Structural and Functional Organization of Visual Responses in the Inferior Olive of Larval Zebrafish.

The olivo-cerebellar system plays an important role in vertebrate sensorimotor control. Here, we investigate sensory representations in the inferior olive (IO) of larval zebrafish and their spatial organization. Using single-cell labeling of genetically identified IO neurons, we find that they can be divided into at least two distinct groups based on their spatial location, dendritic morphology, and axonal projection patterns.

Recent advances in the study of limb development: the emergence and function of the apical ectodermal ridge.

Vertebrate extremities develop from limb buds, which emerge as paired protrusions in the lateral plate mesoderm. Forelimb buds are located anteriorly and hindlimb buds are positioned posteriorly. The morphogenesis of the limb requires coordinated actions of several organizing centers, among which the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) plays crucial roles in limb development.

FLRT3 as a key player on chick limb development.

Limb outgrowth is maintained by a specialized group of cells, the apical ectodermal ridge (AER), a thickening of the limb epithelium at its distal tip. It has been shown that fibroblast growth factor (FGF) activity and activation of the Erk pathway are crucial for AER function. Recently, FLRT3, a transmembrane protein able to interact with FGF receptors, has been implicated in the activation of ERK by FGFs.

[Determination of HER2 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in breast cancer. Experience of the Reference Laboratory of Lisbon].

The knowledgement of HER2/c-erbB-2 status in breast cancer is essential for the eligibility of the patients for therapy with monoclonal antibody anti-HER-2/trastuzumab. From the various existent techniques for the determination of HER-2, the most widely used are: immunohistochemistry (IHC), that estimates the protein expression, and in situ hybridization (FISH), that evaluates its amplification. FISH is essential as complementary of IHQ in tumors with equivocal or non interpreted staining, and also in those with complete weak to moderate membrane staining in >10 % of neoplastic cells (score 2+) because, of these, only cases with gene amplification (FISH positive) respond to therapy.