Publications

CD14 Mediates Binding of High Doses of LPS but Is Dispensable for TNF- Production

03.02.2014

Lipopolysaccharide is a component of Gram-negative bacteria which strongly activates macrophages inducing production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, like TNF-. This reaction is initiated by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) associated with MD-2, and aims at combating bacterial infection by the immune system. An exaggerated inflammatory reaction evokes sepsis. One of mechanisms protecting an organism against sepsis is an uptake of LPS by macrophages and its intracellular detoxification. The goal ...

CB1 cannabinoid receptors couple to focal adhesion kinase to control insulin release

03.02.2014

Endocannabinoid signaling has been implicated in modulating insulin release from ß cells of the endocrine pancreas. ß Cells express CB1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1Rs), and the enzymatic machinery ...

Putative Structural and Functional Coupling of the Mitochondrial BKCa Channel to the Respiratory Chain

06.11.2013

In recent years, a number of potassium channels present in the inner membrane of mitochondria have been discovered. Their physiological roles are still unclear. However, it has been observed that ...

Molecular definition of the pro-tumorigenic phenotype of glioma-activated microglia

30.10.2013

Microglia are myeloid cells residing in the central nervous system that participate in inflammatory responses, promote injury and tissue repair. Clinical and experimental data show accumulation ...

PHLP2 is essential and plays a role in ciliogenesis and microtubule assembly in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila

25.10.2013

Proteins in order to perform their biological functions, have to be properly folded. To sustain the conformational integrity of proteins, cells maintain an integrated network of several hundred ...