Publications by authors named "Sawsan Al Lafi"

The Retinoblastoma protein, Rb, was shown to regulate distinct aspects of neurogenesis in the embryonic and adult brain besides its primary role in cell cycle control. It is still unknown, however, whether Rb is required for tissue morphogenesis and the establishment of synaptic connections between adjacent tissues during development. We have investigated here the role of Rb during development of the olfactory system (OS), which heavily relies on reciprocal interactions between the olfactory epithelium (OE) and the olfactory bulb (OB).

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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disabilities worldwide. It affects approximately 1.5 million people each year and is associated with severe post-TBI symptoms such as sensory and motor deficits.

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Adult neural stem cells (aNSCs) are relatively quiescent populations that give rise to distinct neuronal subtypes throughout life, yet, at a very low rate and restricted differentiation potential. Thus, identifying the molecular mechanisms that control their cellular expansion is critical for regeneration after brain injury. Loss of the Retinoblastoma protein, Rb, leads to several defects in cell cycle as well as neuronal differentiation and migration during brain development.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The research included seven groups of rats to analyze various treatments, with a focus on measuring ET-1 binding affinity and receptor densities in coronary endothelium and cardiomyocytes.
  • * Findings showed that while exendin-4 normalized ET-1 receptor binding on the endothelium, aliskiren achieved this effect on cardiomyocytes, suggesting that aliskiren may help reduce blood vessel issues linked to type-1 diabetes.
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During brain morphogenesis, the mechanisms through which the cell cycle machinery integrates with differentiation signals remain elusive. Here we show that the Rb/E2F pathway regulates key aspects of differentiation and migration through direct control of the Dlx1 and Dlx2 homeodomain proteins, required for interneuron specification. Rb deficiency results in a dramatic reduction of Dlx1 and Dlx2 gene expression manifested by loss of interneuron subtypes and severe migration defects in the mouse brain.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates how long-term suppression of the renin-angiotensin system and incretin mimetic treatments affect GLP-1 receptor binding in heart tissues of type 1 diabetic rats.
  • It involves several treatment groups, including normal rats and those treated with insulin, Exendin-4, Aliskiren, or combinations of these therapies.
  • Findings indicate diabetes alters GLP-1 binding affinity in different heart tissues, with Exendin-4 combined with Aliskiren normalizing binding in the coronary endothelium, while Exendin-4 alone is most effective in cardiomyocytes.
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