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The cytoskeleton together with integrin receptors and proteins of the extracellular matrix provide sensitive indices of the development and organization of the bovine placenta. The bovine placenta is classified as synepitheliochorial because migrating trophoblast giant ...

The human placenta is a source for a variety of growth factors, hormones, and other proteins. The cellular source of the proteins can be best determined by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry can also be used to identify a specific cell type and to differentiate it from o ...

In this chapter, we describe procedures for correlative microscopy in immunocytochemical studies on the human placenta. We have adapted ultrathin cryosections for use in high-resolution immunofluorescence microscopy (IFM) and for correlative immunocytochemical local ...

This chapter describes methods for making vascular corrosion casts of the uteroplacental and fetoplacental vasculature of the mouse placenta. A catheter placed in the ascending thoracic aorta of a pregnant mouse permits the introduction of a methyl methacrylate casting compound i ...

Vascular corrosion casting is a useful tool for studying the vascular architecture of complex organs. The synepitheliochorial placenta of ruminants is composed of two closed blood circuits, a fetal and a maternal one. The microvasculature of each circuit has the shape of the correspondi ...

A complex repertoire of trophoblast gene products governs the multifaceted functions performed by the placenta during the relatively short period of pregnancy. Cloning and sequencing the human as well as other mammalian genomes allow investigators to gain better insight into the fu ...

Gene expression analysis using DNA microarray approaches have provided new insights into the physiology and pathophysiology of many biological processes. These include identification of genetic programs and pathways that underlie cell and tissue differentiation and gene e ...

Mammalian placentas express a large number of so-called imprinted genes. Imprinting refers to mono-allelic or biased expression based on which parent contributed the allele. Many of these imprinted loci encode factors involved in growth and cell-cycle regulation, as well as maternal b ...

This chapter focuses on technology for construction of recombinant adenoviruses containing reporter genes under the control of putative regulatory regions of the human (h)CYP19 (aromatase) gene, as well as expression vectors. These recombinant adenoviruses have been used in pri ...

Nitrotyrosine is an important marker for the formation of peroxynitrite and possibly other reactive nitrogen species derived from nitric oxide in vivo (1). Pathological conditions can substantially increase the production of nitric oxide, yet this molecule itself does not genera ...

Peroxynitrite (ONOO−) is both an oxidant and a nitrating agent (1–3). However, unlike other strong oxidants, peroxynitrite reacts selectively with biological targets. This selectivity is derived in part from the different second-order rate constants (vary from 103–106 M −1 s−1) by which ON ...

This chapter describes the use of cultured adult primary ventricular cardiomyocytes as a model for cytokine-mediated septic shock. We describe the methods for preparation of adult cardiomyocytes from adult rat hearts for culture. We also describe techniques designed to assess the re ...

Sepsis and septic shock are major causes of acute renal failure (ARF). Although hemodynamic factors play a significant role in the pathogenesis of ARF during sepsis, it is now clear that nonhemodynamic factors are also extremely important. The predominant site of tissue injury in sepsis-in ...

The human airway is normally kept sterile despite continual exposure to airborne pathogens. This is achieved by host defense mechanisms that exist to prevent adherence, colonization, and invasion of the airway epithelium. The airway is, however, a potential route by which bacteria may ent ...

Over the last 15 years, there has been remarkably rapid progress in defining the molecular basis of inherited disorders. Many disease genes (the majority of which are genes responsible for monogenic Mendelian diseases) have now been identified, predominately through linkage analysis ...

Together with B-lymphocytes, T-lymphocytes (or T-cells) comprise the antigen (Ag)-specific arm of the immune response. The Ag receptors of both cell types are generated by recombination of multiple gene segments (1), giving rise to a large repertoire of receptors of differing specificit ...

Airway epithelial cells (ECs) form a continuous pseudostratified layer in the lung, creating a tight barrier that protects underlying tissue from the external environment. As such, airway ECs have been described classically as barrier cells that are involved in homeostasis; these cel ...

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a 23-kDa polypeptide, was originally identified as a hematopoietic growth factor, but has recently been found to be a multifunctional cytokine with many proinflammatory activities (1,2). GM-CSF can be produced by, and a ...

In addition to being essential for differentiation and maturation, regulated gene expression governs many cellular responses to their local environment. For example, cytokines, viral infection, and numerous other inflammatory stimuli elicit the expression of specific resp ...

Inflammation of the airways is considered to be the key pathogenetic factor in asthma, airway hyperreactivity and clinical symptoms are considered secondary