scholarly journals Engineering bio-mimicking functional vesicles with multiple compartments for quantifying molecular transport

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 4669-4679
Author(s):  
Gayathri Mohanan ◽  
Karthika S. Nair ◽  
K. Madhavan Nampoothiri ◽  
Harsha Bajaj

Giant vesicle functional models mimicking a bacterial membrane under physiological conditions are constructed.

Author(s):  
Å. Thureson-Klein

Giant mitochondria of various shapes and with different internal structures and matrix density have been observed in a great number of tissues including nerves. In most instances, the presence of giant mitochondria has been associated with a known disease or with abnormal physiological conditions such as anoxia or exposure to cytotoxic compounds. In these cases degenerative changes occurred in other cell organelles and, therefore the giant mitochondria also were believed to be induced structural abnormalities.Schwann cells ensheating unmyelinated axons of bovine splenic nerve regularly contain giant mitochondria in addition to the conventional smaller type (Fig. 1). These nerves come from healthy inspected animals presumed not to have been exposed to noxious agents. As there are no drastic changes in the small mitochondria and because other cell components also appear reasonably well preserved, it is believed that the giant mitochondria are normally present jin vivo and have not formed as a post-mortem artifact.


Author(s):  
N. Seki ◽  
Y. Toyama ◽  
T. Nagano

It is believed that i ntramembra.nous sterols play an essential role in membrane stability and permeability. To investigate the distribution changes of sterols in sperm membrane during epididymal maturation and capacitation, filipin has been used as a cytochemical probe for the detection for membrane sterols. Using this technique in combination with freeze fracturing, we examined the boar spermatozoa under various physiological conditions.The spermatozoa were collected from: 1) caput, corpus and cauda epididymides, 2) sperm rich fraction of ejaculates, and 3)the uterus 2hr after natural coition. They were fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.05M cacodylate buffer (pH 7.4), and treated with the filipin solution (final concentration : 0.02.0.05%) for 24hr at 4°C with constant agitation. After the filipin treatment, replicas were made by conventional freeze-fracture technique. The density of filipin-sterol complexes (FSCs) was determined in the E face of the plasma membrane of head regions.


2001 ◽  
Vol 40 (01) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Wellner ◽  
E. Voth ◽  
H. Schicha ◽  
K. Weber

Summary Aim: The influence of physiological and pharmacological amounts of iodine on the uptake of radioiodine in the thyroid was examined in a 4-compartment model. This model allows equations to be derived describing the distribution of tracer iodine as a function of time. The aim of the study was to compare the predictions of the model with experimental data. Methods: Five euthyroid persons received stable iodine (200 μg, 10 mg). 1-123-uptake into the thyroid was measured with the Nal (Tl)-detector of a body counter under physiological conditions and after application of each dose of additional iodine. Actual measurements and predicted values were compared, taking into account the individual iodine supply as estimated from the thyroid uptake under physiological conditions and data from the literature. Results: Thyroid iodine uptake decreased from 80% under physiological conditions to 50% in individuals with very low iodine supply (15 μg/d) (n = 2). The uptake calculated from the model was 36%. Iodine uptake into the thyroid did not decrease in individuals with typical iodine supply, i.e. for Cologne 65-85 μg/d (n = 3). After application of 10 mg of stable iodine, uptake into the thyroid decreased in all individuals to about 5%, in accordance with the model calculations. Conclusion: Comparison of theoretical predictions with the measured values demonstrated that the model tested is well suited for describing the time course of iodine distribution and uptake within the body. It can now be used to study aspects of iodine metabolism relevant to the pharmacological administration of iodine which cannot be investigated experimentally in humans for ethical and technical reasons.


1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (05) ◽  
pp. 867-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dingeman C Rijken ◽  
Gerard A W de Munk ◽  
Annie F H Jie

SummaryIn order to define the possible effects of heparin on the fibrinolytic system under physiological conditions, we studied the interactions of this drug with plasminogen and its activators at various ionic strengths. As reported in recent literature, heparin stimulated the activation of Lys-plasminogen by high molecular weight (HMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) two-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and two-chain tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) 10- to 17-fold. Our results showed, however, that this stimulation only occurred at low ionic strength and was negligible at a physiological salt concentration. Direct binding studies were performed using heparin-agarose column chromatography. The interaction between heparin and Lys-plasminogen appeared to be salt sensitive, which explains at least in part why heparin did not stimulate plasminogen activation at 0.15 M NaCl. The binding of u-PA and t-PA to heparinagarose was less salt sensitive. Results were consistent with heparin binding sites on both LMW u-PA and the amino-terminal part of HMW u-PA. Single-chain t-PA bound more avidly than two-chain t-PA. The interactions between heparin and plasminogen activators can occur under physiological conditions and may modulate the fibrinolytic system.


2003 ◽  
Vol 775 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.V.Rama Rao ◽  
Qiang Fu ◽  
Linnea K. Ista ◽  
Huifang Xu ◽  
S. Balamurugan ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study details development of hybrid mesoporous materials in which molecular transport through mesopores can be precisely controlled and reversibly modulated. Mesoporous silica materials formed by surfactant templating were modified by surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) a stimuli responsive polymer (SRP) within the porous network. Thermo gravimetric analysis and FTIR spectroscopy were used to confirm the presence of PNIPAAm on the silica surface. Nitrogen porosimetry, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses confirmed that polymerization occurred uniformly within the porous network. Uptake and release of fluorescent dyes from the particles was monitored by spectrofluorimetry and scanning laser confocal microscopy. Results suggest that the presence of PNIPAAm, a SRP, in the porous network can be used to modulate the transport of aqueous solutes. At low temperature, (e.g., room temperature) the PNIPAAm is hydrated and extended and inhibits transport of analytes; at higher temperatures (e.g., 50°C) it is hydrophobic and is collapsed within the pore network, thus allowing solute diffusion into or out of the mesoporous silica. The transition form hydrophilic to hydrophobic state on polymer grafted mesoporous membranes was determined by contact angle measurements. This work has implications for the development of materials for the selective control of transport of molecular solutes in a variety of applications.


Author(s):  
Austin M. Evans ◽  
Lucas R. Parent ◽  
Nathan C. Flanders ◽  
Ryan P. Bisbey ◽  
Edon Vitaku ◽  
...  

<div> <div> <div> <p>Polymerizing monomers into periodic two-dimensional (2D) networks provides structurally precise, atomically thin macromolecular sheets linked by robust, covalent bonds. These materials exhibit desirable mechanical, optoelectrotronic, and molecular transport properties derived from their designed structure and permanent porosity. 2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) offer broad monomer scope, but are generally isolated as polycrystalline, insoluble powders with limited processability. Here we overcome this limitation by controlling 2D COF formation using a two- step procedure. In the first step, 2D COF nanoparticle seeds are prepared with approximate diameters of 30 nm. Next, monomers are slowly added to suppress new nucleation while promoting epitaxial growth on the existing seeds to sizes of several microns. The resulting COF nanoparticles are of exceptional and unprecedented quality, isolated as single crystalline materials with micron-scale domain sizes. These findings advance the controlled synthesis of 2D layered COFs and will enable a broad exploration of synthetic 2D polymer structures and properties. </p> </div> </div> </div>


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