Apical rocking

Glycosylated mucin proteins contribute- to the essential barrier function of the intestinal epithelium. The transmembrane mucin MUC13 is an abundant intestinal glycoprotein with important functions for mucosal maintenance that are not yet completely understood. We demonstrate that in intestinal epithelial monolayers MUC13 localized to both the apical surface and the tight junction (TJ) region on the lateral membrane. MUC13 deletion resulted in increased transepithelial resistance (TEER) and reduced translocation of small solutes...

The spheroidal shape of the eye lens is critical for precise light focusing onto the retina. This shape is determined by concentrically aligned, convexly elongated lens fiber cells along the anterior and posterior axis of the lens. Upon differentiation at the lens equator, the fiber cells increase in height as their apical and basal tips migrate towards the anterior and posterior poles, respectively. The forces driving this elongation and migration remain unclear. We found that membrane protrusions or lamellipodia are observed only in the maturing fibers undergoing cell curve conversion, indicating lamellipodium is not the primary driver of earlier fiber migration...

BACKGROUND: Typical left bundle branch block (LBBB) shows two peaks of the R wave, which reflect the activation reaching the interventricular septum (R) and posterolateral wall (R') sequentially. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the relationship among the R-R' interval (RR'), mechanical dyssynchrony, extent of viable myocardium, and long-term outcomes in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) candidates. METHODS: The study enrolled 49 patients (34 men, mean age: 69 ± 11 years) with LBBB who received CRT...

UNLABELLED: The spheroidal shape of the eye lens is critical for precise light focusing onto the retina. This shape is determined by concentrically aligned, convexly elongated lens fiber cells along the anterior and posterior axis of the lens. Upon differentiation at the lens equator, the fiber cells increase in height as their apical and basal tips migrate towards the anterior and posterior poles, respectively. The forces driving this elongation and migration remain unclear. We found that membrane protrusions or lamellipodia are observed only in the maturing fibers undergoing cell curve conversion, indicating lamellipodium is not the primary driver of earlier fiber migration...

The basement membrane (BM) demarcating epithelial tissues undergoes rapid expansion to accommodate tissue growth and morphogenesis during embryonic development. To facilitate the secretion of bulky BM proteins, their mRNAs are polarized basally in the follicle epithelial cells of the Drosophila egg chamber to position their sites of production close to their deposition. In contrast, we observed the apical rather than basal polarization of all major BM mRNAs in the outer epithelial cells adjacent to the BM of mouse embryonic salivary glands using single-molecule RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH)...

Arecoline is an alkaloid with important pharmacological effects in the plant areca nut, which has been demonstrated to be an agonist of muscarinic receptors (M receptor). This study explored the influences of dietary arecoline on growth performance, intestinal digestion and absorption abilities, antioxidant capacity, and the apical junction complex (AJC) of adult grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ). Adult grass carp (608 to 1512 g) were fed at 6 graded levels of dietary arecoline (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2...

AIMS: Left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) has been shown to better maintain electrical synchrony compared to right ventricular pacing (RVP), but little is known about its impact on mechanical synchrony. This study investigates if LBBP better preserves left ventricular (LV) mechanical synchronicity and function compared to RVP. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty patients with pacing indication for bradycardia were included: LBBP (n = 31) and RVP (n = 29)...

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is an established treatment for patients with symptomatic heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤ 35%; HFrEF) and conduction disturbances (QRS duration ≥ 130 ms). The presence of mechanical dyssynchrony (MD) on echocardiography has been hypothesised to be of predictive value in determining indication for CRT. This study investigated the impact of MD (apical rocking [AR] and septal flash [SF]) on long-term survival in CRT recipients...

Background and aim: The presence of mechanical dyssynchrony on echocardiography is associated with reverse remodelling and decreased mortality after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Contrarily, myocardial scar reduces the effect of CRT. This study investigated how well a combined assessment of different markers of mechanical dyssynchrony and scarring identifies CRT responders. Methods: In a prospective multicentre study of 170 CRT recipients, septal flash (SF), apical rocking (ApRock), systolic stretch index (SSI), and lateral-to-septal (LW-S) work differences were assessed using echocardiography...

BACKGROUND: Studies have found synaptic plasticity damage to be an early marker of Alzheimer's disease (AD). RhoA/ROCK pathway is involved in the regulation of synaptic plasticity. Acupuncture can significantly improve the cognitive state of AD. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to use modern biological technology to detect the changes in synaptic plasticity and RhoA/ROCK pathway in SAMP8 mice, as well as the intervention effect of acupuncture. METHODS: Morris water maze and electrophysiological techniques were used in vivo to detect the changes in spatial memory and LTP of mice...

