Lead exposure through gestation-only caused long-term learning/memory deficits in young adult offspring.

Numerous observations in clinical and preclinical studies indicate that the developing brain is particular sensitive to lead (Pb)'s pernicious effects. However, the effect of gestation-only Pb exposure on cognitive functions at maturation has not been studied. We investigated the potential effects of three levels of Pb exposure (low, middle, and high Pb: 0.

The stress experience dependent long-term depression disassociated with stress effect on spatial memory task.

Behavioral stress can either block or facilitate memory and affect the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). However, the relevance of the stress experience-dependent long-term depression (SLTD) to spatial memory task is unknown. Here we have investigated the effects of acute and sub-acute elevated platform (EP) and foot shock (FS) stress on LTD induction in CA1 region of the hippocampus of anesthetized rats and spatial memory in Morris water maze.

Effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on proliferation and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells in vitro.

Aim: To investigate the role of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor caffeic acid phenethy1 ester (CAPE) in the proliferation, collagen synthesis and apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) of rats.

Methods: The HSCs from rats were isolated and cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) and treated with CAPE. The proliferation and collagen synthesis of HSCs were determined by (3)H-TdR and (3)H-proline incorporation respectively, and the expression of type I, III procollagen genes was further explored by in situ hybridization.

[Luteolin inhibits proliferation and collagen synthesis of hepatic stellate cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of luteolin on the proliferation and collagen expression of hepatic stellate cells.

Methods: The effect of luteolin on proliferation and collagen synthesis of hepatic stellate cells isolated from the liver of Wistar rats were determined by (3)H-TdR and (3)H-Pro, and procollagen gene expression was also detected by DIG-labeled gene probe and in situ hybridization.

Results: The proliferation and collagen synthesis were significantly and dose-dependently inhibited by luteolin when the concentrations reached 10 micromol/L and 20 micromol/L respectively (t=2.

Propofol facilitates the development of long-term depression (LTD) and impairs the maintenance of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of anesthetized rats.

Memory is sensitive to the short-acting anesthetic (2,6-diisopropylphenol) propofol, but the underlying mechanism is little known. Here, we have examined the effects of propofol on synaptic plasticity in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of anesthetized rats. We found that low dose of propofol (20 mg/kg, i.

[Zymography identification of the matrix metalloproteinases synthesized by cultured hepatic stellate cells].

Aim: To establish a method for identification of the activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) synthesized by cultured hepatic stellate cells (HSC).

Methods: SDS-gelatin polyacrylamide gels electrophoresis was used for the identification of MMPs synthesized by cultured HSC.

Results: MMP-2 and MMP-9 in culture medium and HSC were sensitively identified, and MMP-2 activity was higher than MMP-9 in culture medium, the changes of MMPs in culture medium and HSC were also observed after 24h medicine treatment.