• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2015

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is commonly used for the therapy of colon cancer; however, acquired resistance to 5-FU is a critical barrier to successful treatment and the primary cause of chemotherapy failure. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process whereby cells undergo alterations in morphology and molecular characteristics promoting tumor progression and metastasis. Accumulating evidence shows that transition from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype in cancer cells is associated with their resistance to chemotherapy. However, it is still poorly understood whether EMT is involved in acquired resistance to 5-FU. In this study, we developed an in vitro cell model, 5-FU-resistant HT-29 colon cancer cells, and characterized the differences in cellular morphology and molecular alterations between parental and resistant cells. In accord with mesenchymal-like morphology of 5-FU-resistant HT-29 cells, the expression of the mesenchymal marker fibronectin was significantly increased in these cells in comparision with that in the parental cells. Of interest, we also found a marked increase in the expression of EMT-inducing transcription factors Twist, Zeb1, and Zeb2. Finally, 5-FU-resistant cells showed enhanced migration in comparison with parental HT-29. Taken together, these results indicate that EMT could be associated with 5-FU resistance acquired by HT-29 cells. A specific role of each transcription factor found in this study will require further investigation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 2022

Aurora kinase is a family of serine/threonine kinases intimately associated with mitotic progression and the development of human cancers. Studies have shown that aurora kinases are important for the protein kinase C (PKC)-induced invasion of colon cancer cells. Recent studies have shown that aurora kinase A promotes distant metastasis by inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in colon cancer cells. However, the role of aurora kinase A in colon cancer metastasis remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of aurora kinase A on PKC-induced cell invasion, migration, and EMT in human SW480 colon cancer cells. Treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) changed the expression levels of EMT markers, increasing α-SMA, vimentin, and MMP-9 expression and decreasing E-cadherin expression, with changes in cell morphology. TPA treatment induced EMT in a PKC-dependent manner. Moreover, the inhibition of aurora kinase A by siRNAs and inhibitors (reversine and VX-680) suppressed TPA-induced cell invasion, migration, and EMT in SW480 human colon cells. Inhibition of aurora kinase A blocked TPA-induced vimentin and MMP-9 expression, and decreased E-cadherin expression. Furthermore, the knockdown of aurora kinase A decreased the transcriptional activity of NF-κB and AP-1 in PKC-stimulated SW480 cells. These findings indicate that aurora kinase A induces migration and invasion by inducing EMT in SW480 colon cancer cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that showed aurora kinase A is a key molecule in PKC-induced metastasis in colon cancer cells.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2012

Embryonic stem cell-preconditioned microenvironment is important for cancer cells properitities by change cell morphology and proliferation. This microenvironment induces cancer cell reprogramming and results in a change in cancer cell properties such as differentiation and migration. The cancer microenvironment affects cancer cell proliferation and growth. However, the mechanism has not been clarified yet. Using the ES-preconditioned 3-D microenvironment model, we provide evidence showing that the ES microenvironment inhibits proliferation and reduces oncogenic gene expression. But ES microenvironment has no effect on telomerase activity, cell viability, cellular senescence, and methylation on Oct4 promoter region. Furthermore, methylation of Nanog was increase on ES-preconditioned microenvironment and supports results that no difference on RNA expression levels. Taken together, these results demonstrated that in the ES-preconditioned 3-D microenvironment is a crucial role for cancer cell proliferation not senescence.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.163-168
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• 2017

Microglia are the primary resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). They are the first line of defense of the brain's innate immune response against infection, injury, and diseases. Microglia respond to extracellular signals and engulf unwanted neuronal debris by phagocytosis, thereby maintaining normal cellular homeostasis in the CNS. Pathological stimuli such as neuronal injury induce transformation and activation of resting microglia with ramified morphology into a motile amoeboid form and activated microglia chemotax toward lesion site. This review outlines the current research on microglial activation and chemotaxis.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1697-1699
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• 2008

The purpose of tissue engineering is to repair or replace damaged tissues or organs by a combination of cells, scaffold, suitable biochemical and physio-chemical factors. Among the three components, the biodegradable scaffold plays an important role in cell attachment and migration. In this study, we designed 3D porous scaffold by Rapid Prototyping (RP) system and fabricated layer-by-layer 3D structure using Polycarprolactone (PCL) - one of the most flexible biodegradable polymer. Furthermore, the physical and mechanical properties of the scaffolds were evaluated by changing the pore size and the strand diameter of the scaffold. We changed nozzle diameter (strand diameter) and strand to strand distance (pore size) to find the effect on the mechanical property of the scaffold. And the surface morphology, inner structure and storage modulus of PCL scaffold were analyzed with SEM, Micro-CT and DMA.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.464-472
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• 1996

