0000000001008615
AUTHOR
Franco Cotelli
A peek inside the neurosecretory brain throughOrthopedialenses
The wealth of expression and functional data presented in this overview discloses the homeogene Orthopedia (Otp) as critical for the development of the hypothalamic neuroendocrine system of vertebrates. Specifically, the results depict the up-to-date portrait of the regulation and functions of Otp. The development of neuroendocrine nuclei relies on Otp from fish to mammals, as demonstrated for several peptide and hormone releasing neurons. Additionally, the activity of Otp is essential for the induction of the dopaminergic phenotype in the hypothalamus of vertebrates. Recent insights into the pathways required for Otp regulation have revealed the implication of the main extracellular signal…
The Increase in Maternal Expression ofaxin1andaxin2Contribute to the Zebrafish MutantIchabodVentralized Phenotype
β-catenin is a central effector of the Wnt pathway and one of the players in Ca+-dependent cell-cell adhesion. While many wnts are present and expressed in vertebrates, only one β-catenin exists in the majority of the organisms. One intriguing exception is zebrafish that carries two genes for β-catenin. The maternal recessive mutation ichabod presents very low levels of β-catenin2 that in turn affects dorsal axis formation, suggesting that β-catenin1 is incapable to compensate for β-catenin2 loss and raising the question of whether these two β-catenins may have differential roles during early axis specification. Here we identify a specific antibody that can discriminate selectively for β-ca…
Ovarian senescence increases liver fibrosis in humans and zebrafish with steatosis
ABSTRACT Contrasting data exist on the effect of gender and menopause on the susceptibility, development and liver damage progression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our aim was to assess whether menopause is associated with the severity of liver fibrosis in individuals with NAFLD and to explore the issue of ovarian senescence in experimental liver steatosis in zebrafish. In 244 females and age-matched males with biopsy-proven NAFLD, we assessed anthropometric, biochemical and metabolic features, including menopausal status (self-reported); liver biopsy was scored according to ‘The Pathology Committee of the NASH Clinical Research Network’. Young and old male and female zebraf…