Cross-bridge kinetics of fast and slow fibres of cat jaw and limb muscles: correlations with myosin subunit composition.

Mechanical properties of the jaw-closing muscles of the cat are poorly understood. These muscles are known to differ in myosin and fibre type compositions from limb muscles. This work aims to correlate mechanical properties of single fibres in cat jaw and limb muscles with their myosin subunit compositions.

Ethanol reduces p38 kinase activation and cyclin D1 protein expression after partial hepatectomy in rats.

Background/aims: Chronic ethanol consumption inhibits liver regeneration. We examined the effects of chronic ethanol consumption on two mitogen-activated protein kinases in relation to induction of cell cycle proteins after partial hepatectomy (PH).

Methods: Male Wistar rats were ethanol-fed (EF) or pair-fed (PF) for 16 weeks before PH.

A distinct subclass of mammalian striated myosins: structure and molecular evolution of "superfast" or masticatory myosin heavy chain.

"Superfast" or masticatory myosin is the molecular motor in the powerful and specialized jaw-closing muscles of carnivores, folivores, and frugivores. This myosin presumably underpins the unusual high force and moderate shortening velocity of muscle fibers expressing it. Here, we report the cloning and sequencing of the cDNA encoding the full-length masticatory myosin heavy chain (MyHC) from cat temporalis muscle.