Plakophilin-2: a cell-cell adhesion plaque molecule of selective and fundamental importance in cardiac functions and tumor cell growth

Within the characteristic ensemble of desmosomal plaque proteins, the armadillo protein plakophilin-2 (Pkp2) is known as a particularly important regulatory component in the cytoplasmic plaques of various other cell–cell junctions, such as the composite junctions (areae compositae) of the myocardiac intercalated disks and in the variously-sized and -shaped complex junctions of permanent cell culture lines derived therefrom. In addition, Pkp2 has been detected in certain protein complexes in the nucleoplasm of diverse kinds of cells. Using a novel set of highly sensitive and specific antibodies, both kinds of Pkp2, the junctional plaque-bound and the nuclear ones, can also be localized to the cytoplasmic plaques of diverse non-desmosomal cell–cell junction structures. These are not only the puncta adhaerentia and the fasciae adhaerentes connecting various types of highly proliferative non-epithelial cells growing in culture but also some very proliferative states of cardiac interstitial cells and cardiac myxomata, including tumors growing in situ as well as fetal stages of heart development and cultures of valvular interstitial cells. Possible functions and assembly mechanisms of such Pkp2-positive cell–cell junctions as well as medical consequences are discussed

Transmembrane protein PERP is a component of tessellate junctions and of other junctional and non-junctional plasma membrane regions in diverse epithelial and epithelium-derived cells

Protein PERP (p53 apoptosis effector related to PMP-22) is a small (21.4 kDa) transmembrane polypeptide with an amino acid sequence indicative of a tetraspanin character. It is enriched in the plasma membrane and apparently contributes to cell-cell contacts. Hitherto, it has been reported to be exclusively a component of desmosomes of some stratified epithelia. However, by using a series of newly generated mono- and polyclonal antibodies, we show that protein PERP is not only present in all kinds of stratified epithelia but also occurs in simple, columnar, complex and transitional epithelia, in various types of squamous metaplasia and epithelium-derived tumors, in diverse epithelium-derived cell cultures and in myocardial tissue. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy allow us to localize PERP predominantly in small intradesmosomal locations and in variously sized, junction-like peri- and interdesmosomal regions (“tessellate junctions”), mostly in mosaic or amalgamated combinations with other molecules believed, to date, to be exclusive components of tight and adherens junctions. In the heart, PERP is a major component of the composite junctions of the intercalated disks connecting cardiomyocytes. Finally, protein PERP is a cobblestone-like general component of special plasma membrane regions such as the bile canaliculi of liver and subapical-to-lateral zones of diverse columnar epithelia and upper urothelial cell layers. We discuss possible organizational and architectonic functions of protein PERP and its potential value as an immunohistochemical diagnostic marker

The desmosome and pemphigus

Desmosomes are patch-like intercellular adhering junctions (“maculae adherentes”), which, in concert with the related adherens junctions, provide the mechanical strength to intercellular adhesion. Therefore, it is not surprising that desmosomes are abundant in tissues subjected to significant mechanical stress such as stratified epithelia and myocardium. Desmosomal adhesion is based on the Ca2+-dependent, homo- and heterophilic transinteraction of cadherin-type adhesion molecules. Desmosomal cadherins are anchored to the intermediate filament cytoskeleton by adaptor proteins of the armadillo and plakin families. Desmosomes are dynamic structures subjected to regulation and are therefore targets of signalling pathways, which control their molecular composition and adhesive properties. Moreover, evidence is emerging that desmosomal components themselves take part in outside-in signalling under physiologic and pathologic conditions. Disturbed desmosomal adhesion contributes to the pathogenesis of a number of diseases such as pemphigus, which is caused by autoantibodies against desmosomal cadherins. Beside pemphigus, desmosome-associated diseases are caused by other mechanisms such as genetic defects or bacterial toxins. Because most of these diseases affect the skin, desmosomes are interesting not only for cell biologists who are inspired by their complex structure and molecular composition, but also for clinical physicians who are confronted with patients suffering from severe blistering skin diseases such as pemphigus. To develop disease-specific therapeutic approaches, more insights into the molecular composition and regulation of desmosomes are required

Utilization of Sewage Sludge Which Were Used as Ornamentel Plant Growing Mixed Material on The Cultivation of Limonium sinuatumGrown under Different Growing Media

Artan miktarlarda ortaya çıkan arıtma çamurları ve bunların kısıtlı depolama sahaları, arıtma çamurlarının yeniden kullanımı ile doğaya kazandırılarak çevreye zarar vermeyecek şekilde geri dönüşümlerinin sağlanması gerekliliğini gündeme getirmiştir. Bu çamurların çevre açısından doğuracağı sorunları önlemek adına; post modern bir yeniden kullanım yöntemiesas alınarak tarım alanlarında kullanılması hem ekolojik dengeye katkısı hem de ekonomik yararı açısından dikkat çekmektedir. Eşit oranda arıtma çamuru ilavesiyle (1:1) farklı ortamlarda [çam kabuğu (O1), cüruf(O2), torf (O3), çakıl (O4) ve toprak (O5)] kesme çiçek üretiminin gerçekleştirildiği bu çalışmada arıtma çamurunun, bitkisel materyal olarak kullanılan Limonium sinuatum‘Compindi White’ çeşidinde bitki gelişimi ve verimi üzerindeki etkileri araştırılmıştır. Yetiştirme ortamlarına ilave edilen arıtma çamuru; bitki başına çiçek sayısıve kök uzunlukları üzerinde % 95, çiçek sapı uzunluğu, yaprak sayısı ve bitki üst aksam yaş ağırlığı parametreleri üzerinde ise % 99 güvenle önemli bir farklılıkyaratmıştır.Sewage sludge quantities are enormously increases day by day and has a limited gathering areas. Reusage and recycling of sewage sludge for nature without damaging the environment is the main problem. Preventing the problems for the environment borned by sewage sludge most valuable recycling modal seems as using the material in the agricultural areas and this is the best way for ecological balances and also fort he economical income. Equal amounts of sewage sludge with pine bark (O1), slag (O2), peat (O3), gravel (O4) and soil (O5) in the ratioof 1:1 as used as growing media for the cultivationLimonium sinuatum.Effect of these growing media on the growth and fertility of Limonium sinuatum‘Compindi White’ variety is investigated. Effect of sewage sludge addition to growth media is significantly important (1 %) for number of flower, flower stem length and thickness and the number of leaves in comparison to control. The maximum amounts for plant fertility, flower stem lengthand thickness and the number of leaves find out at the media where sewage sludge was added. Sewage sludge addition on the growth media is also significantly important (1 %) on plant root length and upper part of plant fresh and dry weights

Synthesis and thermal degradation kinetics of d-(+)- galactose containing polymers

In this study, it is investigated the synthesis and characterizations of polymerizable vinyl sugars. Carbohydrate containing polymers were synthesized via free radical polymerization. Thermal behavior of polymer derivatives was analyzed by using DSC and TG. Molecular weight dispersion of polymer derivatives was also analyzed with GPC. Molecular structures were analyzed by FT-IR and 1H-NMR spectrophotometer. We found that molecular weight of copolymers could effect to the thermal stability. According to TG data related to the copolymers, molecular weight of polymers increased while the thermal stability decreased. Thermogravimetric analysis of polymers also investigated. The apparent activation energies for thermal degradation of carbohydrate containing polymers were obtained by integral methods (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, Kissinger- Akahira-Sunose, and Tang)