Heterogeneity in oligodendrocyte precursor cell proliferation is dynamic and driven by passive bioelectrical properties.

Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) generate myelinating oligodendrocytes and are the main proliferative cells in the adult central nervous system. OPCs are a heterogeneous population, with proliferation and differentiation capacity varying with brain region and age. We demonstrate that during early postnatal maturation, cortical, but not callosal, OPCs begin to show altered passive bioelectrical properties, particularly increased inward potassium (K) conductance, which correlates with G1 cell cycle stage and affects their proliferation potential.

Pharmacological Gq inhibition induces strong pulmonary vasorelaxation and reverses pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life-threatening disease with limited survival. Herein, we propose the pharmacological inhibition of Gq proteins as a novel concept to counteract pulmonary vasoconstriction and proliferation/migration of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in PAH. We demonstrate that the specific pan-Gq inhibitor FR900359 (FR) induced a strong vasorelaxation in large and small pulmonary arteries in mouse, pig, and human subjects ex vivo.

Site-specific genetic and functional signatures of aortic endothelial cells at aneurysm predilection sites in healthy and AngII ApoE mice.

Aortic aneurysm is characterized by a pathological dilation at specific predilection sites of the vessel and potentially results in life-threatening vascular rupture. Herein, we established a modified "Häutchen method" for the local isolation of endothelial cells (ECs) from mouse aorta to analyze their spatial heterogeneity and potential role in site-specific disease development. When we compared ECs from aneurysm predilection sites of healthy mice with adjacent control segments we found regulation of genes related to extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis and inflammation, all pathways playing a critical role in aneurysm development.

Pull me - push you? The disparate financing mechanisms of drug research in global health.

Background: There is an inconsistency in the way pharmaceutical research is financed. While pull mechanisms are predominantly used to incentivize later-stage pharmaceutical research for products with demand in the Global North, so-called neglected diseases are chiefly financed by push funding. This discrepancy has so far been ignored in the academic debate, and any compelling explanation for why we draw the line between push and pull at poor people is lacking.

The endocannabinoid anandamide is an airway relaxant in health and disease.

Chronic obstructive airway diseases are a global medical burden that is expected to increase in the near future. However, the underlying mechanistic processes are poorly understood so far. Herein, we show that the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) induces prominent airway relaxation in vitro and in vivo.