• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 1996

Morphological and histochemical characteristics of the cells in posterior tentacle antenna of Korean slug, Incilaria fruhstorferi were observed with light microscope. The epithelium of the posterior tentacle antenna was composed of supporting cells, sensory neurons and type-a clear cell. The columnar supporting epithelium was widely distributed in the posterior tentacle antenna, and the upper end of the cell was covered with acidic mucopolysaccharide. Nerve endings of the sensory neuron were distributed between type-a clear cells. It was usually located in tentacular knob, and the number of them gradually decrdased as close as tentacular stalk. Several cilia were observed on the nerve ending. Type-a clear cells were very brightly stained with all staining used, and the neutral mucous guanules distributed in the cytoplasm. Collar cells, type-b clear cell and various types of secrdtory cells distributed in the connective tissue. The collar cells were clustering in connective tissue, and the cytoplasm were filled with neutral mucous guanules. The cells and granules were stained with dark brown by silver nitrate stain. Type-b clear cells were irregular in shape and their cytoplasms were brightly stained wth many stains used. Ten types of secretory cells evenly distributed in the connective tissue and muscle layers of the posterior tentacle antenna. The five types of the secretory cells(A, B, E, J and L)seemed to secrete acidic mucopolysaccharide, and the other five type of the cell(C, D, F, H, and L)seemed to secrete neutral mucopolysaccharide. Muscular tissue composed of well-developed thick longitudinal muscle layers and thin circular muscle layers. Type-L secretory cells clustered only in muscular layers and they contained acidic mucopolysaccharides.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.273-281
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• 2011

Our previous study demonstrated that the Korean traditional medicine Gyeongshingangjeehwan (GGEx) inhibits obesity and insulin resistance in obese type 2 diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats. We investigated whether GGEx may affect AMP-activated protein kinase ${\alpha}$ ($AMPK{\alpha}$) since $AMPK{\alpha}$ activation is known to stimulate fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle of obese rodents. After OLETF rats were treated with GGEx, we studied the effects of GGEx on $AMPK{\alpha}$ and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) phosphorylation, and the expression of $AMPK{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\alpha}$, and $PPAR{\alpha}$ target genes. The effects of GGEx on mRNA expression of the above genes were also measured in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. Administration of GGEx to OLETF rats for 8 weeks increased phosphorylation of $AMPK{\alpha}$ and ACC in skeletal muscle. GGEx also elevated skeletal muscle mRNA levels of $AMPK{\alpha}1$ and $AMPK{\alpha}2$ as well as $PPAR{\alpha}$ and its target genes. Consistent with the in vivo data, similar activation of genes was observed in GGEx-treated C2C12 cells. These results suggest that GGEx stimulates skeletal muscle $AMPK{\alpha}$ and $PPAR{\alpha}$ activation, leading to alleviation of obesity and related disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.151-164
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• 1984

In order to investigate the mechanism of myoblast fusion during muscle differentiation in culture, the effect of muscle-conditioned medium on the fusion was studied and possible release from cultured myoblast cells of proteins which may be responsible for the promotion of myoblast fusion was analyzed. The muscle-conditioned medium showed a marked fusion-promoting activity in a dose-dependent fashion. THis fusion-promoting activity of the muscle-conditioned medium appeared to be due to the accumulation of at least two proteins which were released from the myoblast into the culture medium. These released proteins were analyzed by electrophoresis and autoradiography and found to have molecular weights of 45,000 and 65,000.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2012

