Publications by authors named "Ryan Ojakian"
Article Synopsis
- Upregulation of osteopontin (OPN) is linked to central nervous system (CNS) diseases, and while it can help prevent cell death, its role in inflammation is debated.
- Researchers used an adenoviral vector to express OPN in mice lacking it and compared tissue pathology and pro-inflammatory gene expression with a control vector.
- The study found that inflamed tissues only developed when OPN was expressed alongside a peripheral treatment (pertussis toxin), leading to increased inflammatory markers and more TUNEL+ apoptotic cells, suggesting OPN may contribute to CNS inflammation and cell death during inflammatory conditions.
Mutations of connexin alpha 8 (GJA8 or Cx50) and connexin alpha 3 (GJA3 or Cx46) in humans have been reported to cause cataracts with semi-dominant inheritance patterns. Targeted null mutations in Gja8 and Gja3 in mice cause cataracts with recessive inheritance. The molecular bases for these differences in inheritance patterns and the mechanism for cataractogenesis in these mutants are poorly understood.
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