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: This review focuses on broader perspectives of mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with heart failure. RECENT FINDINGS: The ratio of regurgitant volume to end-diastolic volume appears to help identify patients who may benefit from valve interventions. Secondary MR is not only attributed to geometric changes of the LV but also related to the structural changes in the mitral valve that include fibrosis of the mitral leaflets and changes in the extracellular matrix...

Understanding the principles underlying the self-organization of stem cells into tissues is fundamental for deciphering human embryo development. Here, we report that, without three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM) overlay, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) cultured on two-dimensional soft elastic substrates can self-organize into 3D cysts resembling the human epiblast sac in a stiffness-dependent manner. Our theoretical modeling predicts that this cyst organization is facilitated and guided by the spontaneous nesting of the soft substrate, which results from the adhesion-dependent mechanical interaction between cells and substrate...

During development, multicellular rosettes serve as important cellular intermediates in the formation of diverse organ systems. Multicellular rosettes are transient epithelial structures that are defined by the apical constriction of cells towards the rosette center. Due to the important role these structures play during development, understanding the molecular mechanisms by which rosettes are formed and maintained is of high interest. Utilizing the zebrafish posterior lateral line primordium (pLLP) as a model system, we identify the RhoA GEF Mcf2lb as a regulator of rosette integrity...

BACKGROUND: Among heart failure (HF) patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), those with unfavorable electrical characteristics (UEC) are less frequently CRT responders. OBJECTIVES: In this study, the authors sought to evaluate the relationship between preprocedural echocardiographic parameters of electromechanical dyssynchrony (EMD) and outcome following CRT. METHODS: Among 551 patients receiving CRT, 121 with UEC, defined as atypical left bundle branch, presence of right bundle branch block, or unspecified intraventricular conduction disturbance, were enrolled...

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited primary myocardial disease characterized by asymmetrical/symmetrical left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy, with or without LV outflow tract (LVOT) dynamic obstruction, and poor prognosis. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has emerged as a minimally invasive tool for patients with heart failure (HF) with decreased LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and prolonged QRS duration of over 120 ms with or without left bundle branch block (LBBB). Several HCM patients are at risk of developing LBBB because of disease progression or secondary to septal myomectomy, while others might develop HF with decreased LVEF, alleged end-stage/dilated HCM, especially those with thin myofilament mutations...

Here, we introduce a customized hanging insert fitting a 6-well plate to culture Caco-2 cells on hydrogel membranes under flow conditions. The cells are cultured in the apical channel-like chamber, which provides about 1.3 dyn/cm2 shear, while the basolateral chamber is mixed when the device is rocked. The device was tested by investigating the functional impact of the initial seeding density in combination with flow applied at confluency. The low seeding density cultures grew in 2D irrespective of the flow...

Cell-based cartilage tissue engineering faces a great challenge in the repair process, partly due to the special physical microenvironment. Human stem cell from apical papilla (hSCAP) shows great potential as seed cells because of its versatile differentiation capacity. However, whether hSCAP has potent chondrogenic differentiation ability in the physical microenvironment of chondroid remains unknown. In this study, we fabricated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrates with different stiffnesses and investigated the chondrogenic differentiation potential of hSCAPs...

Background: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is a ventricular conduction delay with high prevalence. Aim of our study is to identify possible recurring patterns of artefacts in late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging in patients with LBBB who undergo cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to define parameters of mechanical dyssynchrony associated with artefacts in LGE images. Materials and methods: Fifty-five patients with LBBB and 62 controls were retrospectively included...

The apical junctional complex (AJC) consists of adherens junctions (AJs) and tight junctions and regulates epithelial integrity and remodeling. However, it is unclear how AJC organization is regulated based on environmental cues. We found here using cultured EpH4 mouse mammary epithelial cells that fetal bovine serum (FBS) in a culture medium showed an activity to promote AJC organization and that FBS showed an activity to promote tight junction formation even in the absence of AJ proteins, such as E-cadherin, αE-catenin, and afadin...

The trophectoderm (TE) is the first tissue to differentiate during the preimplantation development of placental mammals. It constitutes the outer epithelial wall of the blastocyst, and is responsible for hatching, uterine attachment, and placentation. Thus, its formation is the key initial step that enables the viviparity of mammals. Here, we first describe the general features of TE formation at the morphological and molecular levels. Prospective TE cells form an epithelial layer enclosing an expanding fluid-filled cavity by establishing the apical-basal cell polarity, intercellular junctions, microlumen, and osmotic gradient...