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Chemorepulsion
Chemorepulsion is the directional movement of a cell away from a substance. Of the two directional varieties of chemotaxis, chemoattraction has been studied to a much greater extent. Only recently have the key components of the chemorepulsive pathway been elucidated.Vianello, F., E. Righi, et al. (2010). Methods for Quantitation of Leukocyte Chemotaxis and Fugetaxis. T-Cell Trafficking. F. M. Marelli-Berg and Sussan Nourshargh, S. Nourshargh, Humana Press. 616: 115-124. The exact mechanism is still being investigated, and its constituents are currently being explored as likely candidates for immunotherapies.IMMUNOLOGY - CHAPTER ONE > INNATE (NON-SPECIFIC) IMMUNITY Gene Mayer, Ph.D. Immunology Section of Microbiology and Immunology On-line. University of South Carolina. History and etymology The mechanism of the chemorepulsion of immune cells was first acknowledged by medical researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston in early 2002. The phenomenon was originall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Netrins
Netrins are a class of proteins involved in axon guidance. They are named after the Sanskrit word "netr", which means "one who guides". Netrins are genetically conserved across nematode worms, fruit flies, frogs, mice, and humans. Structurally, netrin resembles the extracellular matrix protein laminin. Netrins are chemotropic; a growing axon will either move towards or away from a higher concentration of netrin. Though the detailed mechanism of axon guidance is not fully understood, it is known that netrin attraction is mediated through UNC-40/DCC cell surface receptors and repulsion is mediated through UNC-5 receptors. Netrins also act as growth factors, encouraging cell growth activities in target cells. Mice deficient in netrin fail to form the hippocampal comissure or the corpus callosum. A proposed model for netrin activity in the spinal column of developing human embryos is that netrins are released by the floor plate and then are picked up by receptor proteins embe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
