Combinatorial expression patterns of the connexins 26, 32, and 43 during development, homeostasis, and regeneration of rat teeth.

Gap junctions permit the exchange of regulatory molecules between cells and play important roles during organogenesis. The expression pattern of the gap junction proteins connexin 26, 32, and 43 was studied by immunohistochemistry in the developing, adult, and injured rat teeth. Connexins 32 and 43, but not the connexin 26, were detected during the late stages of embryonic tooth development (bell stage).

Cell-to-cell communication in the anterior pituitary: evidence for gap junction-mediated exchanges between endocrine cells and folliculostellate cells.

The ability of rat anterior pituitary cells to communicate through gap junctions (GJ) was studied using a fluorescent molecule, Lucifer Yellow (LY), which freely passes through GJ channels. The probe was introduced into the cell cytoplasm by using either the cut-end loading method on intact tissue, or cell microinjection on cultured cells. The identification of communicating cells was performed by immunofluorescence labeling of specific hormones in endocrine cells and of S100 protein in folliculostellate (FS) cells.

Gap junctions and cell polarity: connexin32 and connexin43 expressed in polarized thyroid epithelial cells assemble into separate gap junctions, which are located in distinct regions of the lateral plasma membrane domain.

Epithelial cells of the thyroid gland present an uncommon connexin expression pattern, they coexpress connexin32 and connexin43. In the present work, we have analyzed the membrane distribution of these two connexins to determine: (i) whether they co-assemble in the same gap junctions or form separate gap junctions; and (ii) whether their location is somehow related to the thyroid cell polarity. Immunofluorescence analyses of the localization of the two connexins in thyroid tissue sections revealed that connexin32 and connexin43 are located in different regions of the plasma membrane.

Pheochromocytoma and secondary erythrocytosis: role of tumour erythropoietin secretion.

Certain neoplasias can induce unregulated erythropoietin (EPO) secretion which results in secondary erythrocytosis. Pheochromocytoma associated with erythrocytosis constitute a rare condition, where the secondary red cell abnormality is believed to be due to tumour EPO secretion. In one such case of pheochromocytoma related erythrocytosis, quantitative determination of serum EPO by enzyme immunoassay was combined with immunohistochemical examination of tumour tissue sections to locate the site of EPO secretion.

Differential control of connexin-32 and connexin-43 expression in thyroid epithelial cells: evidence for a direct relationship between connexin-32 expression and histiotypic morphogenesis.

Thyroid epithelial cells cultured either as a monolayer or in the form of follicles, rapidly reconstitute functional gap junctions (Gj). We previously reported that the thyroid Gj gating is regulated by TSH. We have now performed molecular analyses of Gj proteins 1) to detect the connexin(s) (Cx) that is expressed in thyroid epithelial cells, 2) to determine whether the expression of Cx is hormonally regulated, and 3) to analyze the relationship between Cx expression and histiotypic morphogenesis, i.

[Autologous transfusion in heart surgery (apropos of 74 patients)].

The present study uses three techniques of autotransfusion in heart surgery under ECC: peroperative and post-ECC transfusion of blood removed after induction of anaesthesia (group I: 25 patients); postoperative transfusion of extravasated thoracic blood (group II: 24 patients) and a combination of the two (group III: 25 patients). Postoperative bleeding was comparable in all groups; A subset likely to haemorrhage made up of patients who had lost more than one litre of blood was isolated and demonstrated a reduction in the number of homologous red cell concentrates needed for the autotransfused population in comparison with the controls (2.4 +/- 2.

Antithyroid drugs and Graves' disease: a prospective randomized evaluation of the efficacy of treatment duration.

A prospective randomized study was performed in patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease (GD) in order to compare long (18 months) and short term (6 months) antithyroid drug treatment on the remission rate. A therapeutic protocol was offered to all GD patients who had not been treated for this disease previously. All patients studied who followed the protocol were rechecked 2 yr after treatment was withdrawn, or earlier in the case of relapse.

[Left ventricle-right atrium communications acquired in bacterial endocarditis].

Three cases of acquired LV-RA communication during bacterial endocarditis are reported. The causal organisms were Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus. The endocarditis complicated aortic valve disease in 2 patients and a congenital aneurysm of the membranous interventricular septum in the third case.

[Fissuration of post-infarction left ventricular aneurysms. 2 surgically treated cases].

The authors report two cases of fissures of a left ventricular aneurysm diagnosed on the 8th and 21st days following an anterior myocardial infarction. In both cases, the clinical presentation consisted of a new episode of pain associated with a low cardiac output syndrome and adiastole. The diagnosis was confirmed by the simultaneous discovery of a pericardial effusion and a left ventricular aneurysm on echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation.

Thyroid stimulating antibodies: an aid to the strategy of treatment of Graves' disease?

In 1976 we initiated a prospective study to specify the usefulness of thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) determinations in predicting the outcome of post-antithyroid drug treatment for Graves' disease. This study was carried out on 55 patients, who were either treated for six (n = 16) or 18 months (n = 39) and followed up for an additional two-year period. TSAb was determined on whole serum in 29 patients before and at the end of treatment, and in 26 patients at the end of treatment only.

[Accidents attributable to carbimazole in the treatment of Basedow's disease].

A series of 365 patients (330 women, 35 men) followed up for 9 years during treatment with 20 to 70 mg/day of carbimazole for an average duration of 18 months (range: 2 months to 6 years) was analyzed to evaluate frequency and type of accidents imputable to this synthetic antithyroid agent. Etiopathogenicity of these incidents is reviewed based on reports in the published literature. The product was extremely well tolerated by 349 patients.

[Relapse in Basedow's disease after treatment with synthetic antithyroid drugs. Prognostic value of analysis of the HLA system].

One hundred and eleven unselected patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease received decreasing doses of carbimazole for 18 months. Clinical examination and hormonal assays (serum T3, T4, free T4 index) were done at 4, 9 and 18 months of treatment. Patients were typed for 35 HLA antigens and were followed up for 2 years after withdrawal of treatment; 39 patients were excluded for various reasons and 72 were retained for study.

A prospective study of the relationship between relapse of hyperthyroid Graves' disease after antithyroid drugs and HLA haplotype.

One hundred and eleven unselected patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease received decreasing doses of carbimazole for 18 months. Clinical examination and hormonal assays (serum T3, T4, free T4 index) were done at 4, 9, and 18 months of treatment. Patients were typed for 35 HLA antigens and were followed for 2 yr after withdrawal of treatment; 39 patients were excluded for various reasons and 72 were retained for study.

[The gastroduodenal artery and its variations. Study of 100 arteriographies].

The gastro-duodenal artery, whose study has been based on a series of one hundred digestive arteriographies, is visualized in all cases. Its variations of origine are directly connected to the different possible dispositions of the hepatic arterial supply. The analysis of the results confirms the literary data: each time there is a middle hepatic artery, it gives the gastro-duodenal artery.