Published in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
Binding of chemokines to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is classically described as initiating inflammatory cell migration and creating tissue chemokine gradients that direct immune cell responses initiating local leukocyte chemotaxis into damaged or transplanted tissues. The interaction between chemokines and GAGs is an important factor affecting trans...
Published in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
Electrophysiological technique is an efficient tool for investigating the synaptic regulatory effects mediated by the endocannabinoid system. Stimulation of presynaptic type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) is the principal mode by which endocannabinoids suppress transmitter release in the central nervous system, but a non-retrograde manner of function...
Published in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
Corneal transplantation is the most common form of organ transplantation worldwide. Transplant survival depends on various factors, many of which are not fully understood. Due to the existence of many genetically defined strains, mouse models of corneal transplantation are most commonly used. Here, we describe a method for a mouse corneal transplan...
Published in Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society
The rapid growth in the worldwide use of plastics has resulted in a vast accumulation of microplastics in the air, soil and water. The impact of these microplastics on pregnancy and fetal development remains largely unknown. In pregnant mice, we recently demonstrated that exposure to micro- and nanoplastics throughout gestation resulted in signific...
The prevalence of myopia, or ”nearsightedness” is on the rise globally, set to affect about half of the global population by 2050. A myopic eye is characterized by a mismatch between the focal point of incoming light and the position of the photosensitive retina, most commonly due to excessive axial elongation of the eye (axial myopia). Axial myopi...
Tumour heterogeneity is thought to be a major barrier to successful cancer treatment due to the presence of drug resistant clonal lineages. However, identifying the characteristics of such lineages that underpin resistance to therapy has remained challenging. Here, we utilise clonal transcriptomics with WILD-seq; Wholistic Interrogation of Lineage ...
Published in Journal of immunological methods
Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) protect the host from invading microorganisms. However, excessively activated PMNs can also cause damage to host tissues under inflammatory conditions. Here we developed simple assays to determine the activation state of PMNs in human whole blood that contains soluble mediators known to influence PMN functions. ...
Published in Experimental eye research
To identify changes in response to experimental intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation associated with the laminin α1 nmf223 mutation in mice. Laminin mutant (LM) mice (Lama1nmf223) and C57BL/6J (B6) mice in two age groups each (4-5 months and >1 year) underwent intracameral microbead injections to produce unilaterally elevated IOP. We assessed axona...
Published in Neuromolecular medicine
Cellular apoptosis is a key pathological mechanism contributing to neuronal death following ischemic stroke. The pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein, Bim, is an important regulator of apoptosis. In this study we investigated the effect of Bim expression on post-stroke functional outcomes, brain injury and inflammatory mechanisms. Wild type (WT) and ...
Published in Hearing research
Postmortem examination of the cochlea with a cochlear implant in the scala tympani presents several challenges. It is technologically difficult to section a cochlea with an implant due to the presence of its wires and metal components that are adjacent to the membranous and bony tissues of the cochlea. These metal components damage traditional stee...
