribed Spacer Region ◽  
Identification Methods ◽  
Identification Of Species ◽  
First Time ◽  
Prevalent Species

Pulmonary diseases caused by nontuberculousmycobacteria(NTM) are increasing in incidence and prevalence worldwide. In this study, we identified NTM species of the clinical isolates from 8 provinces in China, in order to preliminarily provide some basic scientific data in the different species and distribution of NTM related to pulmonary disease in China. A total of 523 clinical isolates from patients with tuberculosis (TB) diagnosed clinically from 2005 to 2012 were identified to the species using conventional and molecular methods, including multilocus PCR,rpoBandhsp65PCR-PRA,hsp65,rpoB, and16S-23Sinternal transcribed spacer region sequencing. The isolates were identified into 3 bacterium genera, including NTM,Gordonia bronchialis,andNocardia farcinica, and, for the 488 NTM isolates, 27 species were identified. For all the 27 species of NTM which were found to cause pulmonary infections in humans, the most prevalent species wasM. intracellulare, followed byM. aviumandM. abscessus. And seven other species were for the first time identified in patients with TB in China. NTM species identification is very important for distinguishing between tuberculosis and NTM pulmonary diseases, and the species diversity drives the creation of diverse and integrated identification methods with higher accuracy and efficacy.

Review and Perspective: Sensory Feedback in Upper Limb Prosthesis

2013 ◽  
Vol 303-306 ◽  
pp. 261-265
Author(s):  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Qi Xu ◽  
Ji Ping He
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Sensory Feedback ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Tactile Sensation ◽  
Tactile Receptors ◽  
Upper Limb Prosthesis ◽  
Human Upper Limb ◽  
Limb Prosthesis ◽  
Sensory Functions

An emerging challenge in developing intelligent prostheses is to replicate or recreate the sensory functions of natural limbs for amputees. Such functions mainly include tactile sensation and proprioception. This paper reviews the tactile receptors and proprioceptors in human upper limb, the artificial sensors in upper limb prosthesis, and the sensory feedback technology used for reconstruction of lost sensory function in the amputee’s upper limb.

scholarly journals OPTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF THE LUNGS MAXIMUM MECHANICAL ACTIVITY, WHICH IS AIMED AT OVERCOMING INTERNAL-LUNG RESISTANCE

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 102-106
Author(s):  
K. F. Tetenev ◽  
T. N. Bodrova ◽  
T. S. Ageeva ◽  
A. I. Karzilov ◽  
F. F. Tetenev
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Mechanical System ◽  
Capillary Permeability ◽  
Community Acquired Pneumonia ◽  
Healthy People ◽  
Mechanical Activity ◽  
External Respiration ◽  
Lung Resistance ◽  
First Time ◽  
Alveolar Capillary

The paper presents the results of assessing general and elastic lung hysteresis in 21 healthy volunteers and 28 patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Negative elastic hysteresis was detected in 14 healthy volunteers and 18 patients with community-acquired pneumonia. For the first time ever, it was demonstrated that, under the conditions of an interrupted air flow, 4 healthy volunteers and 2 patients with community-acquired pneumonia were characterized with the inversion of not only elastic but also general lung hysteresis. In case of pneumonia, despite the increase in tissue friction resulting from the generalized escalation of the alveolar-capillary permeability, the inversion of both elastic and general lung hysteresis takes place as often as in healthy people. It can be explained with the intensification of the mechanical activity of the lungs as a compensatory reaction in the mechanical system of the external respiration organs in case of pneumonia.

scholarly journals Stroke Induces Long-Lasting Deficits in the Temporal Fidelity of Sensory Processing in the Somatosensory Cortex

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle A Sweetnam ◽  
Craig E Brown
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Cortical Circuits ◽  
Cortical Networks ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Experimental Animals ◽  
Temporal Precision ◽  
Temporal Aspects ◽  
Voltage Sensitive Dyes ◽  
Sensory Functions

