Cells Commons^™

Multimodal Spectral Imaging Of Cells Using A Transmission Diffraction Grating On A Light Microscope, Dragan Isailovic, Yang Xu, Tyler Copus, Suraj Saraswat, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A multimodal methodology for spectral imaging of cells is presented. The spectral imaging setup uses a transmission diffraction grating on a light microscope to concurrently record spectral images of cells and cellular organelles by fluorescence, darkfield, brightfield, and differential interference contrast (DIC) spectral microscopy. Initially, the setup was applied for fluorescence spectral imaging of yeast and mammalian cells labeled with multiple fluorophores. Fluorescence signals originating from fluorescently labeled biomolecules in cells were collected through triple or single filter cubes, separated by the grating, and imaged using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. Cellular components such as nuclei, cytoskeleton, and mitochondria were …

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Promotes Rank Expression On Human Monocytes, Joseph G. Cannon, Barbara Kraj, Gloria Sloan

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Elevated serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) are associated with diminished bone density in women, beginning years before menopause and the decline in estradiol. We hypothesized that FSH promotes development of myeloid cells toward the bone-resorbing osteoclast phenotype. This was tested by isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells from nine healthy adults, incubating them in the presence of FSH at three different concentrations spanning the physiological range, and then measuring the expression of receptor activator for NF-κB (RANK, a surface marker for osteoclasts) on CD14+ cells by flow cytometry. In the absence of FSH, 3.3±0.5% of the cells expressed high levels …

Polycystic Diseases In Visceral Organs, Shakila Abdul-Majeed, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Primary cilia are nonmotile, microtubule-based, antenna-like organelles projecting from the apical surface of most mammalian cells. Elegant studies have established the importance of ciliary structure and function in signal transduction and the sensory roles of cilia in maintaining healthy cellular state. In particular, dysfunctional cilia have been implicated in a large number of diseases mainly characterized by the presence of fluid-filled cysts in various organs. Aside from polycystic kidney disease (PKD), however, the roles of cilia in polycystic liver disease (PLD), polycystic pancreas disease (PPD), and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are still very vague. In addition, although gender and sex …

Endothelin, Yoshifumi Kawanabe, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Endothelin-1 is the most potent vasoconstrictor agent currently identified, and it was originally isolated and characterized from the culture media of aortic endothelial cells. Two other isoforms, termed endothelin-2 and endothelin-3, were subsequently identified, along with structural homologues isolated from the venom of Actractapis eng-addensis known as the sarafotoxins. In this review, we will discuss the basic science of endothelins, endothelin-converting enzymes, and endothelin receptors. Only concise background information pertinent to clinical physician is provided. Next we will describe the pathophysiological roles of endothelin-1 in pulmonary arterial hypertension, heart failure, systemic hypertension, and female malignancies, with emphasis on ovarian cancer. …

An Upper Limit For Macromolecular Crowding Effects, Andrew C. Miklos, Congang Li, Courtney D. Sorell, L. Andrew Lyon, Gary J. Pielak

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Solutions containing high macromolecule concentrations are predicted to affect a number of protein properties compared to those properties in dilute solution. In cells, these macromolecular crowders have a large range of sizes and can occupy 30% or more of the available volume. We chose to study the stability and ps-ns internal dynamics of a globular protein whose radius is similar to 2 nm when crowded by a synthetic microgel composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) with particle radii of similar to 300 nm.

Results: Our studies revealed no change in protein rotational or ps-ns backbone dynamics and only mild …

Failure To Ubiquitinate C-Met Leads To Hyperactivation Of Mtor Signaling In A Mouse Model Of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, Shan Qin, Mary Taglienti, Surya M. Nauli, Leah Contrino, Ayumi Takakura, Jing Zhou, Jordan A. Kreidberg

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common inherited disorder that is caused by mutations at two loci, polycystin 1 (PKD1) and polycystin 2 (PKD2). It is characterized by the formation of multiple cysts in the kidneys that can lead to chronic renal failure. Previous studies have suggested a role for hyperactivation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in cystogenesis, but the etiology of mTOR hyperactivation has not been fully elucidated. In this report we have shown that mTOR is hyperactivated. in Pkd1-null mouse cells due to failure of the HGF receptor c-Met to be properly ubiquitinated and subsequently …

Interesting Case Presentation: Placental Site Trophoblastic Tumor, Nicole Qualtieri, Ms, Pa (Ascp), Andrea Gadue, Mhs, Pa (Ascp)

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Case Study:

A 26 year-old female (G3P1) had a D&E in March, 2010 for a blighted ovum. The diagnosis on the uterine contents at an outside institution was placental site trophoblastic tumor. No follow up care was obtained. Four months later (July, 2010), the patient presented to her OB-GYN stating that she had missed a period and had a positive home pregnancy test. An ultrasound examination failed to identify a fetus, and the patient was referred to TJUH.

At Jefferson an MRI showed a poorly defined uterine mass that extended into the myometrium. The slides from the original D&E were …

Direct Inputs To Off Α And G9 Ganglion Cells From Aii Amacrine Cells In Rabbit Retina, Wei-Li Liu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In the mammalian retina, AII amacrine cells are essential in the rod pathway for dark-adapted vision. But they also have a “day job”, to provide inhibitory inputs to certain OFF ganglion cells in photopic conditions. This is known as crossover inhibition. Physiological evidence from several different labs implies that AII amacrine cells provide direct input to certain OFF ganglion cells. However, previous EM analysis of the rabbit retina suggests that the dominant output of the AII amacrine cell in sublamina a goes to OFF cone bipolar cells (Strettoi et al., 1992).

Two OFF ganglion cell types in the rabbit retina, …

Cardiac Tissue Regeneration - The Use Of Stem Cells, Chavy Friedlander

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is the introduction to the article: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of illness and fatality. Diseases such as coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and subsequent congestive heart failure pose a serious problem to much of the population in the Unites States and all over the world. The heart’s compromised function that results from the above conditions is so influential as the heart has little capacity to repair its lost tissue; once the cardiac myocytes are destroyed its effects are amplified by a drastic decrease in cardiac function. Until recently with the advent of stem cell technology, researchers …

Chemosensitization Of Cancer Cells By Sirna Using Targeted Nanogel Delivery, Erin B. Dickerson, William H. Blackburn, Michael H. Smith, Laura B. Kapa, L. Andrew Lyon, John F. Mcdonald

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Chemoresistance is a major obstacle in cancer treatment. Targeted therapies that enhance cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents have the potential to increase drug efficacy while reducing toxic effects on untargeted cells. Targeted cancer therapy by RNA interference (RNAi) is a relatively new approach that can be used to reversibly silence genes in vivo by selectively targeting genes such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which has been shown to increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to taxane chemotherapy. However, delivery represents the main hurdle for the broad development of RNAi therapeutics.

Methods: We report here …

Hypertension In Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: A Clinical And Basic Science Perspective, Shobha Ratnam, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Cardiovascular complications are major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). In particular, hypertension is insidious and remains a continuous problem that evolves during the course of the disease. Hypertension in ADPKD has been associated with abnormality in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). Early vascular changes have also been reported in young ADPKD patients. In addition, the cellular functions of mechanosensory cilia within vascular system have emerged recently. The basic and clinical perspectives of RAAS, vascular remodeling and sensory cilia are reviewed with regard to hypertension in ADPKD