ANALYSIS OF SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF CELLULAR MOLECULES DURING MECHANICAL STRESSING OF CELL SURFACE RECEPTORS USING CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY

Confocal laser scanning microscopy represents a suitable technique to study the localization of cellular components in three dimension. The authors used this technique to analyse cellular events related to mechanical stimulation of integrin receptors on the cell surface. By performing optical sections the distribution of integrin receptors on the apical surface of an osteoblastic cell was determined. Concerning intracellular compartimentalization of signal transduction events, it was demonstrated that mechanical stimulation of integrins induced their linkage to the cytoskeleton. Cytoskeletally associated proteins like vinculin and talin accumulated in the vicinity of the site where the mechanical stress was applied to integrins on the cell surface. Optical sections revealed that clustering of these proteins proceeded to the base of the cell with gradually decreasing extent. In summary, it was demonstrated that the local distribution of cellular components is an important factor in mechanically induced signal transduction.     

Assessing biological traits of Amazonian high-value fishes through Local Ecological Knowledge of urban and rural fishers

Hydrobiologia - Local ecological knowledge (LEK) has been increasingly acknowledged as a potential source of information on natural resources, especially in under sampled areas. In the Amazon, a...     

Identification of ribosomal sites and karyotype analysis in Festuca ulochaeta Steud. and Festuca fimbriata Ness., grasses native to Brazil

Molecular Biology Reports - Festuca L. has more than 600 perennial species described, which makes it the largest genus within the family Poaceae. In Brazil, only two native species of Festuca have...     

Occupational biomechanics of the neck: a review and recommendations.

Musculoskeletal disorders of the neck are becoming a major concern in industry. Several studies reported the association of neck pain, discomfort, and symptoms with different occupations in industry. Thus, the main objective of this study is to review and evaluate biomechanical techniques used in analyzing the occupational factors leading to neck pain and disorders. Recommendations for future research are also discussed.     

Some Mechanistic Aspects on Fmoc Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis

Peptides are biomolecules that may have several biological activities which makes them important to the environment in which they operate. Sometimes it is necessary for larger amounts of peptides to carry out some studies, like biological tests, NMR structural research or even interaction studies between peptides with other molecules. Expression can be an alternative for that. However, synthesis is specially useful when unnatural modifications or introduction of site specific tags are required. Synthetic peptides have been used for different studies such as cell signaling, development of epitope-specific antibodies, in cell-biology, biomarkers for diseases etc. Many different methodologies for peptide synthesis can be found in the literature. Solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) has been largely used and can be an excellent alternative to achieve larger quantities of these biomolecules. In this mini review, we aim to describe the SPPS and explain some of the mechanistic aspects and reagents involved in all phases of the synthesis: the use of resin, the ninhydrin test, some of the protecting groups, coupling reagents for peptide bond formation and the cleavage process.