PACAP regulation of secretion and proliferation of pure populations of gastric ECL cells.

The gastric enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell plays a major role in the regulation of gastric acid secretion. We have previously described that Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) is present on myenteric neurons in the rat and colocalizes with its high-affinity receptor, PAC1, expressed on the surface of gastric ECL cells. The study of ECL cell physiology has been hampered by the inability to isolate and purify ECL cells to homogeneity.

Neurofeedback and quantitative electroencephalography.

This study was conducted in an attempt to determine the efficacy of neurofeedback (NFB) in the treatment of patients suffering from vertigo or tinnitus. Results indicated that after NFB, power for delta and theta bands was reduced; however, an increase of power was noted for the alpha bands. Furthermore, normalization was observed for the vestibular evoked potentials (VestEP).

PAC1 and PACAP expression, signaling, and effect on the growth of HCT8, human colonic tumor cells.

The pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) type 1 receptor (PAC1) is a heptahelical, G protein-coupled receptor that has been shown to be expressed by non-squamous lung cancer and breast cancer cell lines, and to be coupled to the growth of these tumors. We have previously shown that PACAP and its receptor, PAC1, are expressed in rat colonic tissue. In this study, we used polyclonal antibodies directed against the COOH terminal of PAC1, as well as fluorescently labeled PACAP, Fluor-PACAP, to demonstrate the expression of PAC1 on HCT8 human colonic tumor cells, using FACS analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy.

A targeted thyroid hormone receptor alpha gene dominant-negative mutation (P398H) selectively impairs gene expression in differentiated embryonic stem cells.

Thyroid hormone and retinoic acid (RA) are essential for normal neural development in vivo, yet all in vitro differentiation strategies of embryonic stem (ES) cells use only RA. We developed a novel differentiation strategy of mouse ES cells using T(3). A dominant-negative knock-in point mutation (P398H) was introduced into the thyroid hormone receptor alpha gene to determine the influence of T(3) on ES cell differentiation.

Biochemical and hormonal correlates of dominance and social behavior in all-male groups of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus).

This study examined the relationship between dominance rank and several physiological and behavioral measures in stable, captive, all-male squirrel monkey groups. Four groups, each containing three males, were observed for 12 weeks during the breeding season. Relative dominance ranking among males in each group was based on the direction of agonistic behaviors displayed.