The Interaction between female sex hormone receptors and osteopontin in a rat hyperoxaluric model.

It is well known that the incidence of urinary stones is higher in men than women. Although it is believed that the lower incidence of urinary stones in women is due to a protective effect of estrogen, the mechanisms remain unclear. To clarify the relation between female sex hormones and stone matrix protein, we examined the interaction of estrogen receptor-α (ERα), estrogen receptor-related receptor-α (ERRα), and stone matrix protein osteopontin (OPN) in a rat hyperoxaluric model and in primary cultured rat kidney cells.

Epidermoid cyst of the ureter: a case report.

Epidermal cysts of the upper urinary tract are extremely rare. Only three cases have been reported in the published work written in English, Italian or German. We encountered a case of an epidermoid cyst in the ureter of a 72-year-old male.

Protective role of heparin/heparan sulfate on oxalate-induced changes in cell morphology and intracellular Ca2+.

Alterations in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) are generally associated with cellular distress. Oxalate-induced cell injury of the renal epithelium plays an important role in promoting CaOx nephrolithiasis. However, the degree of change in intracellular free calcium ions in renal epithelial cells during oxalate exposure remains unclear.

Role of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (syndecan-1) on the renal epithelial cells during calcium oxalate monohydrate crystal attachment.

We have reported that heparan sulfate (HS)/heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG, syndecan-1) expression significantly increased in the rat kidney during calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithiasis. Although the exact role of syndecan still remains unclear, HS/syndecan-1 is thought to have some important role in the CaOx crystal formation. Mardin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells are most commonly used in kidney stone research.

Calcium nephrolithiasis and distal tubular acidosis in type 1 glycogen storage disease.

A 36-year-old man was admitted to hospital due to right flank pain as a result of ureteral stones. He had been followed up for type 1 glycogen storage disease since the age of 11 years. He had four episodes of spontaneous stone birth during the previous 2 years, and each stone was composed mainly of calcium oxalate.

Endoscopic antegrade laser incision in the treatment of urethral stricture.

Objectives: To examine the possibility of antegrade incisions at varying stricture lengths. We have developed a new method of using a ureteroscope and holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) laser to make an antegrade incision without using a guidewire. Endoscopic internal urethrotomy involves the use of a guidewire or ureteral catheter that is passed through the stricture as an indicator for retrograde incision.

Heparan sulfate (HS)/heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) and bikunin are up-regulated during calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis in rat kidney.

We reported that expression of both HSPG and of bikunin are increased in calcium oxalate (CaOx) nephrolithic rat kidneys (lida et al., J. Am.

Confocal laser microscopy of chondrocytes that received gene transfer using in vitro electroporation.

To develop a gene therapy for osteopathies, this study was conducted to establish a method of transferring the BMP gene, a bone formation factor, to cells and administering the cells with BMP expression to patients with osteopathies. Although virus vectors are frequently used for gene transfer, there has been reported a death case of gene therapy using the adenovirus vector. Therefore, various efforts have been made to prevent such complications.