LHX3 is a LIM-homeodomain transcription factor with critical roles in pituitary and nervous system development. Mutations in the LHX3 gene are associated with pediatric diseases featuring severe hormone deficiencies, hearing loss, developmental delay, and other symptoms. The mechanisms that govern LHX3/Lhx3 transcription are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the role of DNA methylat...

OBJECTIVES To elucidate the visual significance of the foveal pit by measuring foveal architecture and function and to reassess use of the term foveal hypoplasia (as visual acuity can vary among patients who lack a pit). METHODS We describe 4 patients who lack a foveal pit. Visual acuities ranged from 20/20 to 20/50. Stratus and Cirrus (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, California) optical coherenc...

Plant water transport occurs through interconnected xylem conduits that are separated by partially digested regions in the cell wall known as pit membranes. These structures have a dual function. Their porous construction facilitates water movement between conduits while limiting the spread of air that may enter the conduits and render them dysfunctional during a drought. Pit membranes have bee...

The GHRH receptor is expressed in the somatotroph cell of the anterior pituitary, where it functions to mediate GHRH-stimulated GH release. To study pituitary and somatotroph cell-specific expression of this gene, a transgenic mouse model and complementary cell culture experiments were developed. The activity of the 1.6-kb proximal rat GHRH receptor promoter was examined in vivo by generating t...

To delineate the cis-acting elements of the proximal promoter responsible for cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced human renin gene transcription, 5'-flanking regions of the human renin gene were fused to a luciferase reporter gene and transfected in chorionic cells. Forskolin treatment induced the expression of luciferase by 2.4-fold when the reporter plasmid contained the promoter region (-582 to + 16)....

Localized corrosion refers to the accelerated dissolution of metals and alloys due to the breakdown of their protective passive films at select sites [1]. Developing an understanding of localized corrosion phenomena has significant practical importance due to the deleterious effects of pit formation on the integrity of structural materials. However, localized corrosion is a challenging problem ...

To explore the interaction of Pit-1β with the prolactin transcription factors C/EBPα and Pit-1, GHFT1-5 mouse pituitary cells were transfected with EGFP and mOrange-fused proteins in an effort to observe and quantify FRET using wide-field microscopy and image processing using an algorithm. The data rendered inconclusive results, as FRET signals were insufficiently low. However, the problems can...

Name of Marker. Swine PIT-1*2. Source and Description of Clone. Probe used in RFLP analysis was a cDNA fragment encoding the swine PIT-1 POU-domain region (Tuggle et al., 1993). The 311-bp probe was isolated from the vector pCRlOOO using EcoRI and HindIII.

Previous studies have implied that a transcription factor(s) other than Pit-1 is involved in homeostatic regulation of PRL promoter activity via Pit-1-binding elements. One such element, 1P, was employed to clone from a rat pituitary cDNA expression library a novel 417-amino acid WD protein, designated PREB (PRL regulatory element binding) protein. PREB contains two PQ-rich potential transactiv...

Sulcal pit analysis has been providing novel insights into brain function and development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of sulcal pit extraction with respect to the effects of scan session, scanner, and surface extraction tool. Five subjects were scanned 4 times at 3 MRI centers and other 5 subjects were scanned 3 times at 2 MRI centers, including 1 test-retest sess...