Tackling TB:How can researchers and cultural institutions benefit each other?

Verdant Works is Dundee's industrial heritage museum, set in a former jute mill near the University of Dundee. Why would they be interested in a biology exhibition? This poster offers a practical, ABCDEF guide to how to plan engagement for mutual benefit

Tackling TB:How can researchers and cultural institutions benefit each other?

Verdant Works is Dundee's industrial heritage museum, set in a former jute mill near the University of Dundee. Why would they be interested in a biology exhibition? This poster offers a practical, ABCDEF guide to how to plan engagement for mutual benefit

What binds us:A mural for Stobswell

When you think of Dundee, what do you think of?Perhaps it’s our strong artistic heritage. You mightpicture our history in the sciences, with our discoveriesincluding polar explorations and keyhole surgery. Maybeit’s the community spirit, and our incrediblecollaborations. With this scientific mural in Stobswell, wehave combined all of these aspects into one excitingproject

What binds us:A mural for Stobswell

When you think of Dundee, what do you think of?Perhaps it’s our strong artistic heritage. You mightpicture our history in the sciences, with our discoveriesincluding polar explorations and keyhole surgery. Maybeit’s the community spirit, and our incrediblecollaborations. With this scientific mural in Stobswell, wehave combined all of these aspects into one excitingproject

Gestation changes sodium pump isoform expression, leading to changes in ouabain sensitivity, contractility, and intracellular calcium in rat uterus.

Developmental and tissue-specific differences in isoforms allow Na+, K+-ATPase function to be tightly regulated, as they control sensitivity to ions and inhibitors. Uterine contraction relies on the activity of the Na+, K+ATPase, which creates ionic gradients that drive excitation-contraction coupling. It is unknown whether Na+, K+ATPase isoforms are regulated throughout pregnancy or whether they have a direct role in modulating uterine contractility. We hypothesized that gestation-dependent differential expression of isoforms would affect contractile responses to Na+, K+ATPase α subunit inhibition with ouabain. Our aims were therefore: (1) to determine the gestation-dependent expression of mRNA transcripts, protein abundance and tissue distribution of Na+, K+ATPase isoforms in myometrium; (2) to investigate the functional effects of differential isoform expression via ouabain sensitivity; and (3) if changes in contractile responses can be explained by changes in intracellular [Ca2+]. Changes in abundance and distribution of the Na+, K+ATPase α, β and FXYD1 and 2 isoforms, were studied in rat uterus from nonpregnant, and early, mid-, and term gestation. All α, β subunit isoforms (1,2,3) and FXYD1 were detected but FXYD2 was absent. The α1 and β1 isoforms were unchanged throughout pregnancy, whereas α2 and α3 significant decreased at term while β2 and FXYD1 significantly increased from mid-term onwards. These changes in expression correlated with increased functional sensitivity to ouabain, and parallel changes in intracellular Ca2+, measured with Indo-1. In conclusion, gestation induces specific regulatory changes in expression of Na+, K+ATPase isoforms in the uterus which influence contractility and may be related to the physiological requirements for successful pregnancy and delivery