Topic Review
Pharmacological Actions of Quercetin in Diabetes
Quercetin is a flavonoid, present in various natural sources, which has demonstrated in vitro and in vivo antidiabetic properties. It improves oral glucose tolerance, as well as pancreatic β-cell function to secrete insulin. It inhibits the α-glucosidase and DPP-IV enzymes, which prolong the half-life of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP). Quercetin also suppresses the release of pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, and TNF-α.
  • 1.8K
  • 09 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Extracellular Calcium and Inflammation
Burn injury serves as an example of a condition with a robust systemic inflammatory response. The elevation of circulating interleukins (IL)-1β and -6 in children and adolescents with severe burn injury upregulates the parathyroid calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR), resulting in hypocalcemic hypoparathyroidism accompanied by urinary calcium wasting. This effect protects the body from the hypercalcemia that results from bone resorption, liberating calcium into the circulation. Extracellular calcium can exacerbate and prolong the inflammatory response by stimulating mononuclear cell chemokine production as well as the NLRP3 inflammasome of the innate immune system, resulting in increased IL-1 production by monocytes and macrophages. Interestingly, the CaSR upregulation in response to inflammatory cytokines disappears with age, potentially trapping calcium from bone resorption in the circulation, allowing it to contribute to increased inflammation and possibly increased calcium deposition in small arteries, such as the coronaries, as conditions with increased chronic inflammation, such as spinal cord injury, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis have an incidence of cardiovascular disease and coronary artery calcium deposition significantly higher than the unaffected age-matched population. 
  • 1.5K
  • 08 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Pathophysiology of the Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disease that has a complex etiology. It is defined as the co-occurrence of several pathophysiological disorders, including obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
  • 1.5K
  • 22 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Glucose Uptake by Skeletal Muscle
Skeletal muscle is the primary tissue for maintaining glucose homeostasis through glucose uptake via insulin-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Skeletal muscle is also responsive to exercise-meditated glucose transport, and as such, exercise is a cornerstone for glucose management in people with type 2 diabetes.
  • 1.5K
  • 07 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Molecular Iodine Has Extrathyroidal Effects
Most investigations of iodine metabolism in humans and animals have focused on its role in thy-roid function. However, considerable evidence indicates that iodine could also be implicated in the physiopathology of other organs.
  • 1.5K
  • 23 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Cholesterol
Cholesterol, the most important sterol in mammals, helps maintain plasma membrane fluidity and is a precursor of bile acids, oxysterols, and steroid hormones. Cholesterol in the body is obtained from the diet or can be de novo synthetized. Cholesterol homeostasis is mainly regulated by the liver, where cholesterol is packed in lipoproteins for transport through a tightly regulated process. Changes in circulating lipoprotein cholesterol levels lead to atherosclerosis development, which is initiated by an accumulation of modified lipoproteins in the subendothelial space; this induces significant changes in immune cell differentiation and function. In this entry, we describe the main regulatory pathways and mechanisms of cholesterol metabolism.
  • 1.5K
  • 17 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Coumarin-Based Profluorescent and Fluorescent Substrates
Activities of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes have been measured with various in vitro and in vivo methods, such as spectrophotometric, fluorometric, mass spectrometric and radioactivity-based techniques. In fluorescence-based assays, the reaction produces a fluorescent product from a nonfluorescent substrate or vice versa. We describe here historical highlights and current use of (pro)fluorescent coumarin derivatives in evaluating activities of the major types of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme systems. Traditionally coumarin substrates have been used to measure oxidative activities of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. For this purpose, profluorescent coumarins are very sensitive, but generally lack selectivity for individual CYP forms. The entry describes several new coumarin-based substrates for measuring activities of CYP and conjugating enzymes with improved selectivity.
  • 1.4K
  • 14 Jul 2020
Topic Review
Role of Granulosa and Theca Cells in PCOS
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common heterogeneous endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. The pathogenesis of PCOS remains elusive and there is evidence suggesting the potential contribution of genetic interactions or predispositions combined with environmental factors.
  • 1.3K
  • 16 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Determination of Steroids by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Fluorescence
Steroids are compounds widely available in nature and synthesized for therapeutic and medical purposes. Although several analytical techniques are available for the quantification of steroids in clinical samples, their analysis is challenging due to their low levels and complex matrices. The efficiency and quick separation of the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with the sensitivity, selectivity, simplicity, and cost-efficiency of fluorescence, make HPLC coupled to fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) an ideal tool for routine measurement and detection of steroids for clinical and medical applications.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Environmental Factors Affect Parathyroid Hormone and Calcitonin
Calciotropic hormones, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin are involved in the regulation of bone mineral metabolism and maintenance of calcium and phosphate homeostasis in the body. Therefore, an understanding of environmental and genetic factors influencing PTH and calcitonin levels is crucial. Genetic factors are estimated to account for 60% of variations in PTH levels.
  • 1.2K
  • 22 Sep 2022
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