Recovery from stroke is rarely complete as humans and experimental animals typically show lingering deficits in sensory function. One explanation for limited recovery could be that rewired cortical networks do not process sensory stimuli with the same temporal precision as they normally would. To examine how well peri-infarct and more distant cortical networks process successive vibrotactile stimulations of the affected forepaw (a measure of temporal fidelity), we imaged cortical depolarizations with millisecond temporal resolution using voltage-sensitive dyes. In control mice, paired forepaw stimulations (ranging from 50 to 200 milliseconds apart) induced temporally distinct depolarizations in primary forelimb somatosensory (FLS1) cortex, and to a lesser extent in secondary FLS (FLS2) cortex. For mice imaged 3 months after stroke, the first forepaw stimulus reliably evoked a strong depolarization in the surviving region of FLS1 and FLS2 cortex. However, depolarizations to subsequent forepaw stimuli were significantly reduced or completely absent (for stimuli ≤100 milliseconds apart) in the FLS1 cortex, whereas FLS2 responses were relatively unaffected. Our data reveal that stroke induces long-lasting impairments in how well the rewired FLS1 cortex processes temporal aspects of sensory stimuli. Future therapies directed at enhancing the temporal fidelity of cortical circuits may be necessary for achieving full recovery of sensory functions.

Calcium paradox induces apoptosis in the isolated perfused Rana ridibunda heart: involvement of p38-MAPK and calpain

2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (12) ◽  
pp. 1095-1106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioanna-Katerina Aggeli ◽  
Triantafyllos Zacharias ◽  
Georgia Papapavlou ◽  
Catherine Gaitanaki ◽  
Isidoros Beis
Keyword(s):  
P38 Mapk ◽  
Divalent Cations ◽  
Myocardial Dysfunction ◽  
Calcium Paradox ◽  
Mechanical Activity ◽  
Calpain Inhibitor ◽  
Rana Ridibunda ◽  
Perfused Heart ◽  
P38 Mapk Inhibitor ◽  
First Time

“Calcium paradox” as a term describes the deleterious effects conferred to a heart perfused with a calcium-free solution followed by repletion, including loss of mechanical activity and sarcomere disruption. Given that the signaling mechanisms triggered by calcium paradox remain elusive, in the present study, we tried to investigate them in the isolated perfused heart from Rana ridibunda. Calcium paradox was found to markedly activate members of the MAPKs (p43-ERK, JNKs, p38-MAPK). In addition to lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in the perfusate (indicative of necrosis), we also confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis by using the TUNEL assay and identifying poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) fragmentation and upregulated Bax expression. Furthermore, using MDL28170 (a selective calpain inhibitor), a role for this protease was revealed. In addition, various divalent cations were shown to exert a protective effect against the calcium paradox. Interestingly, SB203580, a p38-MAPK inhibitor, alleviated calcium-paradox-conferred apoptosis. This result indicates that p38-MAPK plays a pro-apoptotic role, contributing to the resulting myocardial dysfunction and cell death. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the calcium paradox has been shown to induce apoptosis in amphibians, with p38-MAPK and calpain playing significant roles.

16.—The Sensory Fields and Life Mode of Phacops rana (Green, 1832) (Trilobita)

1976 ◽  
Vol 69 (16) ◽  
pp. 337-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Miller
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Radiation ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Distinctive Pattern ◽  
General Morphology ◽  
Freedom Of Movement ◽  
Life Mode ◽  
Sensory Structures ◽  
Lateral Branches ◽  
Surface Examination ◽  
First Time

SynopsisVarious types of trilobite exoskeletal sculpture are described and referred to a simple classification. Thin-section and surface examination of many such sculptural features shows them to be remnants of distinct cuticular organelles, which probably had a sensory function. The supposed sensory structures of well-preserved specimens of Phacops rana (Green) are described in detail and their presumed specific functions considered. Mapping sensilla distribution over the Phacops rana dorsal exoskeleton shows a distinctive pattern conveniently divisible into nine inferred sensory fields with the densest sensory concentrations on the head and margins of the dorsal shield.Conclusions on the importance of these sensory fields in mediating the trilobite's behaviour are combined with evidence from general morphology, palaeocology and evolutionary trends to suggest that Phacops rana was an active benthonic animal with a dual trophic capability lending considerable flexibility in adaptive radiation.The P. rana hypostomal suture, consisting of two short coplanar lateral branches, is described for the first time, indicating that the hypostoma had considerable freedom of movement, possibly connected with ingestion of bulky food.

scholarly journals Regulation of Chlamydomonas flagella and ependymal cell motile cilia by ceramide-mediated translocation of GSK3