Gender specificity in muscle growth and development is well known. Genesis of muscle is dependent on proliferation and differentiation potential of resident myogenic satellite cells (MSCs) present in muscle fibers. Multipotential capacity of forming myocyte, osteocyte, and adipocyte like cell makes MSCs a unique stem cell. To understand the molecular mechanism involved in determination of muscle quality due to difference in hormone concentration of different gender of animals, MSCs were isolated from bovine skeletal muscle and cultured in male, female, and castrated serum supplemented media. DNA microarray used consisted of 24,000 spots with 70 mer oligo in each spot. A total of 88 genes were up-regulated and 551 genes were down-regulated by more than two fold. Among up-regulated gene, 33, 34, and 21 genes were found up-regulated in cells grown in male, female, and castrated serum, respectively. Interestingly, male serum showed 4, female 11 and castrated male showed 4 genes expressed highly in each gender. Further study on the highly up-regulated gene may unfold the mystery of gender specificity found in muscle development. Also, the identification of differentially expressed genes in gender-specific serum will add information on infrastructure of bovine genome research.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.617-622
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• 1993

The preliminary studies on the localization of adrenoceptors were performed on smooth muscle strips of bovine esophageal groove. The mechanical activity of the muscle strip was recorded isometrically in vitro.w In the bottom circular muscle strips. the excitatory ${\alpha}-adrenergic$ responses were not blocked by tetrodotoxin$(2.1{\times}10^{-6}M)$ and denervation which was carried by cold storage of strips for 48 hrs in Tyrode's solution at $5-6{^{\circ}C}$ without oxygen supply. These excitatory ${\alpha}-adrenergic$ responses were partially blocked by atropine. In the lip longitudinal muscle strips, the inhibitory${\beta}-adrenergic$ responses were not blocked by pretreatment of tetrodotoxin and atropine. The results suggest that ${\beta}-adrenergic$ receptors mediating relaxations are located on the postsynaptic smooth muscle cells, whereas ${\beta}-adrenergic$ receptors mediating contractions are located both in the smooth muscle cells and in the cholinergic neurones.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.190-200
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• 2023

Skeletal muscle, essential for metabolism, thermoregulation, and immunity, undergoes myogenic differentiation that results in myotube formation. Trans-anethole (TA), the major constituent in essential oil produced by anise, star anise, and fennel, whose function in skeletal muscle has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated whether TA influenced muscle differentiation in mouse C2C12 myoblasts. Cells were induced to differentiate using a differentiation medium with or without TA (50 or 200 mg/mL) daily for 5 days. We measured myotube length and diameter after differentiation days 1, 3, and 5 and analyzed the expression of myogenic markers (myoblast determination protein 1, myogenin, myocyte enhancer factor 2, muscle creatine kinase, and myosin heavy chain) and atrophy-related genes (atrogin-1 and muscle ring finger-1 [MuRF-1]) using quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, we observed the expression of total protein kinase B (Akt) and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) using western blotting. Our data showed that TA significantly induced the formation of smaller and thinner myotubes and reduced the myogenic factor expression. Furthermore, the atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 expression markedly increased by TA. Consistent with these findings, TA significantly decreased the expression of total Akt and p-Akt. Taken together, these results indicate that TA inhibits myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells via reduction of both total Akt and p-Akt. Our findings may provide valuable insights into the impact of PAA on individuals at risk of muscle atrophy.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.137-142
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• 2013

Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are highly useful for vascular regeneration of injured or inflamed tissue. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent activator of macrophages and stimulates macrophages to release inflammatory cytokines. In the present study, we explored the role of LPS-activated macrophages in the differentiation of hMSCs to smooth muscle cells (SMCs). We demonstrated that conditioned medium from LPS-induced macrophages (LPS CM) stimulates differentiation of hMSCs to SMCs, as evidenced by increased expression of smooth muscle-specific markers, including alpha-smooth muscle actin (${\alpha}$-SMA), smooth muscle-myosin heavy chain, and calponin. LPS induced the secretion of $PGF2{\alpha}$ from macrophages, and $PGF2{\alpha}$ treatment stimulated expression levels of SMC-specific markers in hMSCs. Furthermore, small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of the $PGF2{\alpha}$ receptor inhibited LPS CM-stimulated ${\alpha}$-SMA expression. These results suggest that LPS-activated macrophages promote differentiation of hMSCs to SMCs through a $PGF2{\alpha}$-dependent mechanism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.139-147
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• 2013