The mechanism of thin-film formation by Ionized Cluster Beam Deposition(ICBD) was investigated. A simulation program based on the Monte-Carlo method was developed in order to investigate the effects of the acceleration voltage, substrate temperature, activation energy for the surface migration, and critical nuclei size on grain size and surface roughness. Studies of the effect of kinetic energy of clusters on the film formation processes revealed that high acceleration voltage enhanced the surface-migration of adatoms and made it easier for an epitaxial film to be formed. The relaxation time of kinetic energy of adatoms increased with the substrate temperature, which in turn increased the grain size of the crystalline film. This effect was more clearly distinguished when the critical nuclei size was large. The surface-migration activation energy was found to affect the interaction between the adatoms and the substrate and thus the relaxation time of kinetic energy. Investigations of the surface roughness revealed that the acceleration voltage, the substrate temperature, and the surface-migration activation energy exerted a collective effect on the morphology of the film surface.

• ALGAE
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-83
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• 2009

Recently deschbed new species, Cladosiphon umezakii Ajisaka (Ectocarpales,Phaeophyceae) is reported in Korea based on morphology and plastid rbcL sequences. Cladosiphon umezakii occurred on low intertidal to subtidal zone along the south and southeast coasts in Korea. Thalli are gold to dark brown, ercct, cylindrical, irregularly branched,and very mucoid. Unitocular zoidangium is developed at the base uf assimilatory filaments. Assimilatory filaments are very long. Eight specimens of the pecies collected from Korea clustered with those of C. umezakii in Japan in rbcL tree. The pecies showed a sister relationship with C. okamuranus. The occurrence of this warm water species is thought an example of northward migration of marine algae caused by global warming. Because C. umezakii is of the economica! importance of the genus as foods and medidnes, the study on mass culture of the species is necessary in korea.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.51-65
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• 2001

Two-stage emulsion polymerizations of hydrophobic monomers on hydrophilic seed polymer particles were carried out to make core-shell composite particles. It was found that the loci of polymerization in the second stage were the surface layer of the hydrophilic seed latex particles, and that it has resulted in the formation of either eccentric core-shell particles with the core exposed to the aqueous phase or aggregated nonspherical composite particles with the shell attached on the seed surface as many small separated particles. The driving force of these phenomena is related to the gain in free energy of the system in going from the hydrophobic polymer-water interface to hydrophilic polymer-water interface. Thermodynamic analysis of the present polymerization system, which was based on spreading coefficients, supported the likely occurrence of such nonspherical particles due to the combined effects of interfacial free energies and phase separation between the two polymer phases. A hypothetical pathway was proposed to prepare hydrophilic core-hydrophobic shell composite latex particles, which is based on the concept of opposing driving and resistance forces for the phase migration. It was found that the viscosity of the monomer-swollen polymer phase played important role in the formation of particle morphology.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.277-283
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• 2005

In order to prepare high molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/silver nanocomposite microspheres, methyl methacrylate was suspension-polymerized in the presence of silver nanoparticles at low temperature with 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) as an initiator. The rate of conversion was increased by increasing the initiator concentration. When silver nanoparticles were added, the rate of polymerization decreased slightly. High monomer conversion (about $85\%$) was obtained in spite of low polymerization temperature of $30^{\circ}C$. Under controlled conditions, PMMA/silver microspheres with various number-average degrees of polymerization (6,000-37,000) were prepared. Morphology studies revealed that except for normal suspension microspheres with a smooth surface, a golf ball-like appearance of the microspheres was observed, due to the migration and aggregation of the hydrophilic silver nanoparticles at the sublayer beneath the microsphere's surface.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2012

The starry flounder Platichthys stellatus, like all flatfish, exhibits conspicuous lateral asymmetry in numerous traits, most obvious of which is the migration of one eye to the other side of the head during metamorphosis. Additional changes related to eye migration include asymmetrical pigmentation, and a behavioral shift from larvae that exhibit upright, open-water swimming to juveniles and adults that lie on the ocean floor, eye side up. However, the morphology of these juveniles has been quite plastic in recent years, a phenomenon which is thought to be related to a diverse suite of semi-intensive and intensive larviculture methods. The cause of morphological abnormalities in the farmed flatfish is poorly understood. In the present study, we observe the features of morphological specificity and abnormality of immature fish (mean total length 23 cm) and survey the occurrence frequency of the specificity and abnormality of juvenile (mean total length 6.70 cm) in artificial culture facility. We find 2 types of abnormality (e.g., albino in ocular side and hypermelanosis in blind side) and 1 type of specificity (e.g., lateral polymorphism). These considerably differ from normal individuals (has sinistral eye and pigmented on only one side) by several characteristics (dextral eye, ocular side albinism, blind side hypermelanosis). The incidences of albinism, hypermelanosis, and body reversal are $10.1{\pm}2.56%$, $91.7{\pm}1.7%$, and $13.1{\pm}1.1%$, respectively. These suggest that these morphometric and morphological differences occur more in artificial environment during and just after metamorphosis.