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (24) ◽  
pp. 4451-4465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Na Kong ◽  
Kara Hardin ◽  
Michael Dinkins ◽  
Guanghu Wang ◽  
Qian He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Fluorescent Labeling ◽  
Activation Mechanism ◽  
Ependymal Cells ◽  
Tubulin Acetylation ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
Membrane Protrusions ◽  
Motile Cilia ◽  
First Time

Cilia are important organelles formed by cell membrane protrusions; however, little is known about their regulation by membrane lipids. We characterize a novel activation mechanism for glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) by the sphingolipids phytoceramide and ceramide that is critical for ciliogenesis in Chlamydomonas and murine ependymal cells, respectively. We show for the first time that Chlamydomonas expresses serine palmitoyl transferase (SPT), the first enzyme in (phyto)ceramide biosynthesis. Inhibition of SPT in Chlamydomonas by myriocin led to loss of flagella and reduced tubulin acetylation, which was prevented by supplementation with the precursor dihydrosphingosine. Immunocytochemistry showed that (phyto)ceramide was colocalized with phospho–Tyr-216-GSK3 (pYGSK3) at the base and tip of Chlamydomonas flagella and motile cilia in ependymal cells. The (phyto)ceramide distribution was consistent with that of a bifunctional ceramide analogue UV cross-linked and visualized by click-chemistry–mediated fluorescent labeling. Ceramide depletion, by myriocin or neutral sphingomyelinase deficiency ( fro/fro mouse), led to GSK3 dephosphorylation and defective flagella and cilia. Motile cilia were rescued and pYGSK3 localization restored by incubation of fro/fro ependymal cells with exogenous C24:1 ceramide, which directly bound to pYGSK3. Our findings suggest that (phyto)ceramide-mediated translocation of pYGSK into flagella and cilia is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism fundamental to the regulation of ciliogenesis.

Impaired Renal Sensory Responses after Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction in the Rat

2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1008-1016
Author(s):  
Ming-Chieh Ma ◽  
Ho-Shiang Huang ◽  
Chau-Fong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Renal Pelvis ◽  
Ureteral Obstruction ◽  
Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Receptor Protein ◽  
Sensory Receptors ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Renal Nerve ◽  
Western Blots ◽  
Renal Nerve Activity

ABSTRACT. Renal responses to the activation of renal sensory receptors were examined in rats after release of 24-h unilateral ureteral obstruction of the left kidney. The integrity of the renorenal reflex was examined in both 24-h unilateral ureteral obstruction-treated (UUO) and sham-operated (Sham) rats. Increased ipsilateral afferent renal nerve activity (ARNA) and reflexly decreased efferent renal nerve activity (ERNA) and increased contralateral diuresis and natriuresis produced by increasing the left intrapelvic pressure were observed in Sham rats but not in UUO rats. The lack of responsiveness of the renorenal reflex in UUO rats was associated with lower release of substance P (SP) and increased neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity in the renal pelvis in the postobstructive kidney. Compared with Sham rats, urine and sodium excretion after acute saline loading was significantly reduced in the postobstructive kidney. The blunted excretory responses were accompanied by lower activation of ARNA and less reflex inhibition of ERNA. Renal sensory dysfunction in the postobstructive kidney was further examined by stimulation of renal mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors. Graded increases in intrapelvic pressure or renal pelvic perfusion with hypertonic saline solution elicited, respectively, a pressure- or concentration-dependent increase in ARNA in the control kidney of Sham rats, this response being greatly attenuated in the postobstructive kidney. Western blots showed no quantitative difference in the expression of renal pelvic neurokinin 1 (NK-1) receptors between the two groups. It was concluded that renal sensory function is impaired in the postobstructive kidney of UUO rats and that this defective activation of renal sensory receptors results in an impaired renorenal reflex, which is associated with enhanced NEP activity and catabolism of SP released in the renal pelvis and is not related to the expression of NK-1 receptor protein.

MOTILE CILIA IN "IMMOTILE CILIA" SYNDROME

The Lancet ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 315 (8182) ◽  
pp. 1360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Rossman ◽  
James Forrest ◽  
Michael Newhouse
Keyword(s):  
Immotile Cilia Syndrome ◽  
Immotile Cilia ◽  
Motile Cilia
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