• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.108-118
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• 2022

The subventricular zone (SVZ) in the brain contains neural stem cells (NSCs) that generate new neurons throughout one's lifetime. Many extracellular and intracellular factors that affect cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NSCs are already well-known. Recently, L-type calcium channels have been reported to regulate neural development and are present in NSCs, differentiating neuroblasts, and mature neurons in the SVZ. Nifedipine, a blocker of L-type calcium channels, has been long used as a therapeutic drug for hypertension. However, studies on the use of nifedipine to inhibit L-type calcium channels of NSCs are lacking. Herein, we treated NSCs cultured from mouse postnatal SVZ with nifedipine during neuronal differentiation. Nifedipine increased the number of Tuj1-positive neurons but did not significantly change the number of Olig2-positive oligodendrocytes. Nifedipine increased cell division during early differentiation, which was detected using the 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation assay and immunocytochemistry assessment by staining the cells with phosphorylated histone H3, a mitosis marker. Nifedipine increased the transcription of Dlx2, a neurogenic transcription factor, and the level of Mash1, a marker for early neurogenesis. In addition to nifedipine, verapamil, which is also an L-type calcium channel blocker, showed a slight increase in neurogenesis, but its statistical significance was very low. In contrast, pimozide, a T-type calcium channel blocker, did not affect neurogenesis, although T-type calcium channel genes Cav3.1, Cav3.2, and Cav3.3 were expressed. In summary, nifedipine might promote the neuronal fate of NSCs during early differentiation and calcium signaling through L-type calcium channels might be involved in neuronal differentiation, especially during the early stages of differentiation.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.287-299
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• 2017

The Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ) of Chile consists of many volcanoes, including the Mt.Villarrica and Mt.Llaima, and the two volcanoes are covered with snow at the top of Mountain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between the ice caps and the volcanic activity of the two volcanoes for 25 years by using the satellite image data are available in a time series. A total of 60 Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-7 ETM + data were used for the study from September 1986 to February 2011. Using NDSI (Normalized Difference Snow Index) algorithm and SRTM DEM, snow cover and snowline were extracted. Finally, the snow cover area, lower-snowline, and upper-snowline, which are quantitative indicators of snow cover change, were directly or indirectly affected by volcanic activity, were extracted from the satellite images. The results show that the volcanic activity of Villarrica volcano is more than 55% when the snow cover is less than 20 and the lower-snowline is 1,880 m in Llaima volcano. In addition, when the upper-snowline of the two volcanoes is below -170m, it can be confirmed that the volcano is differentiated with a probability of about 90%. Therefore, the changes in volcanic snowfall are closely correlated with volcanic activity, and it is possible to indirectly deduce volcanic activity by monitoring the snow.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2013

Neural stem cells are found in adult mammalian brain regions including the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG) and the subventricular zone (SVZ). In addition to these two regions, other neurogenic regions are often reported in many species. Recently, the subcallosal zone (SCZ) has been identified as a novel neurogenic region where new neuroblasts are spontaneously generated and then, by Bax-dependent apoptosis, eliminated. However, the development of SCZ in the postnatal brain is not yet fully explored. The present study investigated the precise location and amount of neuroblasts in the developing brain. To estimate the importance of programmed cell death (PCD) for SCZ histogenesis, SCZ development in the Bax-knockout (KO) mouse was examined. Interestingly, an accumulation of extra neurons with synaptic fibers in the SCZ of Bax-KO mice was observed. Indeed, Bax-KO mice exhibited enhanced startle response to loud acoustic stimuli and reduced anxiety level. Considering the prevention of PCD in the SCZ leads to sensory-motor gating dysfunction in the Bax-KO mice, active elimination of SCZ neuroblasts may promote optimal brain function.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.37-51
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• 2008

Purpose : This paper focuses on the emerging concept that adult central nervous system neurogenesis can be regulated by various physical activity, enriched environment, and pathological conditions. Neurogenesis-the production of new neuron-is an ongoing process that persists in the adult brain of mammalian, including humans. Result : The adult brain was thought be limited in its regenerative function. However, this concepts changed, recent evidence of neurogenesis in certain adult brain areas such as SVZ(subventricular zone) and SGZ(subgranular zone) in hippocampus, raised possibility for improved treatment for patient with stroke. Neural plasticity has an adaptive purpose, because an ability of the brain to change in response to peripheral stimulation, physical activity, experience, and injury. Conclusions : The major function of the neurogenesis in adult brain seems to be replacing the neuron that die regularly in discrete adult brain regions. These cells are capable of functionally integrating into neighboring neural cells, and reconnecting to the correct neural networks. This review suggest that various intervention, including physical activity, voluntary movement training, skilled forelimb reaching training, and enriched environment, induced neural cell production in certain adult brain, and associated with functional recovery after stroke.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2016

Adult hippocampal dentate granule neurons are generated from neural stem cells (NSCs) in the mammalian brain, and the fate specification of adult NSCs is precisely controlled by the local niches and environment, such as the subventricular zone (SVZ), dentate gyrus (DG), and Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the main polyphenolic flavonoid in green tea that has neuroprotective activities, but there is no clear understanding of the role of EGCG in adult neurogenesis in the DG after neuroinflammation. Here, we investigate the effect and the mechanism of EGCG on adult neurogenesis impaired by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). LPS-induced neuroinflammation inhibited adult neurogenesis by suppressing the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells in the DG, which was indicated by the decreased number of Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-, Doublecortin (DCX)- and Neuronal Nuclei (NeuN)-positive cells. In addition, microglia were recruited with activating TLR4-NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling in the adult hippocampus by LPS injection. Treating LPS-injured mice with EGCG restored the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs in the DG, which were decreased by LPS, and EGCG treatment also ameliorated the apoptosis of NSCs. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokine production induced by LPS was attenuated by EGCG treatment through modulating the TLR4-NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. These results illustrate that EGCG has a beneficial effect on impaired adult neurogenesis caused by LPS-induced neuroinflammation, and it may be applicable as a therapeutic agent against neurodegenerative disorders caused by inflammation.