The feto-placental metabolome of spontaneous labour is not reproduced following induction of labour.

Introduction: The mechanism for human labour remains poorly understood, limiting our ability to manage complications including spontaneous preterm birth and induction of labour (IOL). The study of fetal signals poses specific challenges. Metabolomic analysis of maternal blood, the cord artery (CA), and cord vein (CV), allows simultaneous interrogation of multiple metabolic pathways associated with different modes of labour onset and birth.

Nuclear translocation of IQGAP1 protein upon exposure to puromycin aminonucleoside in cultured human podocytes: ERK pathway involvement.

IQGAP1, a protein that links the actin cytoskeleton to slit diaphragm proteins, is involved in podocyte motility and permeability. Its regulation in glomerular disease is not known. We have exposed human podocytes to puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN), an inducer of nephrotic syndrome in rats, and studied the effects on IQGAP1 biology and function.

Podocyte dedifferentiation: a specialized process for a specialized cell.

The podocyte is one of the two cell types that contribute to the formation of the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB). It is a highly specialized cell with a unique structure. The key feature of the podocyte is its foot processes that regularly interdigitate.