[3-Dimensional microscopy as a method for volume measurement in cells undergoing apoptosis].

Different patterns of cell volume perturbations are commonly used for modes of cell death: necrosis (cell swelling) and apoptosis (cell shrinkage). In this study we employed recently developed three dimensional microscopy for the measurement of the volume of attached vascular smooth muscle cells transfected with E1A-adenoviral protein. These cells undergo rapid apoptosis in the absence of growth factors or in the presence of staurosporine.

[Myogenic tone of blood vessels in health and disease: role of purinergic signaling system and Na+, K+ 2Cl+ cotransport].

The narrowing of blood vessels evoked by increasing intraluminal pressure and termed as myogenic response plays a key role in the maintenance of the blood flow rate independently of the variation of systemic arterial pressure. Myogenic response MR is accompanied by decreased electrical membrane potential in the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) that, in turn, leads to activation of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and elevation of [Ca2+]i. Upstream mechanisms underlying VSMC depolarization remain poorly understood.

[Effect of electrostatic interactions on formation and properties of soluble heteroprotein conjugates based on proteolytic enzymes].

The regularities of directed polycondensation of proteins with opposite charges by glutaric aldehyde were studied using serum albumin and proteolytic enzymes (urokinase, trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin) as models. The electrostatic interaction of oppositely charged protein macromonomers in the polycondensation process was shown to facilitate the selective synthesis of soluble heteroprotein conjugates with molecular mass from 2 x 10(5) to 9 x 10(5); these conjugates have controlled component composition, high enzyme content (up to 3 to 4 molecules of an enzyme per one albumin molecule) and completely retain the enzyme catalytic activity. The dependence of rate constants and activation parameters of thermal inactivation of the heteroconjugates upon their composition, molecular mass and the degree of modification of the protein amino groups was investigated.

[Soluble heteroprotein conjugates based on recombinant pro-urokinase for ophthalmology].

A procedure is developed for precise synthesis of soluble highly active heteroprotein conjugates enriched in the enzyme with prearranged molecular mass and composition, containing blood serum albumin and recombinant prourokinase. Correlation between the pharmacological activity of the heroconjugates produced and their molecular mass from 2.2 x 10(5) to 5 x 10(5) was studied in experimental vitreous body hemorrhage (hemophthalmia).