Nature view
Research highlights from the NPG family of journals.
Development: building neural tubes
The
neural tube — the precursor of the brain and spinal cord — is
formed by the process of neurulation. It has long attracted the interest
of developmental biologists as a model of embryonic morphogenesis. Epidemiologists
and clinicians have also focused on neurulation with a view to understanding
the origin of severely disabling or life-threatening neural-tube defects
(NTDs) in humans. In this month's Nature Reviews Genetics, Andrew
Copp and colleagues investigate how the use of mutant mouse strains, in
which NTDs form part of the phenotype, has recently helped to unravel
several molecular pathways that are crucial for normal neurulation.
reviews
The genetic basis of mammalian neurulation
A. J. COPP et al.
Nature Reviews Genetics 4, 784; October 2003
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What neuroscience can tell us about suicide
One
million suicides and ten million suicide attempts occur worldwide each
year. In this month,s Nature Reviews Neuroscience, John Mann investigates
the possible neurological causes. Mann proposes a stress–diathesis
model — diathesis being the make-up of the body that makes it react
in certain ways to external stimuli, whereas typical stressors include
acute psychosocial crisis. He argues that rather than simply being a response
to stress, suicide often results from a complication of an existing psychiatric
disorder.
reviews
Neurobiology of suicidal behaviour
J. J. MANN
Nature Reviews Neuroscience 4, 819; October 2003
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Cellular target practice
The
goal of gene therapy is to introduce foreign genes into somatic cells
to supplement defective genes, or provide additional biological functions.
But delivering foreign DNA into the cell — although child's play
for infecting viruses — is no easy task. Synthetic systems made of
organic materials are safer than viruses, but can't compete in terms of
targeting efficiency. In this month's Nature Materials, Aliasger
Salem and colleagues present an inorganic alternative. In their system,
DNA is attached to the nickel half of a bimetallic Au/Ni nanorod, whereas
the gold half of the nanorod is bound to a protein that targets cells
and catalyses the internalization of the nanorod. Preliminary in vivo
efficacy studies show promise for the use of multisegment nanorods in
realizing the potential of non-viral gene therapy.
letters
Multifunctional nanorods for gene delivery
A. K. SALEM et al.
Nature Materials 2, 668; October 2003
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Repulsive attraction
Cell-contact-dependent
repulsion mediated by Eph-receptor tyrosine kinases and membrane-bound
ephrins plays an important part in controlling cell movements in several
developing tissues. But how can a receptor–ligand system — activated
by intercellular binding — regulate repulsion? A study by Manuel
Zimmer and colleagues in this month's Nature Cell Biology shows
that the interaction of cells expressing an Eph and ephrin protein results
in the rapid appearance of intracellular vesicles containing the full-length
proteins. This indicates that endocytosis may mediate disengagement of
the cells by removing Eph–ephrin complexes from the cell surface.
David Wilkinson provides context in a News and Views article.
articles
EphB-ephrinB bi-directional endocytosis terminates adhesion allowing
contact- mediated repulsion
M. ZIMMER et al.
Nature Cell Biology 5, 869; October 2003
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new and views
How attraction turns to repulsion
D. G. WILKINSON
Nature Cell Biology 5, 851; October
2003
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Heavy metal good for kids
Children
living near industrial sites may actually benefit from the extra zinc
in their environment. Past studies suggest that zinc lowers lead absorption
in animals. To see if the same is true for children, Dr. Curtis Noonan
and colleagues at Atlanta's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
compared two communities that were environmentally similar, except one
housed a zinc-emitting industrial facility. Noonan tested the blood in
over 100 children for lead absorption in both communities and found that
children near the industrial facility harbored less lead in their blood.
Noonan concludes in the Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental
Epidemiology that zinc lessens lead absorption in children.
original articles
Influence of environmental zinc on the association between environmental
and biological measures of lead in children.
CURTIS W NOONAN, STEVEN J KATHMAN, SARA M SARASUA
& MARY C WHITE
Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology (2003)
13, 318-323.
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Designer blood vessels
Fatal
heart attacks, chronic ulcers and other serious clinical conditions can
result from inadequate vascular perfusion. 'Designer blood vessels' may
prove to be a valuable, if radical option among therapeutic strategies
for revascularization, and at the same time could provide an educational
tool for learning more about our own blood vessels. A review published
in the current issue of British Journal of Pharmacology describes
the common efforts to continuously improve vascular replacement design.
This forms part of the series of Symposium Reviews published from the
BJP's Symposium on Therapeutic Angiogenesis in Cardiovascular Medicine
to be held in Orlando in November.
symposium reviews
Designer blood vessels and therapeutic revascularization
JOSEPH D BERGLUND & ZORINA S GALIS
British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 140, 627-636.
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