Differentiation- and polarization-dependent zinc tolerance in Caco-2 cells.

Purpose: Enterocytes are feasibly confronted with enormous zinc concentrations especially as a result of oral zinc supplementation. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the exceptional ability to withstand this usually toxic load using the enterocytic cell line Caco-2.

Methods: By MTT test analysis, we compared zinc tolerance in undifferentiated Caco-2 cells (udCaco-2) and differentiated Caco-2 cells (dCaco-2).

Lactoferrin induces growth arrest and nuclear accumulation of Smad-2 in HeLa cells.

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a multifunctional glycoprotein. Due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties and the resulting therapeutical potential, lactoferrin is at present focus of a variety of research areas. The regulation of cell growth represents one of the prominent performances of lactoferrin.

Evaluation of chondroitin sulfate bioactivity in hippocampal neurones and the astrocyte cell line U373: influence of position of sulfate groups and charge density.

Chondroitin sulfates are linear polysaccharides of alternating glucuronic acid and N-acetylgalactosamine, sulfated in varying positions. They form the extracellular framework providing the information for the structural establishment of tissues in multicellular organisms. Growth cones of neurones modulate their outgrowth according to signals received from proteoglycans.