Search results for "Dynamic"

Characteristic ERK1/2 signaling dynamics distinguishes necroptosis from apoptosis

2021

International audience; ERK1/2 involvement in cell death remains unclear, although many studies have demonstrated the importance of ERK1/2 dynamics in determining cellular re- sponses. To untangle how ERK1/2 contributes to two cell death programs, we investigated ERK1/2 signaling dynamics during hFasL-induced apoptosis and TNF-induced necroptosis in L929 cells. We observed that ERK1/2 inhibition sensi- tizes cells to apoptosis while delaying necroptosis. By monitoring ERK1/2 activity by live-cell imaging using an improved ERK1/2 biosensor (EKAR4.0), we reported differential ERK1/2 signaling dynamics between cell survival, apoptosis, and nec- roptosis. We also decrypted a temporally shifted …

The ARF GAPs ELMOD1 and ELMOD3 act at the Golgi and cilia to regulate ciliogenesis and ciliary protein traffic

2022

ELMODs are a family of three mammalian paralogs that display GTPase activating protein (GAP) activity towards a uniquely broad array of ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) family GTPases that includes ARF-like (ARL) proteins. ELMODs are ubiquitously expressed in mammalian tissues, highly conserved across eukaryotes, and ancient in origin, being present in the last eukaryotic common ancestor. We described functions of ELMOD2 in immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) in the regulation of cell division, microtubules, ciliogenesis, and mitochondrial fusion. Here, using similar strategies with the paralogs ELMOD1 and ELMOD3, we identify novel functions and locations of these cell regulators a…

Physiology and cell biology of the endothelium: a dynamic interface for cell communication.

1997

This manuscript presents a brief overview of the physiology and cell biology of the endothelium, which is the basis for understanding the role of endothelial cells in pathological processes as diverse as atherosclerosis, tumour intravasation and multiple organ failure. Following consideration of general aspects of endothelial function in regulating haemostasis, vascular tone and growth, special emphasis will be placed on endothelial regulation of the inflammatory response, which centres on the microcirculation. A particular role in inflammation is played by cell adhesion molecules (CAM), expressed both on endothelial and blood cells. Cell and molecular biological methods to investigate the …

Quantitative characterization of tetraspanin 8 homointeractions in the plasma membrane

2021

The spatial distribution of proteins in cell membranes is crucial for signal transduction, cell communication and membrane trafficking. Members of the Tetraspanin family organize functional protein clusters within the plasma membrane into so-called Tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs). Direct interactions between Tetraspanins are believed to be important for this organization. However, studies thus far have utilized mainly co-immunoprecipitation methods that cannot distinguish between direct and indirect, through common partners, interactions. Here we study Tetraspanin 8 homointeractions in living cells via quantitative fluorescence microscopy. We demonstrate that Tetraspanin 8 exists i…

Synthesis, spectroscopic studies and biological evaluation of acridine derivatives: The role of aggregation on the photodynamic efficiency.

2018

Two new photoactive compounds (1 and 2) derived from the 9-amidoacridine chromophore have been synthesized and fully characterized. Their abilities to produce singlet oxygen upon irradiation have been compared. The synthesized compounds show very different self-aggregating properties since only 1 present a strong tendency to aggregate in water. Biological assays were conducted with two cell types: hepatoma cells (Hep3B) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Photodynamic therapy (PDT) studies carried out with Hep3B cells showed that non-aggregating compound 2 showed photoxicity, ascribed to the production of singlet oxygen, being aggregating compound 1 photochemically inactive.…

Evolution of RNA virus in spatially structured heterogeneous environments

2003

A hallmark of the infectious cycle for many RNA viruses parasitizing multicellular hosts is the need to invade and successfully replicate in tissues that comprise a variety of cell types. Thus, multicellular hosts represent a heterogeneous environment to evolving viral populations. To understand viral adaptation to multicellular hosts, we took a double approach. First, we developed a mathematical model that served to make predictions concerning the dynamics of viral populations evolving in heterogeneous environments. Second, the predictions were tested by evolving vesicular stomatitis virus in vitro on a spatially structured environment formed by three different cell types. In the absence o…

(H, ρ)-induced dynamics and the quantum game of life

2017

Abstract We propose an extended version of quantum dynamics for a certain system S , whose evolution is ruled by a Hamiltonian H, its initial conditions, and a suitable set ρ of rules, acting repeatedly on S . The resulting dynamics is not necessarily periodic or quasi-periodic, as one could imagine for conservative systems with a finite number of degrees of freedom. In fact, it may have quite different behaviors depending on the explicit forms of H, ρ as well as on the initial conditions. After a general discussion on this (H, ρ)-induced dynamics, we apply our general ideas to extend the classical game of life, and we analyze several aspects of this extension.

Destruction of Kupffer’s cells increases total liver blood flow and decreases ischemia reperfusion injury in pigs

2000

Simulations of a Graphene Nanoflake as a Nanovector To Improve ZnPc Phototherapy Toxicity: From Vacuum to Cell Membrane

2017

International audience; We propose a new approach to improving photodynamic therapy (PDT) by transporting zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) in biological systems via a graphene nanoflake, to increase its targeting. Indeed, by means of time-dependent density functional theory simulations, we show that the ZnPc molecule in interaction with a graphene nanoflake preserves its optical properties not only in a vacuum but also in water. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulations demonstrate that the graphene nanoflake/ZnPc association, as a carrier, permits one to stabilize the ZnPc/graphene nanoflake system on the cellular membrane, which was not possible when using ZnPc alone. We finally conclude that the…

Two-Step Nucleation Process of Calcium Silicate Hydrate, the Nanobrick of Cement

2018

Despite a millennial history and the ubiquitous presence of cement in everyday life, the molecular processes underlying its hydration behavior, like the formation of calcium–silicate–hydrate (C–S–H), the binding phase of concrete, are mostly unexplored. Using time-resolved potentiometry and turbidimetry combined with dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and cryo-TEM, we demonstrate C–S–H formation to proceed via a complex two-step pathway. In the first step, amorphous and dispersed spheroids are formed, whose composition is depleted in calcium compared to C–S–H and charge compensated with sodium. In the second step, these amorphous spheroids crystallize to tobermorite-typ…