We investigated the effects of the Cl- channel blockers niflumic acid, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPB) and 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) on endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced constriction of rat small pulmonary arteries (diameter 100-400 microm) in vitro, following endothelium removal. ET-1 (30 nM) induced a sustained constriction of rat pulmonary arte...

Chloride channels have been identified in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). It has been shown that these channels are involved in myogenic tone regulation and neuromuscular transmission in various vascular beds. However, whether the chloride channels are responsible for the formation of excitatory junction potentials (EJPs) of SMCs in the spiral modiolar artery (SMA) remains unelucidated. In...

Transepithelial fluid secretion across the renal (Malpighian) tubule epithelium of the mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is energized by the vacuolar-type (V-type) H(+)-ATPase and not the Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. Located at the apical membrane of principal cells, the V-type H(+)-ATPase translocates protons from the cytoplasm to the tubule lumen. Secreted protons are likely to derive from metabolic H(2)CO(3), ...

BACKGROUND We previously identified curcumin as a potent inducer of fibroblast apoptosis, which could be used to treat hypertrophic scar formation. Here we investigated the underlying mechanism of this process. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Curcumin-induced apoptosis could not be blocked by caspase-inhibitors and we could not detect any caspase-3/7 activity. Curcumin predominantly induced mitochondria-m...

Upon exposure of human red blood cells to hypertonic sucrose, the fluorescence of the potentiometric indicator 3,3'-dipropylthiadicarbocyanine iodide, denoted diS-C3(5), displays a biphasic time course indicating the rapid development of an inside-positive transmembrane voltage, followed by a slow DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-disulfonic acid stilbene)-sensitive decline of the voltage. In addi...

PURPOSE To evaluate the role of NaKCl cotransport in short-circuit current (Isc) and chloride fluxes across rabbit ciliary epithelium mounted in a Ussing-type chamber. METHODS Bilayered intact ciliary epithelium free of stroma was obtained after perfusion and dissection of rabbit eyes and mounted in an Ussing-type chamber. The effects of bumetanide and other drugs on Isc and transepithelial 3...

The current studies were undertaken to establish an in vitro cellular model to study the transport of SO and Cl(-) and hormonal regulation and to define the possible function of the downregulated in adenoma (DRA) gene. Utilizing a postconfluent Caco-2 cell line, we studied the OH(-) gradient-driven (35)SO and (36)Cl(-) uptake. Our findings consistent with the presence of an apical carrier-media...

Bio: Christopher Wee is a Researcher in the Computer Security Group at the University of California, Davis, Computer Science Department. His current research interests are intrusion detection, security auditing and Formal policy specifications. Chris has participated in three intrusion detection systems projects: DIDS, a LAN intrusion detection system, GrIDS: a wide-area IDS, and LAFS: a file-s...