Intracellular Ca oscillation frequency and amplitude modulation mediate epithelial apical and basolateral membranes crosstalk.

Since the early seminal studies on epithelial solute transport, it has been understood that there must be crosstalk among different members of the transport machinery to coordinate their activity and, thus, generate localized electrochemical gradients that force solute flow in the required direction that would otherwise be thermodynamically unfavorable. However, mechanisms underlying intracellular crosstalk remain unclear. We present evidence that crosstalk between apical and basolateral membrane transporters is mediated by intracellular Ca signaling in insect renal epithelia.

Airway submucosal glands from cystic fibrosis swine suffer from abnormal ion transport across the serous acini, collecting duct, and ciliated duct.

The human airway is protected by an efficient innate defense mechanism that requires healthy secretion of airway surface liquid (ASL) to clear pathogens from the lungs. Most of the ASL in the upper airway is secreted by submucosal glands. In cystic fibrosis (CF), the function of airway submucosal glands is abnormal, and these abnormalities are attributed to anomalies in ion transport across the epithelia lining the different sections of the glands that function coordinately to produce the ASL.

Direction of the Biopsy Needle in Ultrasound-Guided Renal Biopsy Impacts Specimen Adequacy and Risk of Bleeding.

Introduction: Although medical factors such as hypertension and coagulopathy have been identified that are associated with hemorrhage after renal biopsy, little is known about the role of technical factors. The purpose of our study was to examine the effects of biopsy needle direction on renal biopsy specimen adequacy and bleeding complications.

Methods: Two hundred and forty-two patients who had undergone ultrasound-guided renal biopsies were included.

Nebulized hypertonic saline triggers nervous system-mediated active liquid secretion in cystic fibrosis swine trachea.

Inhaled hypertonic saline (HTS) treatment is used to improve lung health in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The current consensus is that the treatment generates an osmotic gradient that draws water into the airways and increases airway surface liquid (ASL) volume. However, there is evidence that HTS may also stimulate active secretion of ASL by airway epithelia through the activation of sensory neurons.

Cystic fibrosis swine fail to secrete airway surface liquid in response to inhalation of pathogens.

Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) channel, which can result in chronic lung disease. The sequence of events leading to lung disease is not fully understood but recent data show that the critical pathogenic event is the loss of the ability to clear bacteria due to abnormal airway surface liquid secretion (ASL). However, whether the inhalation of bacteria triggers ASL secretion and whether this is abnormal in cystic fibrosis has never been tested.