Expression and function of G-protein-coupled receptorsin the male reproductive tract

This review focuses on the expression and function of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), α1-adrenoceptors and relaxin receptors in the male reproductive tract. The localization and differential expression of mAChR and α1-adrenoceptor subtypes in specific compartments of the efferent ductules, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle and prostate of various species indicate a role for these receptors in the modulation of luminal fluid composition and smooth muscle contraction, including effects on male fertility. Furthermore, the activation of mAChRs induces transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the Sertoli cell proliferation. The relaxin receptors are present in the testis, RXFP1 in elongated spermatids and Sertoli cells from rat, and RXFP2 in Leydig and germ cells from rat and human, suggesting a role for these receptors in the spermatogenic process. The localization of both receptors in the apical portion of epithelial cells and smooth muscle layers of the vas deferens suggests an involvement of these receptors in the contraction and regulation of secretion.Esta revisão enfatiza a expressão e a função dos receptores muscarínicos, adrenoceptores α1 e receptores para relaxina no sistema reprodutor masculino. A expressão dos receptores muscarínicos e adrenoceptores α1 em compartimentos específicos de dúctulos eferentes, epidídimo, ductos deferentes, vesícula seminal e próstata de várias espécies indica o envolvimento destes receptores na modulação da composição do fluido luminal e na contração do músculo liso, incluindo efeitos na fertilidade masculina. Além disso, a ativação dos receptores muscarínicos leva à transativação do receptor para o fator crescimento epidermal e proliferação das células de Sertoli. Os receptores para relaxina estão presentes no testículo, RXFP1 nas espermátides alongadas e células de Sertoli de rato e RXFP2 nas células de Leydig e germinativas de ratos e humano, sugerindo o envolvimento destes receptores no processo espermatogênico. A localização de ambos os receptores na porção apical das células epiteliais e no músculo liso dos ductos deferentes de rato sugere um papel na contração e na regulação da secreção.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de FarmacologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de FarmacologiaSciEL

European Flash Flood Data

Flash floods are one of the most significant natural hazards in Europe, and can cause damage to buildings and infrastructure and pose a high risk to life. Existing inventories of past floods give information for other geographical regions or lack quantitative information on the meteo-hydrological and hydraulic characteristics of the event. The lack of centralised national and international databases for storing meteo-hydrological, hydraulic and socio-economic data relating to past flood (and particularly flash flood) events within Europe means that it is difficult to calibrate and validate research results on a range of previous floods from different climatic regions. To address this apparent gap in availability of centrally stored, high quality data and with the aim of supporting research on risk assessment and ?ash flood forecasting, a data base has been developed that collates flash flood data from seven European hydrometeorological regions and that could be extended in the future to other areas. Compilation of the database required the development of a data template and flood event selection rules. Initial analyses of the data highlight spatial variations of flood hazard magnitude, with highest speci?c peak discharges in the Mediterranean region. There is a strong seasonality to the occurrence of events, with events occurring mostly in the autumn in the Mediterranean region and in the summer in middle and eastern European regions. There have been flash floods in France and Spain on a basin scale of greater than 500 km2 . This work has been carried out for HYDRATE, which is a currently ongoing EC funded project that is aiming to improve techniques for flash flood forecasting. The work presented here represents some of the first outputs from this project