Role of FGFs in skeletal muscle and limb development

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a family of nine proteins that bind to three distinct types of cell surface molecules: (i) FGF receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFR-1 through FGFR-4); (ii) a cysteine-rich FGF receptor (CFR); and (iii) heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Signaling by FGFs requires participation of at least two of these receptors: the FGFRs and HSPGs form a signaling complex. The length and sulfation pattern of the heparan sulfate chain determines both the activity of the signaling complex and, in part, the ligand specificity for FGFR-1. Thus, the heparan sulfate proteoglycans are likely to play an essential role in signaling. We have recently identified a role for FGF in limb bud development in vivo. In the chick limb bud, ectopic expression of the 18 kDa form of FGF-2 or FGF-2 fused to an artificial signal peptide at its amino terminus causes skeletal duplications. These data, and the observations that FGF-2 is localized to the subjacent mesoderm and the apical ectodermal ridge in the early developing limb, suggest that FGF-2 plays an important role in limb outgrowth. We propose that FGF-2 is an apical ectodermal ridgederived factor that participates in limb outgrowth and patterning. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A Method for Determining the Activity State of Hair Follicles

A histological method is described for determining the proportion of growing hair follicles h skin samples. A variation of the Sacpic staining method, modified for bulk processing, produces high contrast staining of the principal tissue types present in skin. In particular, the inner root sheath is accentuated, facilitating detection of active follicles. Skin preparations from a range of species are used to illustrate structural characteristics of follicles viewed in cross section at various stages of the hair cycle and to establish criteria for classification of the state of activity of follicles. The hair cycle may be divided into quiescent and active states at the points of rapid transition (early pronanagen and mid catagen). Data from repeated skin biopsies from ferrets and goats are also used to demonstrate quantitative estimation of follicle activity, change in compound follicle size, and the relationship between follicle type and fiber medullation.     

LEP and LEPR are possibly a double-edged sword for wound healing

Wound healing is a complex and error-prone process. Wound healing in adults often leads to the formation of scars, a type of fibrotic tissue that lacks skin appendages. Hypertrophic scars and keloids can also form when the wound-healing process goes wrong. Leptin (Lep) and leptin receptors (LepRs) have recently been shown to affect multiple stages of wound healing. This effect, however, is paradoxical for scarless wound healing. On the one hand, Lep exerts pro-inflammatory and profibrotic effects; on the other hand, Lep can regulate hair follicle growth. This paper summarises the role of Lep and LepRs on cells in different stages of wound healing, briefly introduces the process of wound healing and Lep and LepRs, and examines the possibility of promoting scarless wound healing through spatiotemporal, systemic, and local regulation of Lep levels and the binding of Lep and LepRs.     

Isolation of RNA from apple skin

A method has been developed for the isolation of RNA from apple skin. The method involves an adaptation of the Manning (1991) method and includes a high-salt extraction step and a final purification step through a CsCl cushion. The RNA isolated was of high quality and produced good hybridization signals in northern blot analyses.     

The mouse Dlx-2 (Tes-1) gene is expressed in spatially restricted domains of the forebrain, face and limbs in midgestation mouse embryos

The pattern of RNA expression of the murine Dlx-2 (Tes-1) homeobox gene is described in embryos ranging in age from E8.5 through E11.5. Dlx-2 is a vertebrate homologue of the Drosophila Distal-less (Dll) gene. Dll expression in the Drosophila embryo is principally limited to the primordia of the brain, head and limbs. Dlx-2 is also expressed principally in the primordia of the forebrain, head and limbs. Within these regions it is expressed in spatially restricted domains. These include two discontinuous regions of the forebrain (basal telencephalon and ventral diencephalon), the branchial arches, facial ectoderm, cranial ganglia and limb ectoderm. Several mouse and human disorders have phenotypes which potentially are the result of mutations in the Dlx genes.     

