Search results for "Development Biology"
showing 10 items of 80 documents
LXR antagonists induce ABCD2 expression
2014
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of very-long-chain fatty acids resulting from a beta-oxidation defect. Oxidative stress and inflammation are also key components of the pathogenesis. X-ALD is caused by mutations in the ABCDI gene, which encodes for a peroxisomal half ABC transporter predicted to participate in the entry of VLCFA-CoA into the peroxisome, the unique site of their beta-oxidation. Two homologous peroxisomal ABC transporters, ABCD2 and ABCD3 have been proven to compensate for ABCD1 deficiency when overexpressed. Pharmacological induction of these target genes could therefore represent an alternative ther…
Dual regulation of SPI1/PU.1 transcription factor by heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) during macrophage differentiation of monocytes
2014
International audience; : In addition to their cytoprotective role in stressful conditions, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are involved in specific differentiation pathways, e.g. we have identified a role for HSP90 in macrophage differentiation of human peripheral blood monocytes exposed to Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (M-CSF). Here, we show that deletion of the main transcription factor involved in heat shock gene regulation, heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), affects M-CSF-driven differentiation of mouse bone marrow cells. HSF1 transiently accumulates in the nucleus of human monocytes undergoing macrophage differentiation, including M-CSF-treated peripheral blood monocytes and phorbol ester-…
Dysfunction of Oskyddad causes Harlequin-type ichthyosis-like defects in Drosophila melanogaster.
2020
Prevention of desiccation is a constant challenge for terrestrial organisms. Land insects have an extracellular coat, the cuticle, that plays a major role in protection against exaggerated water loss. Here, we report that the ABC transporter Oskyddad (Osy)—a human ABCA12 paralog—contributes to the waterproof barrier function of the cuticle in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We show that the reduction or elimination of Osy function provokes rapid desiccation. Osy is also involved in defining the inward barrier against xenobiotics penetration. Consistently, the amounts of cuticular hydrocarbons that are involved in cuticle impermeability decrease markedly when Osy activity is reduced. …
Quantitative trait loci affecting the 3D skull shape and size in mouse and prioritization of candidate genes in-silico.
2015
13 pages; International audience; We describe the first application of high-resolution 3D micro-computed tomography, together with 3D landmarks and geometric morphometrics, to map QTL responsible for variation in skull shape and size using a backcross between C57BL/6J and A/J inbred strains. Using 433 animals, 53 3D landmarks, and 882 SNPs from autosomes, we identified seven QTL responsible for the skull size (SCS.qtl) and 30 QTL responsible for the skull shape (SSH.qtl). Size, sex, and direction-of-cross were all significant factors and included in the analysis as covariates. All autosomes harbored at least one SSH.qtl, sometimes up to three. Effect sizes of SSH.qtl appeared to be small, r…
Predetermined embryonic glial cells form the distinct glial sheaths of the Drosophila peripheral nervous system
2013
International audience; One of the numerous functions of glial cells in Drosophila is the ensheathment of neurons to isolate them from the potassium-rich haemolymph, thereby establishing the blood-brain barrier. Peripheral nerves of flies are surrounded by three distinct glial cell types. Although all embryonic peripheral glia (ePG) have been identified on a single-cell level, their contribution to the three glial sheaths is not known. We used the Flybow system to label and identify each individual ePG in the living embryo and followed them into third instar larva. We demonstrate that all ePG persist until the end of larval development and some even to adulthood. We uncover the origin of al…
How Hox genes can shed light on the place of echinoderms among the deuterostomes.
2014
19 pages; International audience; BACKGROUND: The Hox gene cluster ranks among the greatest of biological discoveries of the past 30 years. Morphogenetic patterning genes are remarkable for the systems they regulate during major ontogenetic events, and for their expressions of molecular, temporal, and spatial colinearity. Recent descriptions of exceptions to these colinearities are suggesting deep phylogenetic signal that can be used to explore origins of entire deuterostome phyla. Among the most enigmatic of these deuterostomes in terms of unique body patterning are the echinoderms. However, there remains no overall synthesis of the correlation between this signal and the variations observ…
Environmental and ontogenetic constraints on developmental stability in the spatangoid sea urchin Echinocardium (Echinoidea).
2006
13 pages; International audience; Spatangoid irregular sea urchins are detritivorous benthic organisms particularly prone to variations of environment, and their mode of growth and plate morphology make them an appropriate model to assess the effects of environmental variations. Two populations of Echinocardium flavescens were sampled in two sites of the Norwegian coast characterized by contrasted environmental conditions. Different morphological descriptors (plate areas, interlandmarks distances, overall size, and shape of the posterior ambulacra) were used to appraise interindividual variations, and fluctuating asymmetry. The comparisons were carried out using classical fluctuating asymme…
Biogenic amine levels, reproduction and social dominance in the queenless ant Streblognathus peetersi
2006
Social harmony often relies on ritualized dominance interactions between society members, particularly in queenless ant societies, where colony members do not have developmentally predetermined castes but have to fight for their status in the reproductive and work hierarchy. In this behavioural plasticity, their social organisation resembles more that of vertebrates than that of the "classic" social insects. The present study investigates the neurochemistry of the queenless ant species, Streblognathus peetersi, to better understand the neural basis of the high behavioural plasticity observed in queenless ants. We report measurements of brain biogenic amines [octopamine, dopamine, serotonin]…
N-Glycosylation modification of proteins is an early marker of the enterocytic differentiation process of HT-29 cells
1990
International audience; The human colon cancer cell line HT-29 remains totally undifferentiated when glucose is present in the culture medium (HT-29 Glc+), while the same cells may undergo typical enterocytic differentiation after reaching confluence when grown in glucose-deprived medium (HT-29 Glc-). Recently, we demonstrated a deficiency in the overall N-glycan processing in confluent undifferentiated cells, whereas differentiated cells follow a classical pattern of N-glycosylation. The main changes in N-glycosylation observed in confluent undifferentiated cells may be summarised as follows: 1) the conversion of high mannose into complex glycopeptides is greatly decreased; 2) this decreas…
In vivo survival rate of rabbit morulae after vitrification in a medium without serum protein.
2000
The in vivo survival rate of rabbit morulae after vitrification in a mixture of dimethyl sulphoxide and ethylene glycol solution without protein supplement (WPS) was compared with two types of protein supplements: rabbit serum (RS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Significant dif- ferences were observed in the percentage of transferable embryos (undamaged embryos after devit- rification, 80.4 % versus 93.2 and 92.1 %, WPS, BSA and RS, respectively, P < 0.05) and live born rate (40.9 % versus 56.1 %, WPS and BSA, respectively, P < 0.05). Non-significant differences were, however, observed in the percentages of implanted embryos at 12 days post-ovulation induc- tion (56.7, 69.7 and 68.6 %), po…