摘要:

Purpose of reviewProteomics encompasses a group of technologies that attempt to separate, identify and characterize a global set of proteins. This review will highlight the technologies available, outline the capabilities, advantages and disadvantages of each and briefly describe applications in nephrology.Recent findingsProteomics provides information about abundance, location, chemical modification and protein-protein interactions that is not available from genomic technologies. Several proteomic approaches are now widely available. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, antibody arrays and protein chips (surface enhanced laser desorption ionization) provide opportunities to identify and compare an abundance of proteins as well as to determine posttranslational modifications, subcellular location and molecular interactions. Recent advances such as multidimensional chromatographic analysis and isotope coded affinity tags have expanded the usefulness of these approaches.SummaryProteomic technologies are improving and developing rapidly. These techniques will be valuable tools to develop markers for disease, identify and evaluate proteins as drug targets and understand renal physiology at the protein level.

ISSN:1062-4821    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Purpose of reviewStructural biology is one of the most informative disciplines available to biochemical research. It unites technologies that can reveal high-resolution (often atomic) details of the inner workings of biochemical systems. These insights are crucial for an understanding of basic life processes, such as the reaction mechanism of a drug-converting enzyme, signal transduction from one protein to another, activation of a metabolic pathway by a gene effector, action modes of drugs, or the consequences of a mutation on the function of an enzyme. Structural biology is also vital for characterizing the molecular basis of many diseases and often provides a starting platform for the development of specifically tuned therapies, for example by designing drugs that bind to particular targets in order to affect their functionality. An overview of the main techniques as well as some selected case studies are presented.Recent findingsRecent advances in the three major structure determination techniques (X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and electron microscopy) have made it possible to obtain three-dimensional structural information on larger systems, at higher resolution and with much less effort than in the past. Because these techniques often provide complementary information, combining them is particularly powerful for gaining comprehensive insights into complex systems, as illustrated by the recent structure determinations of the low-density lipoprotein receptor and the ribosome.SummaryStructural biology is no longer exclusive to a few dedicated specialists. Many of its techniques are now easily accessible and can be used as tools in general life science research.

ISSN:1062-4821    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Purpose of reviewThis review summarizes recent applications of somatic cell gene therapy to the treatment of monogenetic renal diseases, renal cell carcinoma, and for the induction of tolerance in solid organ transplantation. In addition, several new gene therapy techniques will be discussed including gene and messenger RNA repair strategies, as well as methods designed to modify the expression of normal genes that may have application in the treatment of multigenetic disorders.Recent findingsAnimal studies have demonstrated prolonged graft survival after the successful induction of tolerance to alloantigens via hematopoietic molecular chimerism. Ongoing clinical trials for renal cell carcinoma are encouraging, in that IL-2 gene therapy using non-viral vector systems can reduce the tumor burden. However, limited progress has been made towards applying gene therapy for the most common genetic disorders of the kidney, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and Alport syndrome. Basic research on novel gene repair and expression modulation techniques provide additional gene therapy options for the treatment of viral infections such as HIV-1 and monogenetic disorders.SummaryGene therapy holds enormous potential for the treatment of genetic and acquired diseases. Current pre-clinical studies and clinical trials provide encouraging results that gene therapy can become a useful treatment option. However, before gene therapy has widespread application, technical progress must be made in all aspects of treatment design, including optimizing vector and delivery systems and the ability to modify long-term cell populations such as stem cells.

ISSN:1062-4821    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Purpose of reviewChronic diseases are common and deadly. Stem cell therapies have received intense interest for the repopulation of damaged or diseased tissues. A detailed understanding of the similarities and differences between embryonic stem cells and somatic stem cells will enhance our understanding of mechanisms of tissue repair or cellular augmentation. In addition, emerging technologies will be useful in the definition of the molecular regulation of the respective stem cell populations.Recent findingsA number of postnatal tissues have a population of somatic stem cells, which function in the maintenance and repair of tissues. Using molecular technologies these somatic stem cell populations have been shown to be pluripotent when placed in a permissive environment. Recent studies have utilized emerging technologies to define a molecular signature of embryonic stem cells and selected somatic stem cell populations. These strategies will be useful for the definition of a molecular program that promotes a stem cell phenotype (i.e. stemness phenotype).SummaryRecent studies suggest that embryonic and somatic stem cell populations hold promise as sources for tissue engineering. The use of cell biological and molecular technologies will enhance our understanding of embryonic and somatic stem cell populations and their molecular regulatory events that promote multipotentiation.

ISSN:1062-4821    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Purpose of reviewAs more genomes are sequenced, the difficult task of characterizing the gene products of these genomes becomes the compelling mission of biological sciences. The melding of whole organ physiology with transgenic animal models, gene transfer methods and RNA silencing promises to form the next wave of scientific inquiry. A host of new microscopy imaging technologies enables researchers to directly visualize gene products, probe alterations in cell function in transgenic animals and map tissue organization. This review will describe these microscopy imaging techniques, their advantages, imaging properties and limitations.Recent findingsNew optical methods such as two-photon confocal microscopy, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, and total internal fluorescence reflectance microscopy are increasingly being applied to extend our understanding of whole organ and renal epithelial function. Two-photon confocal microscopy has been used to image directly into the kidney of living animals. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer has been used to directly visualize transcription factor complexes within the nucleus while total internal fluorescence reflectance microscopy has permitted direct observation of protein delivery to the plasma membrane.SummaryThe application of these optical techniques along with the ability to label virtually any protein with a fluorescent tag will enable researchers to study cellular processes and whole organ functionin vivo. Light microscopy methods will allow an advance from semi-quantitative to quantitative approaches to problems of relevance to physiologists studying issues related to renal function.

ISSN:1062-4821    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1062-4821    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2003

数据来源: OVID