Establishment of mouse line showing inducible priapism-like phenotypes

Mammalian START-like phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins - Physiological perspectives and roles in cancer biology

PtdIns and its phosphorylated derivatives, the phosphoinositides, are the biochemical components of a major pathway of intracellular signaling in all eukaryotic cells. These lipids are few in terms of cohort of unique positional isomers, and are quantitatively minor species of the bulk cellular lipidome. Nevertheless, phosphoinositides regulate an impressively diverse set of biological processes. It is from that perspective that perturbations in phosphoinositide-dependent signaling pathways are increasingly being recognized as causal foundations of many human diseases - including cancer. Although phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins (PITPs) are not enzymes, these proteins are physiologically significant regulators of phosphoinositide signaling. As such, PITPs are conserved throughout the eukaryotic kingdom. Their biological importance notwithstanding, PITPs remain understudied. Herein, we review current information regarding PITP biology primarily focusing on how derangements in PITP function disrupt key signaling/developmental pathways and are associated with a growing list of pathologies in mammals.

Novel erectile analyses revealed augmentable penile Lyve-1, the lymphatic marker, expression

Purpose

The pathophysiology of penis extends to erectile dysfunction (ED) to conditions including sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and cancer. To date, there has been little research evaluating vascular drainage from the penis. We aimed to evaluate penile blood flow in vivo and analyze its possible relationship with the lymphatic maker.

Materials and Methods

We established an in vivo system designed to assess the dynamic blood outflow from the corpus cavernosum (CC) by dye injection. To analyze lymphatic characteristics in the CC, the expression of Lyve-1, the key lymphatic endothelium marker, was examined by the in vitro system and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection to mimic the inflammatory conditions.

Results

A novel cavernography methods enable high-resolution morphological and functional blood drainage analysis. The expression of Lyve-1 was detected along the sinusoids. Furthermore, its prominent expression was also observed after penile LPS injection and in the erectile condition.

Conclusions

The current in vivo system will potentially contribute to the assessment of penile pathology from a novel viewpoint. In addition, current analyses revealed inducible Lyve-1 expression for LPS injection and the erection state, which requires further analyses on penile lymphatic system.

Emerging structural and pathological analyses on the erectile organ, corpus cavernous containing sinusoids

Background

The corpus cavernosum (CC) containing sinusoids plays fundamental roles for erection. Analysis of pathological changes in the erectile system is studied by recent experimental systems. Various in vitro models utilizing genital mesenchymal-derived cells and explant culture systems are summarized.

Methods

3D reconstruction of section images of murine CC was created. Ectopic chondrogenesis in aged mouse CC was shown by a gene expression study revealing the prominent expression of Sox9. Various experimental strategies utilizing mesenchyme-derived primary cells and tissue explants are introduced.

Main Findings

Possible roles of Sox9 in chondrogenesis and its regulation by several signals are suggested. The unique character of genital mesenchyme is shown by various analyses of external genitalia (ExG) derived cells and explant cultures. Such strategies are also applied to the analysis of erectile contraction/relaxation responses to many signals and aging process.

Conclusion

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the essential topics for the modern aged society. More comprehensive studies are necessary to reveal the nature of the erectile system by combining multiple cell culture strategies.