Lysolipids such as LPA, S1P and SPC have diverse biological activities including cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. We investigated signaling pathways of LPA-induced contraction in feline esophageal smooth muscle cells. We used freshly isolated smooth muscle cells and permeabilized cells from cat esophagus to measure the length of cells. Maximal contraction occurred at $10^{-6}M$ and the response peaked at 30s. To identify LPA receptor subtypes in cells, western blot analysis was performed with antibodies to LPA receptor subtypes. LPA1 and LPA3 receptor were detected at 50 kDa and 44 kDa. LPA-induced contraction was almost completely blocked by LPA receptor (1/3) antagonist KI16425. Pertussis toxin (PTX) inhibited the contraction induced by LPA, suggesting that the contraction is mediated by a PTX-sensitive G protein. Phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors U73122 and neomycin, and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X also reduced the contraction. The PKC-mediated contraction may be isozyme-specific since only $PKC{\varepsilon}$ antibody inhibited the contraction. MEK inhibitor PD98059 and JNK inhibitor SP600125 blocked the contraction. However, there is no synergistic effect of PKC and MAPK on the LPA-induced contraction. In addition, RhoA inhibitor C3 exoenzyme and ROCK inhibitor Y27632 significantly, but not completely, reduced the contraction. The present study demonstrated that LPA-induced contraction seems to be mediated by LPA receptors (1/3), coupled to PTX-sensitive G protein, resulting in activation of PLC, PKC-${\varepsilon}$ pathway, which subsequently mediates activation of ERK and JNK. The data also suggest that RhoA/ROCK are involved in the LPA-induced contraction.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.139-154
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• 2007

Objectives : The author intended to investigate Seonbangpaedoktang (SBPT) significantly affect in vivo and in vitro mucin secretion from airway epithelial cells. Methods : In vivo experiment, the author induced hypersecretion of airway mucin, hyperplasia of tracheal goblet cells and the increase in intraepithelial mucosubstances. Effects of orally-administered SBPT during 1 week on in vivo mucin secretion and hyperplasia of tracheal goblet cells were assessed. For in vitro experiment, confluent hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled and chased in the presence of SBPT to assess the effect of the agent on 3H-mucin secretion. Total elution profiles of control spent media and treatment sample through Sepharose CL-4B column were analysed. Possible cytotoxicity of the agent was assessed by measuring LDH release. Also, the effect of SBPT on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle was investigated. Results : SBPT inhibited hypersecretion of in vivo mucin and inhibited the increase of number of goblet cells ; SBPT did not affect in vitro mucin secretion and the secretion of the other releasable glycoproteins with less molecular weight than mucin from cultured HTSE cells, without significant effect on LDH release; SBPT did not affect Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. Conclusions : SBPT can inihibit hypersecretion of in vivo mucin and the author suggest that the effect SBPT with their components should investigate further.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.92-101
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• 2006

Objectives : This study was done with intend to investigate whether two oriental medical prescriptions, daecheongryong-tang (DCRT) and prescription A (P-A) significantly affect mucin release from cultured hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells. Methods : Confluent HTSE cells were metabolically radiolabeled with $^3H$-glucosamine for 24 hrs and chased for 30 min in the presence of DCRT or P-A to assess the effect of each agent on $^3H$-mucin release. Possible cytotoxicities of each agent were assessed by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Also, the effects of DCRT and P-A on contractility of isolated tracheal smooth muscle were investigated. Results were as follows : 1. DCRT significantly inhibited mucin release from cultured HTSE cells, with significant cytotoxicity. 2. P-A significantly increased mucin release from cultured HTSE cells, with significant cytotoxicity. 3. DCRT inhibited Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. 4. P-A also inhibited Ach-induced contraction of isolated tracheal smooth muscle. Conclusion: Results suggest that DCRT and P-A have regulating effects on mucin secretion from goblet cells. Further investigation is needed, because of the value in finding novel agents to this purpose, and these oriental medical prescriptions have potential for this role.