scholarly journals Automatically Identifying Fusion Events between GLUT4 Storage Vesicles and the Plasma Membrane in TIRF Microscopy Image Sequences

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Wu ◽  
Yingke Xu ◽  
Zhouyan Feng ◽  
Xiaoxiang Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Spot Size ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Fusion Event ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Storage Vesicles ◽  
Microscopy Image ◽  
Membrane Bound

Quantitative analysis of the dynamic behavior about membrane-bound secretory vesicles has proven to be important in biological research. This paper proposes a novel approach to automatically identify the elusive fusion events between VAMP2-pHluorin labeled GLUT4 storage vesicles (GSVs) and the plasma membrane. The differentiation is implemented to detect the initiation of fusion events by modified forward subtraction of consecutive frames in the TIRFM image sequence. Spatially connected pixels in difference images brighter than a specified adaptive threshold are grouped into a distinct fusion spot. The vesicles are located at the intensity-weighted centroid of their fusion spots. To reveal the truein vivonature of a fusion event, 2D Gaussian fitting for the fusion spot is used to derive the intensity-weighted centroid and the spot size during the fusion process. The fusion event and its termination can be determined according to the change of spot size. The method is evaluated on real experiment data with ground truth annotated by expert cell biologists. The evaluation results show that it can achieve relatively high accuracy comparing favorably to the manual analysis, yet at a small fraction of time.

scholarly journals Toward Development of a Vocal Fold Contact Pressure Probe: Sensor Characterization and Validation Using Synthetic Vocal Fold Models

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (15) ◽  
pp. 3002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Motie-Shirazi ◽  
Matías Zañartu ◽  
Sean D. Peterson ◽  
Daryush D. Mehta ◽  
James B. Kobler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Pressure ◽  
Vocal Fold ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Pressure Probe ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Sensor Position ◽  
Probe Sensor ◽  
Contact Pressures

Excessive vocal fold collision pressures during phonation are considered to play a primary role in the formation of benign vocal fold lesions, such as nodules. The ability to accurately and reliably acquire intraglottal pressure has the potential to provide unique insights into the pathophysiology of phonotrauma. Difficulties arise, however, in directly measuring vocal fold contact pressures due to physical intrusion from the sensor that may disrupt the contact mechanics, as well as difficulty in determining probe/sensor position relative to the contact location. These issues are quantified and addressed through the implementation of a novel approach for identifying the timing and location of vocal fold contact, and measuring intraglottal and vocal fold contact pressures via a pressure probe embedded in the wall of a hemi-laryngeal flow facility. The accuracy and sensitivity of the pressure measurements are validated against ground truth values. Application to in vivo approaches are assessed by acquiring intraglottal and VF contact pressures using a synthetic, self-oscillating vocal fold model in a hemi-laryngeal configuration, where the sensitivity of the measured intraglottal and vocal fold contact pressure relative to the sensor position is explored.

scholarly journals Morphogenic Effects of Ezrin Require a Phosphorylation-Induced Transition from Oligomers to Monomers at the Plasma Membrane

2000 ◽  
Vol 150 (1) ◽  
pp. 193-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Gautreau ◽  
Daniel Louvard ◽  
Monique Arpin
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Epithelial Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Erm Proteins ◽  
Threonine Residue ◽  
Phosphorylation Event ◽  
Membrane Bound

ERM (ezrin, radixin, moesin) proteins act as linkers between the plasma membrane and the actin cytoskeleton. An interaction between their NH2- and COOH-terminal domains occurs intramolecularly in closed monomers and intermolecularly in head-to-tail oligomers. In vitro, phosphorylation of a conserved threonine residue (T567 in ezrin) in the COOH-terminal domain of ERM proteins disrupts this interaction. Here, we have analyzed the role of this phosphorylation event in vivo, by deriving stable clones producing wild-type, T567A, and T567D ezrin from LLC-PK1 epithelial cells. We found that T567A ezrin was poorly associated with the cytoskeleton, but was able to form oligomers. In contrast, T567D ezrin was associated with the cytoskeleton, but its distribution was shifted from oligomers to monomers at the membrane. Moreover, production of T567D ezrin induced the formation of lamellipodia, membrane ruffles, and tufts of microvilli. Both T567A and T567D ezrin affected the development of multicellular epithelial structures. Collectively, these results suggest that phosphorylation of ERM proteins on this conserved threonine regulates the transition from membrane-bound oligomers to active monomers, which induce and are part of actin-rich membrane projections.

scholarly journals Human NDR Kinases Are Rapidly Activated by MOB Proteins through Recruitment to the Plasma Membrane and Phosphorylation

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (18) ◽  
pp. 8259-8272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Hergovich ◽  
Samuel J. Bichsel ◽  
Brian A. Hemmings
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Regulatory Mechanism ◽  
Membrane Targeting ◽  
Membrane Translocation ◽  
Cancer Types ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Constitutively Active

ABSTRACT Human nuclear Dbf2-related kinases (NDRs) are up-regulated in certain cancer types, yet their precise function(s) and regulatory mechanism(s) still remain to be defined. Here, we show that active (phosphorylated on Thr444) and inactive human NDRs are both mainly cytoplasmic. Moreover, NDR kinases colocalize at the plasma membrane with human MOBs (hMOBs), which are recently described coactivators of human NDR in vitro. Strikingly, membrane targeting of NDR results in a constitutively active kinase due to phosphorylation on Ser281 and Thr444 that is further activated upon coexpression of hMOBs. Membrane-targeted hMOBs also robustly promoted activation of NDR. We further demonstrate that the in vivo activation of human NDR by membrane-bound hMOBs is dependent on their interaction and occurs solely at the membrane. By using a chimeric molecule of hMOB, which allows inducible membrane translocation, we found that NDR phosphorylation and activation at the membrane occur a few minutes after association of hMOB with membranous structures. We provide insight into a potential in vivo mechanism of NDR activation through rapid recruitment to the plasma membrane mediated by hMOBs.

