Chevron formation of the zebrafish muscle segments.

The muscle segments of fish have a folded shape, termed a chevron, which is thought to be optimal for the undulating body movements of swimming. However, the mechanism shaping the chevron during embryogenesis is not understood. Here, we used time-lapse microscopy of developing zebrafish embryos spanning the entire somitogenesis period to quantify the dynamics of chevron shape development.

Patched regulates Smoothened trafficking using lipoprotein-derived lipids.

Hedgehog (Hh) is a lipoprotein-borne ligand that regulates both patterning and proliferation in a wide variety of vertebrate and invertebrate tissues. When Hh is absent, its receptor Patched (Ptc) represses Smoothened (Smo) signaling by an unknown catalytic mechanism that correlates with reduced Smo levels on the basolateral membrane. Ptc contains a sterol-sensing domain and is similar to the Niemann-Pick type C-1 protein, suggesting that Ptc might regulate lipid trafficking to repress Smo.

Lipoprotein-heparan sulfate interactions in the Hh pathway.

The Drosophila lipoprotein particle, Lipophorin, bears lipid-linked morphogens on its surface and is required for long-range signaling activity of Wingless and Hedgehog. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans are also critical for trafficking and signaling of these morphogens. Here we show that Lipophorin interacts with the heparan sulfate moieties of the glypicans Dally and Dally-like.

Phytosterol compounds having antiviral efficacy.

The present study is focused on the antiviral action patterns obtained in vitro with synthetic sterolester comprising compositions on virus-bearing host cell-lines. Appropriate cell-lines were infected with HIV-1, human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Herpes simplex virus (HSV). There appears to exist a clear anti-infective efficacy for a selected number of such ester compounds, provided they are formulated into spontaneously dispersible concentrates, which in aqueous dilution engender ultramicro-emulsions having micelles in the lowest nanosize region.

Marigenol-concentrates comprising Taxol and/or Taxan esters as active substances.

Marigen is a Swiss Research Company based in Riehen (Canton of Basle). It has developed and tested a Solubilization System for its phytosteryl ester compounds having antitumor and antiviral/virucidal activity. By formulating spontaneously dispersible concentrates, which comprise such compounds, it is now possible to produce thermodynamically stable, aqueous ultramicroemulsions which achieve outstanding bioavailability and bio-reactivity for the active principles comprised in these Marigenol-Concen-trates.