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Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology

Localization Of Sodium, Potassium-Adenosine Triphosphatase In The Cerebral Cortex Of Developing Rats, Maki Ujiie Sep 1998

Localization Of Sodium, Potassium-Adenosine Triphosphatase In The Cerebral Cortex Of Developing Rats, Maki Ujiie

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Active transport via Na+, K+-ATPase plays an important role in establishing and maintaining proper ionic gradient across all mammalian cell membranes. A strict regulation of Na+, and K+ ion levels is especially important in excitable cells such as neurons and myocytes. Inhibition of the enzyme is associated with several pathological conditions and has serious detrimental effects on cerebral cortical cells. Yet the enzyme appears to be limited in amount and distribution in newborn rats. In this study, Na+, K+- ATPase expression and distribution in early postnatal rats were studied …


Development Of Fluorescent Techniques In The Kinetic Characterization Of Reverse Transcriptase, Kevin Kevin Howerton Jul 1998

Development Of Fluorescent Techniques In The Kinetic Characterization Of Reverse Transcriptase, Kevin Kevin Howerton

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Reverse transcriptase (RT) is an RNA-directed DNA polymerase isolated from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other retroviruses. It has been the primary target for anti-HIV research since the discovery of its vital role in the retroviral life-cycle. The conventional method for carrying out kinetic characterization and inhibition studies of reverse transcriptase involves the use of radioactive materials. Although this method is effective, it is both time consuming, due to a necessary repeated washing step, and hazardous to the worker and environment. Furthermore, strict laws limit the use of radioactive materials to licensed workers and laboratories. In response to these concerns, …


A Model Using Radiation And Pws4-Htnf-Α Gene Therapy For Treatment Of Glioblastomas, Angelo G. Baher Jun 1998

A Model Using Radiation And Pws4-Htnf-Α Gene Therapy For Treatment Of Glioblastomas, Angelo G. Baher

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The efficacy of radiotherapy for cancer is limited by the dose that can be safely delivered to the tumor without causing debilitating side effects. In addition, successful treatment of highly malignant tumors such as glioblastomas is likely to require adjunctive therapies to enhance tumor response to radiation. Previous studies have shown immunomodulation and a synergestic reduction in tumor volume of malignant tumors when tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) protein is administered prior to radiation. The major goal of the present investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of pWS4-human TNF-α (pWS4-hTNF-α), a new plasmid construct that expresses human TNF-α protein, together with …


Developmental And Hormonal Regulation Of The Expression Of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Protein Levels In Baboon Placenta, Kathleen Elizabeth Dunstan Apr 1998

Developmental And Hormonal Regulation Of The Expression Of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Protein Levels In Baboon Placenta, Kathleen Elizabeth Dunstan

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Cytosolic phospholipase A2 ( cPLA2) specifically catalyzes the release of arachidonate from membrane phospholipids, thus initiating synthesis of prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and other eicosanoids. The human and nonhuman primate placenta actively synthesize high levels of eicosanoids which play both an autocrine and paracrine role in placental function. Previous studies in Dr. Miriam D. Rosenthal's laboratory have shown that cPLA2 mRNA levels are developmentally regulated. The present study was designed to determine whether placental cPLA2 protein levels increased during gestation. Since the marked increases in estrogen levels during normal pregnancy have been shown to enhance morphological and …