Complex scientific questions concerning functioning of biological systems are usually approached as a series of subquestions that are easier to define and to investigate. When these subquestions have been solved, they provide insights, which illuminate the complexity of the entire organism. This approach has been successful so far and has led to the identification of [...]
For the past half-century, cell biology and molecular biology have been carried out on cells growing in dishes and by the extracellular analysis of cellular components including genes and proteins. The advent of green fluorescent protein (GFP) as reporter gene is enabling a paradigm change in cell biology and molecular biology. In the first phase [...]
The endometrium is a dynamic tissue that undergoes morphological and biochemical changes during the menstrual cycle. Human endometrium contains a variety of cell types: surface and glandular epithelium associated with extracellular matrix and stromal components, including vascular and neuronal elements. The endometrium is a target tissue for hormones. The proliferative and secretory changes are primarily [...]
Ectopic pregnancy is the implantation of a fertilized ovum into tissues, outside the endometrial cavity. By far the most frequent sites of ectopic pregnancy are the fallopian tube (tubal pregnancy) and the ampullary region within the tube. Implantation rarely occurs in the peritoneum, cervix, ovary, or the broad ligament. One of the factors causing tubal [...]
Parvalbumin (PV) is a member of the family of calcium-binding proteins. The three CBPs, PV, calbindin D28k (CB) and calretinin (CR), are important modulators of intracellular calcium dynamics in neurons. PV is a slow-onset buffer, whereas CB and CR are considered as fast buffers. In addition, PV potently modulates short-term synaptic plasticity. There are data [...]
Small-bowel transplantation is performed today in case of various diseases. However, despite the increasing numbers of small-bowel transplantations that are performed, mortality and morbidity are still higher as compared with transplantation of other organs. New anti-rejection medication has been developed, and understanding of immunological aspects and operative procedures has improved the success rate of transplantation. [...]
Stress disturbs cellular homeostasis. During stress, the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis is activated. Thus, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) released from the hypothalamus activates pituitary corticotrophs to secrete adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) that enters the circulation and stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete glucocorticoids (corticosterone in the rat; cortisol in the human and sheep). The steroid products of the [...]
The heart endothelium is the most significant blood clearing tissue in species of the bony fish family Poeciliidae and Gadidae, whereas the kidney plays important roles in the uptake of scavengers from the blood stream in salmonid species. Clearance of the blood in characid species is still poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of the present [...]
The lungs are innervated by sympathetic and parasympathetic components of the autonomic nervous system. The role of autonomic nerves in the regulation of the blood flow in the lungs is comparatively poorly understood. Sensory, parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves regulate epithelial, vascular and glandular processes in the upper respiratory tract of humans. Pulmonary vasculature is innervated [...]
In the distal part of the pituitary gland of Rana ridibunda, cells are found that synthesize and secrete a variety of hormones. These cells have been distinguished in mature and larval stages of various amphibians, using immunocytochemical methods. These studies, however, are limited to only a certain number of amphibian species.
Highest concentrations of thyrotropin-releasing hormone [...]