Neurons in the nucleus raphe magnus are involved in descending modulation of nociceptive transmission. In this study, we attempted to investigate electrophysiological properties of the NRM neurons dissociated from the postnatal rat medulla. The NRM neurons in the coronal slices of and the dissociated neurons from the postnatal rat medullae were immunohistochemically identified using antibody against serotonin. Relatively small number of neurons were positively stained in both preparations. The positively stained neurons displayed large cell body with double or multiple neurites. Using whole-cell patch clamp configuration ionic currents were recorded from the dissociated NRM-like neurons selected by criteria such as size and shape of cell body and cell population. Two types, high- and low-threshold, of voltage-dependent calcium currents were recorded from the dissociated NRM-like neurons. Some neurons displayed both types of calcium currents, whereas others displayed only high-threshold calcium current. Voltage-dependent potassium currents were also recorded from the dissociated NRM neurons. Some neurons displayed both transient outward and delayed rectifier currents but others showed only delayed rectifier current. These results suggest that there are at least two types of calcium currents and two types of potassium currents in the dissociated NRM neurons.
Animals ; Calcium ; Neurites ; Neurons* ; Potassium ; Rats* ; Serotonin

The antigen (phenotype), gene (allele) and haplotype frequencies of HLA class I were analysed in 4,622 Koreans. With allele frequencies of over 0.05, the most frequent HLA-A,-B and -C antigens were A2, A24, A33, A11, A26, A31; B62, B51, B44, B54, B61, B35, B58, B60; Cw3, Cw1, Cw4, Cw7. Of these A2, A24, Cw1 and Cw3 were present in very high frequencies, respectively (0.3211, 0.2200, 0.2204, and 0.3737). The most common haplotypes with frequencies larger than 0.02 were A2-Blank, A33-B44, A33-B58, A11-B62, A24-B51, A24-B54, A2-B27, B54-Cw1, B58-Cw3, B51-Blank, B61-Cw3, B62-Cw4, B35-Cw3, B44-Blank, B60-Cw3, B27-Cw1, A2-Cw3, A2-Cw1, A24-Cw1, A33-Cw3, A26-Cw3, and A11-Cw4. A significant negative linkage disequilibrium was found for the haplotypes of A2-B7, A2-B44, A2-B58, A24-B13, A24-B27, A33-B54 and A33-B62, of which frequencies were larger than 0.003. The B-C and A-C haplotypes which showed the significant negative linkage disequilibrium were B44-Cw1, B51-Cw1, B44-Cw3,B62-Blank, A2-Cw4, A2-Blank, A11-Cw3, A11-Blank and A33-Cw1 and had frequencies higher than 0.01. The findings presented here could be used per se to estimate the populational relationships or as the control data for HLA-disease investigation. Furthermore they could provide the scope for the definition of new antigens.
*Alleles ; Gene Frequency ; *Genes, MHC Class I ; *Haplotypes ; Humans ; Korea ; Linkage Disequilibrium

The conductance change evoked by step depolarization was studied in primarily cultured rat adrenal chromaffin cells using patch-clamp and capacitance measurement techniques. When we applied a depolarizing pulse to a chromaffin cell, the inward calcium current was followed by an outward current and depolarization-induced exocytosis was accompanied by an increase in conductance trace. The slow inward tail current which has the same time course as the conductance change was observed in current recording. The activation of slow tail current was calcium-dependent. Reversal potentials agreed with Nernst equation assuming relative permeability of Cs+ to K+ is 0.095. The outward current and tail current were blocked by apamin (200 nM) and d-tubocurarine (2 mM). The conductance change was blocked by apamin and did not affect membrane capacitance recording. We confirmed that conductance change after depolarization comes from the activation of the SK channel and can be blocked by application of the SK channel blockers. Consequently, it is necessary to consider blocking of the SK channel during membrane capacitance recording.
Animals ; Apamin ; Calcium ; Chromaffin Cells* ; Exocytosis ; Membranes* ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Permeability ; Rats* ; Tubocurarine

Human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) are used in tissue repair and regeneration; however, the mechanisms involved are not well understood. We investigated the hair growth-promoting effects of hUCB-MSCs treatment to determine whether hUCB-MSCs enhance the promotion of hair growth. Furthermore, we attempted to identify the factors responsible for hair growth. The effects of hUCB-MSCs on hair growth were investigated in vivo, and hUCB-MSCs advanced anagen onset and hair follicle neogeneration. We found that hUCB-MSCs co-culture increased the viability and up-regulated hair induction-related proteins of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) in vitro. A growth factor antibody array revealed that secretory factors from hUCB-MSCs are related to hair growth. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were increased in co-culture medium. Finally, we found that IGFBP-1, through the co-localization of an IGF-1 and IGFBP-1, had positive effects on cell viability; VEGF secretion; expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), CD133, and β-catenin; and formation of hDPCs 3D spheroids. Taken together, these data suggest that hUCB-MSCs promote hair growth via a paracrine mechanism.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; Alopecia ; Cell Survival ; Coculture Techniques ; Fetal Blood* ; Hair Follicle ; Hair* ; Humans* ; In Vitro Techniques ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Regeneration ; Stem Cells* ; Umbilical Cord* ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A