Endocrine Abstracts

The present study was undertaken to determine morphological and biochemical characteristics of GH-producing tumor. We collected consecutively 15 patients with acromegaly, and they were 6 males and 9 females with the ages of 58.5±9.9 years. As for tumor size, 7 patients had macroadenoma, 5 had microadenoma and three had empty sella with some atypical expansions. Only 3 patients had intrasellar tumor and 2 patients had empty sella in MRI finding. Other 10 patients had atypi...

In order to understand the mechanisms that underpin gonadal development, we have conducted a subtractive screen to identify transcripts expressed differentially during the sex-determining period. Suppression subtractive hybridization PCR was performed on cDNA derived from 12.5 dpc male and female gonadal ridges. Clones were tested for differential expression by RNA whole mount in situ hybridization. Those localizing to testis cords were further tested on germ cell-deple...

The testis and epididymis collaborate in the male gamete development. The testis has the specific function to generate spermatozoa and spermatozoa undergo numerous changes passing through the epididymis. p63 in the basal layer of epithelium plays a key role in maintaining cellular populations, whereas Notch 1 and its ligand Jagged 2 have an important role in the cell differentiation and Jagged 2 is up-regulated by TAp63, which transactivates p53 target genes and induces apopto...

Backgrounds: Podocytes are highly specialized postmitotic kidney cells that contribute to maintaining the filtration barrier and normal structure of glomerular capillaries. The (pro)renin receptor (PRR), as ATP6AP2, is an accessory subunit of the vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase), implying more fundamental, developmental functions for the PRR in addition to its role in activating the local renin-angiotensin system.Results: Podocyte-specific conditional (P)RR...