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We have identified Math5, a mouse basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene that is closely related to Drosophila atonal and Xenopus Xath5 and is largely restricted to the developing eye. Math5 retinal expression precedes differentiation of the first neurons and persists within progenitor cells until after birth. To position Math5 in a hierarchy of retinal development, we compared Math5 and Hes1 expre...

Background: VP4 protein is as spikes on rotavirus outer capsid shell which is responsible for virus attachment to the host. VP4 induces production of neutralizing antibodies which could be used for serotyping of different isolates. Methods: Simian rotavirus SA11 gene 4 cDNA was cloned into a cloning plasmid pDONRTM by recombination reaction using clonase II enzyme mix. The resulting clone was c...

Modulation of gene expression is a useful tool to study the biology of haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and might also be instrumental to expand these cells for therapeutic approaches. Most of the studies so far have employed stable gene modification by viral vectors that are burdensome when translating protocols into clinical settings. Our study aimed at exploring new ways to t...

BACKGROUND Excess production of nitric oxide (NO) by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) has been implicated in a variety of physiological processes including vascular remodeling. To elucidate whether endogenous NO generated by iNOS is involved in the programmed cell death (apoptosis) of the vasculature, iNOS cDNA- expressing construct was transfected into rat and human vascular smooth muscle cells (V...

Insertion of foreign molecules such as functionalized fluorescent probes, antibodies, or plasmid DNA to living cells requires overcoming the plasma membrane barrier without harming the cell during the staining process. Many techniques such as electroporation, lipofection or microinjection have been developed to overcome the cellular plasma membrane, but they all result in reduced cell viability...

Recent studies on vertebrate eye development have focused on the molecular mechanisms of specification of different retinal cell types during development. Only a limited number of genes involved in this process has been identified. In Drosophila, BarH genes are necessary for the correct specification of R1/R6 eye photoreceptors. Vertebrate Bar homologues have been identified and are expressed i...

Avian embryos are a popular model for cell and developmental biologists. However, analysis of gene function in living embryos has been hampered by difficulties in targeting the expression of exogenous genes. We have developed a method for localized electroporation that overcomes some of the limitations of current techniques. We use a double-barreled suction electrode, backfilled with a solution...

Scanning cysteine mutagenesis was used to identify potential pore-forming residues in and around the first transmembrane domains of ionotropic P2X(2) receptor subunits. Twenty-eight unique cysteine-substituted mutants (R28C-Y55C) were individually expressed in HEK293 cells by lipofection. Twenty-three of these were functional as assayed by application of ATP to transfected voltage-clamped cells...