Half-Life of Platelet Factor 4 (PF-4) in Plasma and Platelets from Macaca Mulatta

1977 ◽  
Vol 37 (01) ◽  
pp. 073-080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Knut Gjesdal ◽  
Duncan S. Pepper
Keyword(s):  
Macaca Mulatta ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Human Platelet ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
Platelet Factor 4 ◽  
Active Protein ◽  
Platelet Factor ◽  
Membrane Bound

SummaryHuman platelet factor 4 (PF-4) showed a reaction of complete identity with PF-4 from Macaca mulatta when tested against rabbit anti-human-PF-4. Such immunoglobulin was used for quantitative precipitation of in vivo labelled PF-4 in monkey serum. The results suggest that the active protein had an intra-platelet half-life of about 21 hours. In vitro 125I-labelled human PF-4 was injected intravenously into two monkeys and isolated by immuno-precipita-tion from platelet-poor plasma and from platelets disrupted after gel-filtration. Plasma PF-4 was found to have a half-life of 7 to 11 hours. Some of the labelled PF-4 was associated with platelets and this fraction had a rapid initial disappearance rate and a subsequent half-life close to that of plasma PF-4. The results are compatible with the hypothesis that granular PF-4 belongs to a separate compartment, whereas membrane-bound PF-4 and plasma PF-4 may interchange.

Exterior and Interior Events in Early Stage of Thrombin-induced Platelet Aggregation

1977 ◽  
Vol 38 (03) ◽  
pp. 0630-0639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuichi Hashimoto ◽  
Sachiko Shibata ◽  
Bonro Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Adenyl Cyclase ◽  
Cellular Component ◽  
Primary Event ◽  
Rabbit Platelets ◽  
Membrane Bound

SummaryTreatment of washed rabbit platelets with 1 u/ml of thrombin at 37° C resulted in a disappearance from platelets of a protein with 250,000 dalton molecular weight which was shown to be originated from plasma membrane. Parallel loss of adenyl cyclase was noted, and both reactions were complete within 30 sec. From the patterns of disc electrophoretograms, the importance of quick suppression of thrombin action in demonstrating the primary event was stressed.Thrombin induced an apparent activation of membrane bound phosphodiesterase. This reaction was also complete within 30 sec. The cellular component which contained the enzyme activity was distinct from plasma membrane. Soluble phosphodiesterase was not influenced by thrombin at all.These reactions required intact platelet cells to react with thrombin, and no reaction was detected when subcellular preparations were treated with thrombin.Possibility of collaboration of changes in externally located synthetic enzyme with those in internally located degrading enzyme in the early phase of thrombin action on platelets was suggested.

Epithelial Organotypic Cultures: A Viable Model to Address Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis by Epitheliotropic Viruses

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 246-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara Termini ◽  
Enrique Boccardo
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Specific Cell ◽  
Organotypic Cultures ◽  
Skin Physiology

In vitro culture of primary or established cell lines is one of the leading techniques in many areas of basic biological research. The use of pure or highly enriched cultures of specific cell types obtained from different tissues and genetics backgrounds has greatly contributed to our current understanding of normal and pathological cellular processes. Cells in culture are easily propagated generating an almost endless source of material for experimentation. Besides, they can be manipulated to achieve gene silencing, gene overexpression and genome editing turning possible the dissection of specific gene functions and signaling pathways. However, monolayer and suspension cultures of cells do not reproduce the cell type diversity, cell-cell contacts, cell-matrix interactions and differentiation pathways typical of the three-dimensional environment of tissues and organs from where they were originated. Therefore, different experimental animal models have been developed and applied to address these and other complex issues in vivo. However, these systems are costly and time consuming. Most importantly the use of animals in scientific research poses moral and ethical concerns facing a steadily increasing opposition from different sectors of the society. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of alternative in vitro experimental models that accurately reproduce the events observed in vivo to reduce the use of animals. Organotypic cultures combine the flexibility of traditional culture systems with the possibility of culturing different cell types in a 3D environment that reproduces both the structure and the physiology of the parental organ. Here we present a summarized description of the use of epithelial organotypic for the study of skin physiology, human papillomavirus biology and associated tumorigenesis.

scholarly journals Marker for the pre-clinical development of bone substitute materials

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 711-715
Author(s):  
Michael de Wild ◽  
Simon Zimmermann ◽  
Marcel Obrecht ◽  
Michel Dard
Keyword(s):  
Bone Graft ◽  
Mechanical Stability ◽  
Clinical Performance ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Region Of Interest ◽  
Defect Site ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Bone Substitute Materials ◽  
Clinical Experiments

AbstractThin mechanically stable Ti-cages have been developed for the in-vivo application as X-ray and histology markers for the optimized evaluation of pre-clinical performance of bone graft materials. A metallic frame defines the region of interest during histological investigations and supports the identification of the defect site. This standardization of the procedure enhances the quality of pre-clinical experiments. Different models of thin metallic frameworks were designed and produced out of titanium by additive manufacturing (Selective Laser Melting). The productibility, the mechanical stability, the handling and suitability of several frame geometries were tested during surgery in artificial and in ex-vivo bone before a series of cages was preclinically investigated in the female Göttingen minipigs model. With our novel approach, a flexible process was established that can be adapted to the requirements of any specific animal model and bone graft testing.

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