Multiple particle tracking (MPT) methodology was used to dissect the impact of nanoparticle surface charge and size upon particle diffusion through freshly harvested porcine jejunum mucus. The mucus was characterised rheologically and by atomic force microscopy. To vary nanoparticle surface charge we used a series of self-assembly polyelectrolyte particles composed of varying ratios of the nega...

Mucus was sampled from the gastric mucosal surface of anaesthetised rats. Three weeks later these rats were orally dosed each day with aspirin (375 mg/kg) for six months. Then the number and size of the aspirin induced chronic gastric ulcers were assessed. Gel filtration chromatography of the mucus samples showed that mucus glycoprotein was present in both high and low molecular weight forms. T...

Antibodies of the secretory IgA (SIgA) class comprise the first line of antigen-specific immune defense, preventing access of commensal and pathogenic microorganisms and their secreted products into the body proper. In addition to preventing infection, SIgA shapes the composition of the gut microbiome. SIgA is transported across intestinal epithelial cells into gut secretions by the polymeric i...

Perkinsus marinus is a pathogen responsible for severe mortalities of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica along the East and Gulf coasts of the United States. When cultivated, the pathogenicity of this microorganism decreases significantly, hampering the study of its virulence factors. Recent investigations have shown a significant increase of the in vivo virulence of P. marinus exposed to...

Studies have been made of mucus glycoprotein biosynthesis in different regions of the lower gastrointestinal tract in normal patients and those with ulcerative colitis (UC), active or inactive, by means of 3H-glucosamine (3H-GlcNH2)--35S-sulphate double labelling of epithelial biopsy specimens under culture conditions. The time based rate of 3H-GlcNH2 labelling of mucus in rectal tissue was sim...

We report here an extremely rare case of proliferative Brenner tumor with borderline mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the ovary, metastasizing to the pleura in a 75-year-old woman. Massive pleural effusion were present due to metastasis and pseudo-Meigs’ syndrome. The cytological findings from pleural effusion, ascites and tumor imprint were similar, suggesting mucus-producing malignant tumors. A...

The use of intravenous (IV) furosemide is common practice in patients under mechanical ventilation (MV), but its effects on respiratory mucus are largely unknown. Furosemide can affect respiratory mucus either directly through inhibition of the NaK(Cl)2 co-transporter on the basolateral surface of airway epithelium or indirectly through increased diuresis and dehydration. We investigated the ph...