Tag: EMBRYOLOGY
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ADAM17: The Drama Queen of the Cellular World
ADAM17 is the protein that’s not content with just one stage name! Also known as TACE (TNF-α Converting Enzyme), this molecular diva is the ultimate multi-tasker of the cellular world. Picture ADAM17 as the gossip columnist of the cell, always ready to spread the latest news. But instead of whispers and rumors, it’s spreading cellular…
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Theca
In biology, a theca (pl.: thecae) is a sheath or a covering. Botany The typical anther is bilocular, i.e. it consists of two thecae. Each theca contains two microsporangia, also known as pollen sacs. The microsporangia produce the microspores, which for seed plants are known as pollen grains. If the pollen sacs are not adjacent, or if they open separately, then no thecae are…
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Connection (and difference) between buccal membrane and buccopharyngeal membrane
A Tale of Two Tissues Prepare yourself for a thrilling journey into the world of microscopic membranes! Today, we’re diving deep into the oral cavity to explore the buccal membrane and its embryonic cousin, the buccopharyngeal (aka oropharyngeal) membrane. It’s a story of similarities, differences, and developmental drama! Act I: The Buccal BombshellOur first star,…
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embryonic intrigue that’ll make your buccopharyngeal membrane quiver with excitement!
Picture, if you will, the humble beginnings of life, where a thin membrane known as the buccopharyngeal membrane (or oropharyngeal membrane for those who like their words extra fancy) plays the role of the ultimate gatekeeper between the primitive mouth and pharynx. It’s like nature’s very own “You shall not pass!” moment, but with fewer…
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Rete pegs (aka rete processes or rete ridges or papillae) are epithelial extensions that project into the underlying connective tissue in both skin and mucous membranes.
In the epithelium of the mouth, the attached gingiva exhibit rete pegs, while the sulcular and junctional epithelia do not. Scar tissue lacks rete pegs and scars tend to shear off more easily than normal tissue as a result. Ira D. Papel (2011). Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Third ed.). USA: Thieme Medical Publishers. p. 7. ISBN 9781588905154. Also known as papillae, they are downward thickenings of the epidermis between the dermal…
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Sex-determining region Y protein (SRY), or testis-determining factor (TDF)
Sex-determining region Y protein (SRY), or testis-determining factor (TDF), is a DNA-binding protein (also known as gene-regulatory protein/transcription factor) encoded by the SRY gene that is responsible for the initiation of male sex determination in therian mammals (placental mammals and marsupials). SRY is an intronless sex-determining gene on the Y chromosome. Mutations in this gene lead to a range of disorders of sex development with varying effects on an individual’s phenotype and genotype. SRY is a member of the SOX (SRY-like box)…
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Structure of DNA repair protein XRCC4 aka X-ray repair cross-complementing protein 4
XRCC4 protein is a TETRAMER that resembles the shape of a DUMBBELL containing two globular ends separated by a long, thin stalk. The tetramer is composed of two dimers, and each dimer is made up of two similar subunits. The first subunit (L) contains amino acid residues 1 – 203 and has a longer stalk than the second…
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A Mad Scientist’s Dream – Rumpless Chickens (and more)
Today, we delve into the bizarre phenomenon of rumpless chickens—a feathered marvel characterized by caudal dysplasia, or as some like to call it, the ultimate chicken makeover! These quirky birds are missing their pygostyle, that charming little appendage known as the “parson’s nose,” a mutation that defies nature itself. This peculiar trait is inherited through…
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Cleavage (embryology)
In embryology, cleavage is the division of cells in the early development of the embryo, following fertilization. The zygotes of many species undergo rapid cell cycles with no significant overall growth, producing a cluster of cells the same size as the original zygote. The different cells derived from cleavage are called blastomeres and form a compact mass called the morula. Cleavage ends with the formation of the blastula, or of the blastocyst in…
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Opioid growth factor receptor
Opioid growth factor receptor, also known as OGFr or the ζ-opioid receptor, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the OGFR gene. The protein encoded by this gene is a receptor for opioid growth factor (OGF), also known as [Met(5)]-enkephalin. The endogenous ligand is thus a known opioid peptide, and OGFr was originally discovered and named as a new opioid receptor zeta (ζ). However it was…
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Olfactory tubercle (OT) aka tuberculum olfactorium
The olfactory tubercle (OT), also known as the tuberculum olfactorium, is a multi-sensory processing center that is contained within the olfactory cortex and ventral striatum and plays a role in reward cognition. The OT has also been shown to play a role in locomotor and attentional behaviors, particularly in relation to social and sensory responsiveness, and it may be necessary for behavioral flexibility. The OT is interconnected with numerous brain regions,…
