Publications by authors named "Raja'M Abdel-Majid"
Patterning of the mouse somatosensory cortex is unusually evident because of the presence of a "barrel field." Presynaptic serotonin and postsynaptic glutamate receptors regulate barrel formation, but little is known of the intracellular signaling pathways through which they act. To determine whether protein kinase A (PKA) plays a role in the development of the barrel field, we examined five viable PKA subunit-specific knock-out (KO) mouse lines for barrel field abnormalities.
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- A study on rat retina identified a specific group of neurons in the inner nuclear layer (INL) that were labeled after a Fluorogold application to the superior colliculus.
- The labeled neurons included both displaced ganglion cells and a unique type of amacrine cells that were able to couple with other amacrine cells but not with ganglion cells.
- This suggests that while amacrine cells can connect with each other, the coupling between these neurons and ganglion cells may be unidirectional, challenging previous assumptions about their interactions.
Article Synopsis
- Mast cells are found in large numbers at sites of new blood vessel formation and produce several proangiogenic factors, especially VEGF-A.
- PGE(2) significantly enhances VEGF-A production in human mast cells, even more than IgE-mediated activation, indicating its strong role in angiogenesis.
- The study highlights the potential of human mast cells in contributing to VEGF-A levels independently of degranulation, which could open avenues for managing angiogenesis in conditions like chronic inflammation and tumors.
Article Synopsis
- Electroretinography (ERG) tests on adult Adcy1(brl) mutant mice showed reduced responses in scotopic conditions, indicating issues with the oscillatory potentials and the b-wave's initial phase.
- These abnormalities were less noticeable in younger mutants aged 3-6 weeks.
- Despite these functional differences, there were no signs of retinal degeneration or differences in visual evoked potentials compared to control mice, suggesting that AC1 pathways are important for retinal response to light but not for overall retinal health.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the expression of adenylyl cyclase isoforms in the rodent retina using immunocytochemistry techniques.
- It finds that both Ca(2+)-sensitive and Ca(2+)-insensitive isoforms are present in key retinal layers, such as the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer.
- The results suggest a diverse pattern of adenylyl cyclase distribution, with a notable prevalence of Ca(2+)-insensitive isoforms in the outer retina, especially in photoreceptor cells.