In vertebrate olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs), the odorant-triggered receptor current flows through two distinct ion channels on the sensory cilia: Ca2+ influx through a cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channel followed by Cl- efflux through a Ca2+-activated anion channel. The excitatory Cl- current amplifies the small CNG current and crucially depends on a high intracellular Cl- concentration. ...

PURPOSE To characterize the expression patterns of the Na+-K+-Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC) 1 and NKCC2, and the Na+-Cl(-) cotransporter (NCC) in the rat lens and to determine if they play a role in regulating lens volume and transparency. METHODS RT-PCR was performed on RNA extracted from fiber cells to identify sodium dependent cotransporters expressed in the rat lens. Western blotting and imm...

Dunaliella salina is a unicellular green alga thriving in environments ranging from fresh water to hyper-saline lakes, such as the Dead Sea. An unusual, internally duplicated, 60 kDa alpha-type carbonic anhydrase (dCA I), located on the surface of this alga, is expected to function over a broad range of salinities. It would therefore differ from other carbonic anhydrases that already lose activ...

GH is known to play an important role in both growth promotion and osmoregulation in vertebrates. We have shown that amphioxus possesses a single GH-like hormone (GHl) gene encoding a functional protein capable of promoting growth. However, if GHl can mediate osmoregulation remains open. Here, we demonstrated clearly that GHl increased not only the survival rate of amphioxus but also the muscle...

Tacrolimus is a widely used immunosuppressive drug that inhibits the phosphatase calcineurin when bound to the 12 kDa FK506-binding protein (FKBP12). When this binding occurs in T cells, it leads to immunosuppression. Tacrolimus also causes side effects, however, such as hypertension and hyperkalemia. Previously, we reported that tacrolimus stimulates the renal thiazide-sensitive sodium chlorid...

The friction coefficients of thin KCl films deposited onto clean iron in ultrahigh vacuum are measured using a tungsten carbide tip. A rapid decrease is found in the friction coefficient from 2 for clean iron to 0:27 0:03 after the deposition of 40 A of KCl. Based on previous contact resistance measurements, this was proposed to be due to the completion of the first layer of KCl. The firstlayer...

Phenobarbital produces its anti-epileptic actions by increasing the inhibitory drive of γ-aminobutyric acid. However, following recurrent seizures, γ-aminobutyric acid excites neurons because of a persistent increase of chloride raising the important issue of whether phenobarbital could aggravate persistent seizures. Here we compared the actions of phenobarbital on initial and established ictal...

The kinetic properties of the electron-transfer process between reduced Desulfovibrio vulgaris cytochrome c3 and D. vulgaris flavodoxin have been studied by anaerobic stopped-flow techniques. Anaerobic titrations of reduced cytochrome c3 with oxidized flavodoxin show a stoichiometry of 4 mol of flavodoxin required to oxidize the tetraheme cytochrome. Flavodoxin neutral semiquinone and oxidized ...

Reversible diffusion of KGl is shown to occur between an aqueous solution and young bean roots, probably in the protoplasmic phase. Evidence for this is presented from a study of electric potential difference (p.d.) changes and changes in environmental salt concentration in different samples but under comparable conditions. Characteristic changes of p.d. with time are obtained when a root tip t...