BACKGROUND Current methodology of gene expression analysis limits the possibilities of comparison between cells/tissues of organs in which cell size and/or number changes as a consequence of the study (e.g. starvation). A method relating the abundance of specific mRNA copies per cell may allow direct comparison or different organs and/or changing physiological conditions. METHODS With a numbe...

Leptin, a hormone secreted by adipocytes, plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism and reproduction. The effect of leptin is mediated mainly via the long isoform of the leptin receptor (OB-Rb). Expression of leptin and its receptor has been identified in the central nervous system (hypothalamus, pituitary) and reproductive tract (uterus, ovary and placenta) in prepubertal gilts. ...

Aquaporin (AQP) water channels are expressed in a variety of fluid-transporting epithelia and are likely to play a significant role in salivary secretion. Our aim was to identify and localize the aquaporins expressed in human salivary glands. Total RNA was extracted from human parotid, submandibular, sublingual, and labial glands and from human brain. Expression of aquaporin mRNA was assessed b...

PURPOSE Neuroglycan C (NGC) is a transmembrane chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan present exclusively in central nervous system tissues. In the current study the expression pattern and characterization of NGC during the development of the retina were investigated. METHODS Expressional changes of NGC mRNAs during rat retinal development were examined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-pol...

PURPOSE The goal of this study was to identify altered patterns of retinal mRNA expression after experimental elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in a rat glaucoma model. METHODS Brown Norway rats (N = 16) received unilateral episcleral vein injection of hypertonic saline to elevate IOP. IOP was monitored daily by handheld tonometer, and retinas were collected 8 days and 5 weeks after sur...

17q23 is a frequent site of gene amplification in breast cancer. Several lines of evidence suggest the presence of multiple amplicons on 17q23. To characterize distinct amplicons on 17q23 and localize putative oncogenes, we screened genes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in existing physical and radiation hybrid maps for amplification and overexpression in breast cancer cell lines by semiquan...