Loss of MeCP2 (Methyl CpG binding protein 2) in Rett syndrome (RTT) causes brain weight decrease, shrinkage of the cortex with reduced dendritic arborization, behavioral abnormalities, seizures and cardio-respiratory complications. The observed monoamine neurotransmitters reduction in RTT suggested antidepressants as a possible therapy. We treated MeCP2-null mice from postnatal-day 28 for two weeks with desipramine, […]
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen capable of causing a wide range of disease manifestations, including severe bacterial pneumonia. Recently, clinics have reported a rise in nosocomial infections with multidrug resistant (MDR) species, including MDR strains of P. aeruginosa. In order to quickly evaluate the efficacy of new therapeutics for MDR infections, highly reproducible […]
Intravital multiphoton imaging of arteries is technically challenging because the artery expands with every heartbeat, causing severe motion artifacts. To study leukocyte activity in atherosclerosis, we developed the intravital live cell triggered imaging system (ILTIS). This system implements cardiac triggered acquisition as well as frame selection and image registration algorithms to produce stable movies of […]
Abstract: Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) of our breeding stock show three rhythmic phenotypes: wild type (WT) animals which start their activity shortly after “lights-off” and are active until “lights-on”; delayed activity onset (DAO) hamsters whose activity onset is delayed after “lights-off” but activity offset coincides with “lights-on”; and arrhythmic hamsters (AR) that are episodically active […]
Respiratory diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Current treatments offer no prospect of cure or disease reversal. Transplantation of pulmonary progenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) may provide a novel approach to regenerate endogenous lung cells destroyed by injury and disease. Here, we examine the therapeutic potential of […]
Abstract Background: The mechanisms of ventilator-induced lung injury, an iatrogenic inflammatory condition induced by mechanical ventilation, are not completely understood. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling via the adaptor protein myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) is proinflammatory and plays a critical role in host immune response to invading pathogen and noninfectious tissue injury. The role of […]
