Biochemical and biophysical mechanisms macrophages use to tune phagocytic appetite.

Macrophages phagocytose, or eat, pathogens, dead cells and cancer cells. To activate phagocytosis, macrophages recognize 'eat me' signals like IgG and phosphatidylserine on the target cell surface. Macrophages must carefully adjust their phagocytic appetite to ignore non-specific or transient eat me signal exposure on healthy cells while still rapidly recognizing pathogens and debris.

An anatomical investigation of alkaptonuria: Novel insights into ochronosis of cartilage and bone.

Ochronotic pigmentation of connective tissue is the central pathological process in the rare metabolic disease alkaptonuria (AKU). Tissue pigmentation in AKU occurs due to unmetabolised homogentisic acid (HGA) in the circulation, caused by an enzyme deficiency in the liver. Ochronotic pigmentation, derived from HGA, has previously been reported and described in large joints obtained from arthroplasty surgeries, which typically have advanced disease.

Substituent Effects on Cooperativity in Three-Component H-Bond Networks Involving Phenol-Phenol Interactions.

Cooperativity between H-bonding interactions in networks is a fundamental aspect of solvation and self-assembly in molecular systems. The interaction of a series of bisphenols, which make an intramolecular H-bond between the two hydroxyl groups, and quinuclidine was used to quantify cooperativity in three-component networks. The presence of the intramolecular H-bond in the bisphenols was established by using H NMR spectroscopy in solution and X-ray crystallography in the solid state.