A combination of oral L-citrulline and L-arginine improved 10-min full-power cycling test performance in male collegiate soccer players: a randomized crossover trial.

Purpose: Oral L-citrulline (Cit) increases plasma L-arginine (Arg) concentration and the production of nitric oxide (NO). NO dilates blood vessels and potentially improves sports performance. The combination of oral Arg and Cit (Arg + Cit) immediately and synergistically increases plasma Arg and nitrite/nitrate (NOx) concentrations more than either Cit or Arg alone.

Expression and localization of aquaporin 1b during oocyte development in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica).

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underling hydration during oocyte maturation, we characterized the structure of Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) novel-water selective aquaporin 1 (AQP1b) that thought to be involved in oocyte hydration. The aqp1b cDNA encodes a 263 amino acid protein that includes the six potential transmembrane domains and two Asn-Pro-Ala motifs. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed transcription of Japanese eel aqp1b in ovary and testis but not in the other tissues.

Oocyte hydration in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) during meiosis resumption and ovulation.

In this study, to elucidate the mechanisms of oocyte hydration in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), we examined the in vivo and in vitro morphological changes and hydration process occurring during oocyte maturation and ovulation. We also investigated the effects of the presence of ovarian follicles, aquaporin water permeability (HgCl(2)), and yolk proteolysis (bafilomycin A1) inhibitors, gap junction uncouplers (carbenoxolone and 1-octanol), a 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor (trilostane), and a P450 antagonist (aminoglutethimide) on oocyte hydration during in vitro oocyte maturation and ovulation. The oocytes underwent more than threefold increase in volume during maturation and ovulation, which was artificially induced by injecting salmon pituitary extracts and 17,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP).