Endoplasmic reticulum-derived multilamellar bodies in oocytes of mouse follicle cultures under oxidized low-density lipoprotein treatment.

Objective: Multilamellar bodies associated with an organized endoplasmic reticulum (ER) arise in various somatic cell types, and a subtype called multivesicular bodies is described in oocytes. Both entities, so far undetermined in significance, may occur in oocytes of follicles under oxidative stress. In preovulatory follicles, oxidative stress appears to be caused by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL).

Nicotine effects on human endothelial intercellular communication via α4β2 and α3β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes.

Since previous in vitro experiments revealed that nicotine can impair endothelial intercellular communication via the downregulation of connexin43 (Cx43), we wanted to find out which nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are involved in the molecular mechanism of communication failure. Cultured human endothelial cells were exposed to 1 μM nicotine for 5 days. Intercellular communication was measured using dye transfer study with/without subtype-specific nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) inhibitors.

Leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mouse ovaries show fatty degeneration, enhanced apoptosis and decreased expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory enzyme.

Objective: Leptin-deficient (ob/ob) mice are obese and infertile. Dysfunctions of the ovaries are preferentially related to leptin-deficiency.

Design: Morphological and molecular biological obesity-dependent changes in ob/ob ovaries.

Expression of KIT in the ovary, and the role of somatic precursor cells.

KIT is a type III receptor protein tyrosine kinase, and KITL its cognate ligand. KIT can mediate its effects via several intracellular signalling pathways, or by formation of a cell-cell anchor with its ligand. Through these mechanisms, KIT controls fundamental cellular processes, including migration, proliferation, differentiation and survival.

Altered sciatic nerve fiber morphology and endoneural microvessels in mouse models relevant for obesity, peripheral diabetic polyneuropathy, and the metabolic syndrome.

The morphology of sciatic nerves from leptin-deficient ob/ob mice and leptin receptor-deficient db/db mice, both models for obesity, peripheral diabetic neuropathy, and the metabolic syndrome, has yet to be examined for changes in nerve fibers and in endoneural microvessels. Sciatic nerves from three groups of 4-month-old mice (WT C57BL6, ob/ob, and db/db) were investigated. In ultrathin sections, the thickness of myelin sheaths was significantly reduced in small, medium-sized, and large axons of db/db mice compared with WT mice.