Using innovative group-work activities to enhance the problem-based learning experience for dental students.

Problem-based learning (PBL) in medical and dental curricula is now well established, as such courses are seen to equip students with valuable transferable skills (e.g. problem-solving or team-working abilities), in addition to knowledge acquisition.

Molecular mechanisms of cerebrospinal fluid production.

The epithelial cells of the choroid plexuses secrete cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), by a process which involves the transport of Na(+), Cl(-) and HCO(3)(-) from the blood to the ventricles of the brain. The unidirectional transport of ions is achieved due to the polarity of the epithelium, i.e.

Ion channels in epithelial cells of the choroid plexus isolated from the lateral ventricle of rat brain.

Whole-cell patch clamp methods were used to determine the expression of ion channels in the epithelial cells of choroid plexus isolated from the lateral ventricle of the rat brain. A single population of cells with a mean capacitance of 61.5+/-1.

Kv1.1 and Kv1.3 channels contribute to the delayed-rectifying K+ conductance in rat choroid plexus epithelial cells.

The choroid plexuses secrete, and maintain the composition of, the cerebrospinal fluid. K+ channels play an important role in these processes. In this study the molecular identity and properties of the delayed-rectifying K+ (Kv) conductance in rat choroid plexus epithelial cells were investigated.

Expression of aquaporin 1 and aquaporin 4 water channels in rat choroid plexus.

The role of aquaporins in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) secretion was investigated in this study. Western analysis and immunocytochemistry were used to examine the expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the rat choroid plexus epithelium. Western analyses were performed on a membrane fraction that was enriched in Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and AE2, marker proteins for the apical and basolateral membranes of the choroid plexus epithelium, respectively.