丹参素注射液对急性心肌梗死大鼠的心室重构、心室功能及肢体导联与胸导联心电图参数的影响

摘要 目的：探讨丹参素注射液对急性心肌梗死大鼠的心室重构、心室功能及肢体导联与胸导联心电图参数的影响。方法：选择SD大鼠40只,将其鼠随机模型组、假手术组、硝酸甘油组、丹参注射液组。假手术组大鼠给予只在冠状动脉处穿针,不进行结扎,其余步骤同其余3组,其余3组均进行动物模型构建。假手术组、模型组大鼠均腹腔注射氯化钠注射液,硝酸甘油组腹腔注射硝酸甘油,丹参注射液组腹腔注射丹参注射液。对比4组大鼠的肢体导联与胸导联心电图参数,对比4组大鼠的血液流变学指标、左心室功能及左心室重构。结果：模型组的Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、aVL、aVF、V1、V2、V5、血浆粘度、纤维蛋白原、红细胞聚集指数、舒张末期室间隔厚度、左室舒张末期内径、左室收缩末期内径、左室舒张末期容积、左室收缩末期容积明显较假手术组、硝酸甘油组、丹参注射液组高,硝酸甘油、丹参注射液组以上指标明显较假手术组高,模型组的的左室舒张末期厚度、左室射血分数、左室短轴缩短率明显较假手术组、硝酸甘油组、丹参注射液组低,硝酸甘油、丹参注射液组的左室舒张末期厚度、左室射血分数、左室短轴缩短率明显较假手术组低。模型组的左心室重量指数、左心室截面直径明显较假手术组、硝酸甘油组、丹参注射液组高,硝酸甘油、丹参注射液组的左心室重量指数、左心室截面直径、梗死面积明显较假手术组高（P<0.05）,硝酸甘油组与丹参注射液组以上指标对比无差异（P>0.05）。结论：丹参素注射液可改善急性心肌梗死大鼠的心室重构、左心室功能及肢体导联与胸导联心电图参数,可能与其可降低大鼠的血液流变学指标水平有关。     

Planar cell polarity regulators in asymmetric organogenesis during development and disease

The phenomenon of planar cell polarity is critically required for a myriad of morphogenetic processes in metazoan and is accurately controlled by several conserved modules. Six “core” proteins, including Frizzled, Flamingo (Celsr), Van Gogh (Vangl), Dishevelled, Prickle, and Diego (Ankrd6), are major components of the Wnt/planar cell polarity pathway. The Fat/Dchs protocadherins and the Scrib polarity complex also function to instruct cellular polarization. In vertebrates, all these pathways are essential for tissue and organ morphogenesis, such as neural tube closure, left–right symmetry breaking, heart and gut morphogenesis, lung and kidney branching, stereociliary bundle orientation, and proximal–distal limb elongation. Mutations in planar polarity genes are closely linked to various congenital diseases. Striking advances have been made in deciphering their contribution to the establishment of spatially oriented pattern in developing organs and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. The challenge remains to clarify the complex interplay of different polarity pathways in organogenesis and the link of cell polarity to cell fate specification. Interdisciplinary approaches are also important to understand the roles of mechanical forces in coupling cellular polarization and differentiation. This review outlines current advances on planar polarity regulators in asymmetric organ formation, with the aim to identify questions that deserve further investigation.     

文眉色素去除的观察与分析

洗眉是指文眉色素的去除,是对文眉效果不满意时的一种补救措施。目前洗眉的方法有多种,根据不同情况选用不同的方法是重要的。作者认为洗眉与补文眉同时进行的方法较为可行,省时,且患者易于接受。     

Evaluation of mean skin temperature formulas by infrared thermography

 To study the reliabiliity of formulas for calculating mean skin temperature (T _sk), values were computed by 18 different techniques and were compared with the mean of 10,841 skin temperatures measured by infrared thermography. One hundred whole-body infrared thermograms were scanned in ten resting males while changing the air temperature from 40° C to 4° C. Local, regional average and mean skin temperatures were obtained using an image processing system. The agreement frequency, defined as the percentage of the calculated T _sk values which agreed with the corresponding infrared thermographic T _sk within ±0.2° C, ranged for with the various formulas from 7% to 80%. In many sites, the local skin temperature did not coincide with the regional average skin temperature. When the local skin temperatures which showed the highest percentage similarity to the regional average skin temperature within ±0.4° C were applied to the formula, the agreement frequency was markedly improved for all formulas. However, the agreement frequency was not affected by changing the weighting factors from specific constants to individually measured values of regional surface area. By applying the physiologically reliable accuracy range of ±0.2° C in the moderate and ±0.4° C in the cool condition, agreement frequencies of at least 95% were observed in formulas involving seven or more skin temperature measurement sites, including the hand and foot. We conclude that calculation of a reliable mean skin temperature must involve more than seven skin temperature measurement sites regardless of ambient temperature. Optimal sites for skin temperature measurement are proposed for various formulas. Received: 2 December 1996 / Accepted: 25 June 1997