Membrane prestin expression correlates with the magnitude of prestin-associated charge movement.

Full expression of electromotility, generation of non-linear capacitance (NLC), and high-acuity mammalian hearing require prestin function in the lateral wall of cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs). Estimates of the number of prestin molecules in the OHC membrane vary, and a consensus has not emerged about the correlation between prestin expression and prestin-associated charge movement in the OHC. Using an inducible prestin-expressing cell line, we demonstrate that the charge density, but not the voltage at peak capacitance, directly correlates with the amount of prestin in the plasma membrane.

Mineralocorticoid receptor blockade in chronic kidney disease.

Aldosterone antagonists have been highly successful in treating congestive heart failure and resistant hypertension. Until recently, therapies targeting the mineralocorticoid receptor in chronic kidney disease (CKD) have received little attention, largely because of the risk of hyperkalemia and the incorrect assumption that traditional therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, or both consistently reduces activity of the renin-angiotensin system in all patients. Control of extracellular volume and low-dose mineralocorticoid receptor blocker therapy may offer additional antihypertensive and anti-inflammatory benefits in select CKD populations.

Substrate-mediated DNA delivery: role of the cationic polymer structure and extent of modification.

DNA complex immobilization to substrates that support cell adhesion can enhance gene transfer by maintaining DNA within the cellular environment while limiting complex aggregation. This report examines the tether design (e.g.