β-catenin in reverse action

Motor neurons and muscle fibers interact in complex ways to build the neuromuscular synapse. A new study shows that β-catenin is required in muscle to provide an unknown retrograde signal that is necessary for presynaptic transmitter release. © 2008 Nature Publishing Group

A new carotenoid glycoside from Rehmannia glutinosa

A new carotenoid glycoside, namely neo-rehmannioside (1), together with five known compounds, 6-O-seco-hydroxyaeginetoyl ajugol (2), oxyrehmaionoside B (3), ajugol (4), geniposidic acid (5) and geniposide (6) was isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of dry roots of Rehmannia glutinosa. The structure of the new compound (1) was determined based on MS, IR, 1-D and 2-D NMR spectral data. © 2011 Taylor &Francis