Topic Review
ATP12A Proton Pump in Respiratory Diseases
ATP12A encodes the catalytic subunit of the non-gastric proton pump, which is expressed in many epithelial tissues and mediates the secretion of protons in exchange for potassium ions. In the airways, ATP12A-dependent proton secretion contributes to complex mechanisms regulating the composition and properties of the fluid and mucus lining the respiratory epithelia, which are essential to maintain the airway host defense and the respiratory health. Increased expression and activity of ATP12A in combination with the loss of other balancing activities, such as the bicarbonate secretion mediated by CFTR, leads to excessive acidification of the airway surface liquid and mucus dysfunction, processes that play relevant roles in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis and other chronic inflammatory respiratory disorders. Here, the researchers summarize the findings dealing with ATP12A expression, function, and modulation in the airways, which led to the consideration of ATP12A as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cystic fibrosis and other airway diseases; the researchers also highlight the current advances and gaps regarding the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at ATP12A inhibition.
  • 349
  • 18 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Atoh8 in Disease
Atoh8 is a transcription factor that belongs to a large superfamily of transcriptional regulators called bHLH proteins. In spite of two decades of research, multiple questions regarding its molecular function and involved mechanisms remain elusive.
  • 414
  • 29 Jan 2022
Topic Review
ATF4 Role during HIV-1 Replication
Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is a transcription factor known to regulate genes associated with the sensing of cellular stress such as amino acid deprival, protein misfolding, growth arrest, and cell death. Despite its key role at the crossroads of immune and stress responses, the precise impact of ATF4 during viral infections remains unclear. Thus, ATF4 has a dual role in promoting cell survival or cell death, but also in limiting infection or participating in viral replication.
  • 179
  • 18 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Asymmetric Cell Division
Asymmetric cell division (ACD) of neural stem cells and progenitors not only renews the stem cell population but also ensures the normal development of the nervous system, producing various types of neurons with different shapes and functions in the brain. One major mechanism to achieve ACD is the asymmetric localization and uneven segregation of intracellular proteins and organelles into sibling cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) provides a potential mechanism for the formation of membrane-less biomolecular condensates that are asymmetrically distributed on limited membrane regions. Moreover, mechanical forces have emerged as pivotal regulators of asymmetric neural stem cell division by generating sibling cell size asymmetry. In this review, we will summarize recent discoveries of ACD mechanisms driven by LLPS and mechanical forces.
  • 716
  • 03 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Astrocytes as Glutamate Producers and Targets in ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons (MNs) in the motor cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. ALS involves different cell types, such as neurons, astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. Since all these cells express the same mutated genes in patients, ALS can arise from a combination of damaged MNs and their glial partners rather than only from the neuronal lineage. Many studies highlighted the solid non-neuronal signature in ALS and suggested astrocytes and microglia as critical players in disease progression rather than disease onset. Conversely, data support an alteration of oligodendrocyte function at the disease pre-symptomatic and early symptomatic stages.
  • 260
  • 01 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Astrocytes and Tissue Engineering
Astrocytes are key cells in the central nervous system. They are involved in many functions under physiological and pathological conditions. Primary cultures of astrocytes represent an important object for basic and translational neuroscience research, especially for in vitro cell models. Astrocyte cultures for functional cell models are most commonly isolated from rodent brains, because they are easily accessible and grow rapidly. Tissue engineering and biomaterial development represent a promising alternative to animal testing and provide an ideal opportunity to develop and test various biomaterials as scaffolds for purposes such as cell ingrowth and tissue repair.
  • 498
  • 13 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Astrocyte–Neuron Crosstalk
Astrocyte-neuron crosstalk is a phenomenon in which both of those cell types depend on each other and support their development, genes expression, metabolism, excitability and plasticity. Astrocyte–neuron crosstalk incontrovertibly plays a crucial role in shaping neuronal metabolism. It has been shown that it substantially affects the expression of basal metabolic enzymes in both types of cells, by essentially unknown factor(s) which are released to extracellular space directly and using extracellular vesicles-packed molecules and by cell-to-cell contacts. Additionally, astrocytes support neurons with lactate, which (when secreted during enhanced neuronal activity events) stimulates a formation and maintenece of long-term plastycity phenomena in neurons.
  • 766
  • 29 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Astrocyte Functions
Astrocytes are stellated glial cells that interface with nearly every functional element of the brain. They are the most abundant glial cells in the brain and can comprise up to 50% of the tissue volume in some regions. Their branch-like processes surround neurons, axons, synapses, and blood vessels, and perform numerous functions that are essential for brain homeostasis and neural functioning.
  • 609
  • 17 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Association between Membrane Proteins and Disease
Cell membranes, including membrane carrier proteins, membrane channel proteins and ATP drive pumps, are the main transporters. Membrane transporters have wide, but specific tissue distributions. They can impact on multiple endogenous and xenobiotic processes. Transport proteins constitute approximately 10% of most proteomes and play vital roles in the translocation of solutes across the membranes of all organisms. The receptor proteins on the cell membrane are also important structures involved in substrate transport and signal communication. The obstacles of cell transport-related proteins directly lead to the lack or excess of certain substances in cells.
  • 1.9K
  • 04 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Assessing Myocardial Architecture
Myocardial architecture and cardiac function are closely linked. Hence, the anatomy of the heart and the cellular construction of the myocardium has been the focus of research for centuries. Traditionally, histology has been the method of choice, but owing to its two-dimensional nature, this technique fails to visualise the myocardial mass in its entirety. It has long been recognised that the myocardium is a highly complex three-dimensional syncytium, thus it is preferable to investigate its architecture using tools capable of representing this three-dimensionality. Such tools have been provided in the shape of diffusion tensor imaging, computed tomography, confocal microscopy and ultrasound, with diffusion tensor imaging and computed tomography being the most prevalent and valid methods for quantifying myocardial architecture in three dimensions.
  • 626
  • 04 Dec 2020
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