Budding and regeneration potential of a calyx of a freshwater Kamptozoan, Urnatella gracilis.

There are only two freshwater Kamptozoans worldwide: Urnatella gracilis Leidy, 1851 and Loxosomatoides sirindhornae Wood, 2005. U. gracilis is present in Japan and is expanding its distribution, especially in Lake Hachiro.

Correlation between salivary secretion and salivary AQP5 levels in health and disease.

Saliva samples are useful for noninvasive diagnosis of oral and systemic diseases. The water channel protein aquaporin-5 (AQP5) is released into human saliva. Salivary AQP5 levels show a diurnal variation with the secretion of high levels during the waking hours.

Identification of aquaporin-5 and lipid rafts in human resting saliva and their release into cevimeline-stimulated saliva.

Background: It is unknown whether AQP5 and lipid rafts are released into human unstimulated (resting) saliva and saliva in response to secretagogues.

Methods: In order to quantitate the salivary concentration of AQP5, we produced a polyclonal antibody for human AQP5 and developed an enzyme-like immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: AQP5 and lipid rafts were identified in human resting saliva.