[-174 G/C polymorphism of interleukin 6 gene in women with type 1 diabetes].

Background: A polymorphism located in the promoter region (-174 G/C) of interleukin 6 (IL-6) has been linked to early onset of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and increased body mass index (BMI).

Aim: To evaluate the possible association of this -IL-6 gene 174 GIC polymorphism with T1D, BMI and metabolic control in T1D patients in a case-control study.

Patients And Methods: -174 G I C polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism in 145 women with T1D and 103 healthy controls.

Fifty years of progress in carotid body physiology--invited article.

Research on arterial chemoreceptors, particularly on the carotid body, has been fruitful in the last fifty years, to which this review is addressed. The functional anatomy of the organ appears to be well established. The biophysical bases by which glomus cells transduce chemical changes in the milieu intérieur (hypoxia, hypercapnia, acidosis) into electrical and biochemical changes in glomus cells have received much attention.

Mechanical sensitivity of carotid body glomus cells.

Cultured glomus cells from rat carotid bodies were prepared for optical studies of intracellular calcium using the Fura-2 dye. The baseline calcium had a mean of about 40 nM showing either a relatively steady level or large calcium spikes. Some cells did not show measurable levels of [Ca(2+)](i).

Electric synapses in the carotid body-nerve complex.

Slices of rat carotid bodies, or cultured glomus cells, were used to study intercellular coupling. This phenomenon occurs because gap junctions allow passage of currents and dyes from one cell to another. There is a two-way resistive coupling between glomus cells (GC/GC coupling), which is accompanied by activity of intercellular channels.

Chemical and electric transmission in the carotid body chemoreceptor complex.

Carotid body chemoreceptors are complex secondary receptors. There are chemical and electric connections between glomus cells (GC/GC) and between glomus cells and carotid nerve endings (GC/NE). Chemical secretion of glomus cells is accompanied by GC/GC uncoupling.