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Adjacent Segments (adjacent + segment)

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Life Sciences	40%

Selected Abstracts

Gene expression and dental enamel structure in developing mouse incisor

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCES, Issue 2 2010
Amer Sehic
Sehic A, Risnes S, Khan Q-E-S, Khuu C, Osmundsen H. Gene expression and dental enamel structure in developing mouse incisor. Eur J Oral Sci 2010; 118: 118,130. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Eur J Oral Sci At the mouse incisor tip the initially differentiated ameloblasts produce a thin, prism-free enamel, while further apically, in the immediate adjacent segment, the enamel thickness increases and the four-layered enamel of mouse incisor is formed. Comparative gene-expression profiling was carried out on RNA isolated from these two segments of incisor tooth germs at embryonic day (E)17.5 and at postnatal days (P)0, 1, 2, and 10 using microarrays to measure messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) species present in the segments. Validation of expression data was achieved using real-time reverse transcription,polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting. Bioinformatic data suggested enhanced cellular apoptosis in the incisal tip segment, which, together with diminished expression of the Amelx and Enam genes, may contribute to the production of the thin enamel seen in this tooth segment. For genes exhibiting higher levels of expression in the adjacent segment where complex enamel is being formed, bioinformatic analysis suggested significant associations with cellular functions involving the actin cytoskeleton, cellular development, morphology, and movement. This is suggested to reflect that ameloblasts with Tomes' process are being organized in transverse rows, facilitating the transverse movement that results in prism decussation in the inner enamel of the adjacent segment. Bioinformatic analysis of miRNA expression data lends support to these suggestions. [source]

Excess target-derived neurotrophin-3 alters the segmental innervation of the skin

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2001
Amy M. Ritter
Abstract It is thought that dermatomes are established during development as a result of competition between afferents of neighbouring segments. Mice that overexpress neurotrophins in the skin provide an interesting model to test this hypothesis, as they possess increased numbers of sensory neurons, and display hyperinnervation of the skin. When dermatomal boundaries were mapped in adult mice, it was found that those in nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpressers were indistinguishable from wild-type animals but that overlap between adjacent segments was greatly reduced in neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) overexpressers. However, dermatomes in heterozygous NT-3 knockout mice displayed no more overlap than wild-types. In order to quantify differences across strains, innervation territories of thoracic dorsal cutaneous nerves were mapped and measured in adult mice. Overlap between adjacent dorsal cutaneous nerves was normal in nerve growth factor overexpressing mice, but much reduced in NT-3 overexpressers. However, this restriction was not reflected in the central projection of the dorsal cutaneous nerve, creating a mismatch between peripheral and central projections. Dorsal cutaneous nerve territories were also mapped in neonatal mice aged postnatal day 7,8. In neonates, nerve territories of NT-3 overexpressers overlapped less than wild-types, but in neonates of both strains the amount of overlap was much greater than in the adult. These results indicate that substantial separation of dermatomes occurs postnatally, and that excess NT-3 enhances this process, resulting in more restricted dermatomes. It may exert its effects either by enhancing competition, or by direct effects on the stability and formation of sensory endings in the skin. [source]

Lumbar vertebral morphology and isthmic spondylolysis in a British medieval population

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Carol V. Ward
Abstract The British medieval population from Wharram Percy, England, has a greater prevalence of isthmic spondylolysis (11.9% of skeletons, 8.5% at the L5 level) than in modern populations (3%,6%). This may in part be due to differences in activity patterns between groups. However, Ward and Latimer (Spine 30 [2005] 1808,1814) proposed that the likelihood of developing and maintaining spondylolytic defects is also influenced by a lack of sufficient increase in mediolateral separation between articular processes in the lowest lumbar segments, given the human lumbar lordosis. Here, we demonstrate that spondylolytic individuals from Wharram Percy tend to have a less pronounced difference between mediolateral facet joint spacing of adjacent segments in the lowest lumbar region than do unaffected individuals, as seen in modern clinical and skeletal populations. These comparisons suggest that regardless of lifestyle, insufficient mediolateral increase in facet spacing predisposes people to spondylolytic defects, and so interfacet spacing patterns may have predictive utility in a clinical context. We also compare the Wharram Percy sample to a modern sample from the Hamann Todd collection with a typically modern prevalence rate. Data do not support the hypothesis that the Wharram Percy individuals had a less pronounced interfacet increase than the Hamann Todd, although they do have narrower lumbar facet spacing at the lowest three levels. Further investigation of anatomical variation underlying population-specific prevalence rates needs to be conducted. Am J Phys Anthropol 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

The architecture of the GroEL,GroES,(ADP)7 chaperonin complex.

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 5 2003

Molecular forms are considered with vertices that have integral coordinates (the indices) with respect to a symmetry-adapted basis and which are left invariant by a point group of crystallographic scale-rotations (represented in this basis by invertible integral matrices). The composite form enclosing the chaperonin complex GroEL,GroES,(ADP)7 is derived and decomposed into heptagrammal forms. These are generalizations of the two-dimensional forms based on sevenfold star polygons. In the chaperonin complex, nine such heptagrammal molecular forms are found: three for each ring (trans and cis) of GroEL and three for GroES. These forms correspond to a splitting of the monomer into adjacent segments. The change in the folding of the chains in the cis ring of GroEL arising from binding to GroES leaves the chain segmentation invariant. [source]