Chained occurrences of early afterdepolarizations may create a directional triggered activity to initiate reentrant ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Background And Objective: It has been believed that polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) such as torsades de pointes (TdP) seen in patients with long QT syndromes is triggered by creating early afterdepolarization (EAD)-mediated triggered activity (TA). Although the mechanisms creating the TA have been studied intensively, characteristics of the arrhythmogenic (torsadogenic) substrates that link EAD developments to TA formation are still not well understood.

Methods: Computer simulations of excitation propagation in a homogenous two-dimensional ventricular tissue with an anisotropic conduction property were performed to characterize torsadogenic substrates that potentially form TA.

The pericellular function of Fibulin-7 in the adhesion of oligodendrocyte lineage cells to neuronal axons during CNS myelination.

Myelin is an electrical insulator that enables saltatory nerve conduction and is essential for proper functioning of the central nervous system (CNS). It is formed by oligodendrocytes (OLs) in the CNS, and during OL development various molecules, including extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, regulate OL differentiation and myelination; however, the role of ECM proteins in these processes is not well understood. Our present work is centered on the analyses of the expression and function of fibulin-7 (Fbln7), an ECM protein of the fibulin family, in OL differentiation.

Specific recognition mechanism of an antibody to sulfated tyrosine and its potential use in biological research.

Post-translational modification of proteins is a crucial biological reaction that regulates protein functions by altering molecular properties. The specific detection of such modifications in proteins has made significant contributions to molecular biology research and holds potential for future drug development applications. In HIV research, for example, tyrosine sulfation at the N-terminus of C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) is considered to significantly enhance HIV infection efficiency.

Cardiac Arrhythmia: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies.

Arrhythmias are divided into supraventricular and ventricular, depending on where they originate [...

Malaria parasites require a divergent heme oxygenase for apicoplast gene expression and biogenesis.

Malaria parasites have evolved unusual metabolic adaptations that specialize them for growth within heme-rich human erythrocytes. During blood-stage infection, parasites internalize and digest abundant host hemoglobin within the digestive vacuole. This massive catabolic process generates copious free heme, most of which is biomineralized into inert hemozoin.