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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Distinct Domains Of Bax Are Involved In Mitochondrial Bioenergetics And Apoptosis, Ge Zhang
Distinct Domains Of Bax Are Involved In Mitochondrial Bioenergetics And Apoptosis, Ge Zhang
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Apoptosis is essential for cellular homeostasis and is also a pathologic feature of various diseases. The balance between Bcl-2 family proteins determines whether a cell will live or die. Bax, a member of the BCL-2 family proteins, is a pro-apoptotic protein that exists in both a soluble, cytoplasmic form and a membrane-bound form. Upon apoptotic stimuli, Bax undergoes a conformational change and translocates to the mitochondria, initiating apoptotic events. However, little is known about whether Bax is involved in the regulation of mitochondrial function under non-apoptotic conditions, and how Bax binds to mitochondria to exert its activity. Here, we investigate …
Genetically Modified Es Cells Enhance Cardiac Repair And Regeneration In The Infarcted Heart, Carley E. Glass
Genetically Modified Es Cells Enhance Cardiac Repair And Regeneration In The Infarcted Heart, Carley E. Glass
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Transplanted embryonic stem (ES) cells following myocardial infarction (MI) contribute to limited cardiac repair and regeneration with improved function. Therefore novel strategies are still needed to enhance the efficacy by which ES cells differentiate into cardiac cell types and inhibit adverse remodeling in the infarcted myocardium. Our studies evaluate whether genetic manipulation of transplanted ES cells employing miR- 1, a pro-cardiac microRNA, and TIMP-1, an anti-apoptotic and anti-fibrotic protein, will enhance cardiac myocyte differentiation, inhibit native cardiac apoptosis, and reduce fibrosis in the infarcted myocardium. Furthermore, we assess levels of associated pro- (caspase-3, PTEN) and anti-(Akt) apoptotic proteins as well …