It is now clearly established that the central and peripheral nervous systems have the ability to synthesize de novo steroids referred to as neurosteroids. The major evidence for biosynthesis of neuroactive steroids by nervous tissues is based on the expression of enzymes implicated in the formation of steroids in neural cells. The aim of the present review is to summarize the current knowledge regarding the presence of steroidogenic enzymes in the brain of vertebrates and to highlight the very considerable contribution of Professor Kazuyoshi Tsutsui in this domain. The data indicate that expression of steroid-producing enzymes in the brain appeared early during vertebrate evolution and has been preserved from fish to mammals.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.05.014 | DOI Listing |
Sci Rep
December 2024
Department of Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Pécs, Ifjúság útja 6, Pécs, 7624, Hungary.
The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is a wide-ranging, long-living freshwater species with low reproductive success, mainly due to high predation pressure. We studied how habitat variables and predator communities in near-natural marshes affect the survival of turtle eggs and hatchlings. We followed the survival of artificial turtle nests placed in marshes along Lake Balaton (Hungary) in May and June as well as hatchlings (dummies) exposed in September.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
December 2024
University of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, 180006, India.
Nesfatin-1 is a crucial regulator of energy homeostasis in mammals and fishes, however, its metabolic role remains completely unexplored in amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Therefore, present study elucidates role of nesfatin-1 in glucose homeostasis in wall lizard wherein fasting stimulated hepatic nucb2/nesfatin-1, glycogen phosphorylase (glyp), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (pepck), and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase (fbp), while feeding upregulated pancreatic nucb2/nesfatin-1 and insulin, suggesting towards tissue-specific dual role of nesfatin-1 in glucoregulation. The glycogenolytic/gluconeogenic role of nesfatin-1 was further confirmed by an increase in media glucose levels along with heightened hepatic pepck and fbp expression and concomitant decline in liver glycogen content in nesfatin-1-treated liver of wall lizard.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Genetics, Yale University, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, 06510, CT, USA.
The cis-regulatory elements encoded in an mRNA determine its stability and translational output. While there has been a considerable effort to understand the factors driving mRNA stability, the regulatory frameworks governing translational control remain more elusive. We have developed a novel massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) to measure mRNA translation, named Nascent Peptide Translating Ribosome Affinity Purification (NaP-TRAP).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Medicine, Columbia Center for Human Development and Stem Cell Therapies, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Pluripotent stem cells possess a unique nuclear architecture characterized by a larger nucleus and more open chromatin, which underpins their ability to self-renew and differentiate. Here, we show that the nucleolus-specific RNA helicase DDX18 is essential for maintaining the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells. Using techniques such as Hi-C, DNA/RNA-FISH, and biomolecular condensate analysis, we demonstrate that DDX18 regulates nucleolus phase separation and nuclear organization by interacting with NPM1 in the granular nucleolar component, driven by specific nucleolar RNAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Ophthalmology and Stein Eye Institute, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
The lamprey, a primitive jawless vertebrate whose ancestors diverged from all other vertebrates over 500 million years ago, offers a unique window into the ancient formation of the retina. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we characterize retinal cell types in the lamprey and compare them to those in mouse, chicken, and zebrafish. We find six cell classes and 74 distinct cell types, many shared with other vertebrate species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!