The formation of blood vessels is one of the major events in organ development and repair. Examples of normal blood vessel formation are found in the complex developing network of arteries, veins and capillaries in growing fetuses or infants, during tissue regeneration, wound healing, and also in the cyclical menstrual changes of the uterine lining [...]

Unlike embryos of many higher organisms, the sea urchin embryo is completely transparent, allowing direct observation of specific cellular recognition events. It is therefore a suitable model for studying cellular interactions that offer insights into mechanisms of adhesive recognition in higher organisms. Moreover, experiments can be performed in seawater without the [...]

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection remains a major health threat in immunocompromised patients, such as those who have undergone solid organ transplantations and in those suffering from AIDS. In renal transplant recipients, the clinical symptoms related to HCMV disease and the prevention of HCMV infection show variations among patient populations, depending mainly [...]

The collagens are a family of extracellular matrix proteins that contain the repeating triplet sequence -Gly-X-Y-, in which the Y-position amino acid is often 4-hydroxyproline. Over 20 proteins have been identified as collagens and among other functions, they play an important role in determining size, shape and strength of bone and [...]

Apolipoprotein M (apoM) is a newly characterized human apolipoprotein that is mainly associated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in plasma and for a small proportion with triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TGRLP) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). ApoM fulfills the criteria of an HDL-associated apolipoprotein since the majority of apoM in plasma is associated with HDL. [...]

Cyclosporine-A (CsA) is a potent immunosuppressive agent commonly used clinically after organ transplantation. However, CsA treatment induces numerous side effects in several organs such as nephrotoxicity, hypertension and hepatoxicity. It has been shown in vitro that CsA in mixed cell cultures of dorsal root ganglia and the central nervous system of [...]

In the ovary, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) binds selectively to its own receptor (FSHR) exclusively localized on granulosa cells, resulting in activation of adenosine 3?,5?-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent and other cAMP-independent signalling pathways. As a result of these signal transductional pathways, FSH induces changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration of granulosa cells [...]

Understanding the course of fibre differentiation during development and ageing is important for analysis of normal and diseased muscles. Often, a certain fibre type of the developing or ageing muscle is more affected than another by altered conditions or diseases. However, postnatal differentiation of muscle fibre types and subtypes is not [...]

Marine bottom-dwelling flatfish, such as flounder (Platichthys flesus (L.)), are most affected by liver cancer because they live in close contact with sediments that accumulate hepatotoxic and (pro)carcinogenic compounds and carcinogenesis-promoting agents. The Elbe is one of the most polluted European rivers and has a major impact on the German Wadden Sea. [...]