The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in the digestive tract and ICC-like cells in extradigestive organs express the c-kit tyrosine-kinase receptor, and have been implicated as pacemakers of smooth muscle spontaneous activity. We used imatinib mesylate (Glivec(R)) to investigate whether c-kit activity of Cajal-like cells in human myometrium is involved in spontaneous rhythmic contractions of human uterine smooth muscle, taking intestinal smooth muscle

INTERNATIONAL FULBRIGHT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AWARD FOR DOCTORAL STUDIES, 2007 The U.S. Fulbright Commission in Romania is pleased to announce a new International Fulbright Science and Technology Award for PhD programs in U.S., for outstanding foreign students. The award is designed to be among the most prestigious international scholarships in science and technology. Approximately 25 awards will be competed worldwide for candidates who demonstrate

We detected cell-to-cell communication via intercellular bridges in DU 145 human prostate cancer cells by fluorescence microscopy. Since DU 145 cells have deficient gap junctions, intercellular bridges may have a prominent role in the transfer of chemical signals between these cells. In culture, DU 145 cells are contiguous over several cell diameters through filopodial extensions, and directly communicate with adjacent cells across intercellular

Background: Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) represents an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), being characterized by a continuous low-grade inflammation and endothelial activation state. Plasma platelet - activating factor - acetylhydrolases (PAF-AHs) are a subgroup of Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 family (also known as lipoprotein-associated phospholipases A2) that hydrolyze and inactivate the lipid mediator

Phosphatidic acid, the main product of lipid breakdown through phospholipase D activation, has been implicated in important signal transduction pathways able to influence cell fate in many ways. The purpose of this work was to determine possible effects of phosphatidic acid on neuronal cell death pathways. Here we used cerebellar granular cell cultures and cell death was triggered with either staurosporine or H2O2. Cell viability was quantified by

In severely injured liver, stem cells give rise to progeny that tend to replace lost hepatocytes. Neoductular reaction appears as an inherent stage of liver reconstruction following severe damage caused by different pathological mechanisms. Few ultrastructural types of progenitor cells have been described, and some molecular phenotypes of progenitor stages have been characterized, but the details of the differentiation process are largely unknown.

Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, edited by "Carol Davila" University Press, Bucharest, is now indexed by ISI in Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and by NLM in Index Medicus and Medline. The journal website http://www.jcmm.ro or www.jcmm.org will be soon available. Please contact the editors at: LMP@univermed-cdgm.ro, editors@univermed-cdgm.ro, cvidules@univermed-cdgm.ro

Background. In order to investigate the role of phospholipases and their immediately derived messengers in agonist-induced contraction of portal vein smooth muscle, we used the addition in the organ bath of exogenous molecules such as: phospholipases C, A2, and D, diacylglycerol, arachidonic acid, phosphatidic acid, choline. We also used substances modulating activity of downstream molecules like protein kinase C, phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase,