Lung surfactant: Host defense/surface tension, and linking innate/adaptive immune systems
.... They're so-named because the proteins all have a collagen like N-terminal domain and a C-terminal lectin domain. Collectins bind via their lectin domains to sugars and glycolipids on pathogens and opsonize them for uptake by phagocytes. The collectins also regulate the production of inflammatory mediators ...New research demonstrates bone-marrow derived stem cells can reverse genetic kidney disease
...ort syndrome, mutations in three different type IV collagen genes cause structural damage to the GBM, leading ...disease, in which COL4A3 one of the three type IV collagen genes that is mutated in Alport patients -- had been removed, the researchers transplanted allogenic...In 3D, early fat development first requires 'remodeling'
...en tissue's growth. An enzyme that "chews" through collagen fibers sculpts the matrix surrounding fat cells, a...und. Moreover, the cells entrapment within a dense collagen meshwork disrupts their structure. That structural change, in turn, stalls the genetic programs crit...Expanding waistlines triggered by your genes
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---A gene that degrades the body's collagen infrastructure has been shown to make fat cells fa... acts as a metabolic scissors, cutting through the collagen tissue matrix that holds fat in place, which allows fat cells to expand beneath the belly. The coll...FDG PET takes its place as a valuable tool in diagnosing fevers of unknown origin
...ningitis), cancer (leukemia, Hodgkin's disease) or collagen vascular disease (rheumatoid arthritis). In some cases, the tests fail to explain the reason for the fever, said Oyen. "Fevers of unknown origin, which may be caused by any one of more than 200 disorders, are a major diagnostic challenge," he noted. ...JCI table of contents: June 22, 2006
...h cells are tumor-associated fibroblasts that make collagen type I, which play a role in the poor uptake by tu...colon and breast carcinomas in mice. By disrupting collagen type I expression the authors were able to significantly increase tumor uptake of chemotherapeutic d...UCLA researchers transform stem cells found in human fat into smooth muscle cells
... by tracking movement of microbeads dispersed in a collagen gel embedded with the cells. Researchers added different pharmacologic agents known to cause contraction or relaxation in smooth muscle. "We found that the cells did indeed function just like smooth muscle," said Wu. "The new device allowed us to...Genetic variant is associated with higher rate of premature delivery in African-American women
...ock protein known as Hsp47, which is essential for collagen production. Collagen lends strength to the membran...fied reduces the amount of Hsp47 made and thus the collagen in the membranes, making them more prone to rupture. Other published research has reported that redu...An artificial cornea is in sight, thanks to biomimetic hydrogels
...move in, and they bring furniture too--meaning the collagen they secrete. They even 'remodel.'" Collagen binds...ls, a middle layer called stroma that provides the collagen matrix that gives the cornea its shape, and an innermost endothelial layer. With inlays, some of the...Cellular traffic backups implicated in skeletal malformations
...inous skeleton. Chondrocytes secrete proteins like collagen into the extracellular space, laying down a rigid ...ill form cartilage. Under a microscope, type II collagen can mainly be found in the extracellular space. Only small amounts can be seen in the cytoplasm. ...Tissue geometry plays crucial role in breast cell invasion
...al mouse mammary epithelial cells in cavities of a collagen gel. The epithelial cells formed hollow tubules, according to the size and shape of the collagen cavities. These tubules began branching out into the gel within 24 hours after being treated with e...Genetic mutation explains form of brittle bone disease
...o be caused by a structural change in a particular collagen protein. The new mutation responsible for up to 15 percent of cases acts differently and prevents collagen proteins from being properly modified after they are produced. The finding may also offer clues to t...Researchers discover new gene responsible for brittle bone disease
...own only as a genetic disorder in the formation of collagen fibers, the protein framework of which bone and ca...ted their bodies to make either too little or weak collagen because of defects or mutations in one of the collagen genes, of which there are more than 20. The c...Stretching bone marrow stem cells pushes them towards becoming blood vessel
...o resemble the patterns formed in blood vessels by collagen fibers. The microgrooves were aligned either perpendicular or parallel to the axis of strain, and some of the cells were stretched while others were not. The researchers also looked at the effects of stretching stem cells on a smooth membrane with n...Women's skin tone influences perception of beauty, health and age
...bution of 3 chromophores melanin, hemoglobin, and collagen -- in the skin of study subjects and correlate this distribution with perceived attractiveness. A non-invasive imaging technology called SIAscopy--originally developed by UK-based Astron Clinica for early skin cancer detection--will help the scientis...Researchers show that veins stiffen as we age
...er extremities. The walls of the veins are made of collagen and elastin, two proteins that give the tube-like blood vessels flexibility and help them to maintain your blood pressure. To determine if there are age-related differences in how our veins work, the research team recruited 24 people for their study......half of it is a stretchable fibrous protein called collagen and the other half a brittle mineral phase called apatite. These com-ponents make this biomineralized tissue highly strong and tough. at the same time, In order to understand how this construction is achieved and functions, scientists from the Max Pl...Math model could aid study of collagen ailments
...le. Each tiny tropocollagen molecule--the smallest collagen building block--is around 300 nanometers long and ...een unexplained until now. The molecular model of collagen developed by Markus Buehler, an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Eng......by volume) is a stretchable fibrous protein called collagen and the other half a brittle mineral phase called apatite. By as yet incompletely understood construction strategies, such biomineralized tissues exhibit remarkably high strength and toughness necessary for their physiological functioning. The key ...Changes in dietary protein may override inherited skeletal abnormalities
...hance bone formation through amino acid import and collagen synthesis in osteoblasts. Collagen is a fibrous pr...ant structural component of bone. ATF4-dependent collagen synthesis and bone formation increased in mice lacking neurofibromin in osteoblasts, the researchers...