Cellular Membrane permeability

There is a delicate balance between cellular membrane permeability and intracellular calcium homeostasis during CVB3 infection. It has been well-documented that sustained elevation of calcium levels in the cytosol precedes Cyt c release from the mitochondria, and that the small amount of released Cyt c interacts with the inositol triphosphate receptor (IP3R) on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and prevents inhibition of ER calcium release. The overall increase of calcium leads to a massive release of Cyt c to maintain ER calcium release through interaction with the IP3Rs in a positive feedback loop, and to activate downstream caspases to execute apoptosis of damaged cells. 

While the presence of surfactants is advantageous due to an increase in cellular membrane permeability, which facilitates drug absorption and bioavailability [218], caution needs to be taken in relation to the amount of surfactant incorporated, as high concentrations can lead to ocular toxicity. In general, nonionic surfactants are preferred over ionic ones, which are generally too toxic to be used in ophthalmic... 

Many kinds of biological activities of holothurian triterpene glycosides are a result of their membranol)dic action, i. e. their capability to induce disturbances in cellular membrane permeability up to lysis. 

Electroporation is a technique in which an external electric field is applied to biological cells, causing an increase in cellular membrane permeability. Electroporation is often used as a means to transfect cells with extracellular material (e. g., with DNA in solution) it can also be used to permanently dismpt the cell membrane and effectively lyse the cell. 

The toxicity of the thionins is well documented for small animals, insects, bacteria, fungi and mammalian cells. It has been proposed that thionins could protect the starchy endosperm against the action of bacteria and fungi (16). A role as an inhibitor of DNA synthesis has been proposed for thionins, since purothionin inhibits ribonucleotide reductase when reduced thioredoxin served as the hydrogen donor (17). Other studies show that thionins affect cellular membrane permeability and inhibit growth as well as DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in mammalian cells (18). They are also hemolytic for human and animal erythrocytes (6). 

In addition to effects on biochemical reactions, the inhibitors may influence the permeability of the various cellular membranes and through physical and chemical effects may alter the structure of other subcellular structures such as proteins, nucleic acid, and spindle fibers. Unfortunately, few definite examples can be listed. The action of colchicine and podophyllin in interfering with cell division is well known. The effect of various lactones (coumarin, parasorbic acid, and protoanemonin) on mitotic activity was discussed above. Disturbances to cytoplasmic and vacuolar structure, and the morphology of mitochondria imposed by protoanemonin, were also mentioned. Interference with protein configuration and loss of biological activity was attributed to incorporation of azetidine-2-carboxylic acid into mung bean protein in place of proline. 

L. B. Kier and C.-K. Cheng, A cellular automata model of membrane permeability. J. Theor. Biol. 1997, 186, 75. 

For ionizable molecules, the membrane permeability, P (Pc in cellular models), depends on pH of the bulk aqueous solution. The maximum possible Pm is designated Pq, the intrinsic permeabiUty of the uncharged species. For monoprotic weak acids and bases, the relationship between P and Pq may be stated in terms of the fraction of the uncharged species,, as Pm= Pofo, i-e. ... 

Allelopathic inhibition of mineral uptake results from alteration of cellular membrane functions in plant roots. Evidence that allelochemicals alter mineral absorption comes from studies showing changes in mineral concentration in plants that were grown in association with other plants, with debris from other plants, with leachates from other plants, or with specific allelochemicals. More conclusive experiments have shown that specific allelochemicals (phenolic acids and flavonoids) inhibit mineral absorption by excised plant roots. The physiological mechanism of action of these allelochemicals involves the disruption of normal membrane functions in plant cells. These allelochemicals can depolarize the electrical potential difference across membranes, a primary driving force for active absorption of mineral ions. Allelochemicals can also decrease the ATP content of cells by inhibiting electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation, which are two functions of mitochondrial membranes. In addition, allelochemicals can alter the permeability of membranes to mineral ions. Thus, lipophilic allelochemicals can alter mineral absorption by several mechanisms as the chemicals partition into or move through cellular membranes. Which mechanism predominates may depend upon the particular allelochemical, its concentration, and environmental conditions (especially pH). 

Based on this model of active mineral absorption, one can hypothesize several ways that allelochemicals could Inhibit mineral absorption (1) alter the PD, (2) Inhibit ATPases, (3) decrease cellular ATP content, and (4) alter membrane permeability to Ions. 

Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain how phenolic acids directly increase membrane permeability. The first is that the compounds solubilize into cellular membranes, and thus cause a "loosening" of the membrane structure so that minerals can leak across the membrane (28-30, 42). Support for this hypothesis comes from the fact that the extent of inhibition of electrical potentials correlates with the log P (partition coefficient of a compound between octanol and water) for various benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives (Figure 5). 

Precellular solute ionization dictates membrane permeability dependence on mucosal pH. Therefore, lumenal or cellular events that affect mucosal microclimate pH may alter the membrane transport of ionizable solutes. The mucosal microclimate pH is defined by a region in the neighborhood of the mucosal membrane in which pH is lower than in the lumenal fluid. This is the result of proton secretion by the enterocytes, for which outward diffusion is slowed by intestinal mucus. (In fact, mucosal secretion of any ion coupled with mucus-restricted diffusion will provide an ionic microclimate.) Important differences in solute transport between experimental systems may be due to differences in intestinal ions and mucus secretion. It might be anticipated that microclimate pH effects would be less pronounced in epithelial cell culture (devoid of goblet cells) transport studies than in whole intestinal tissue. 

Figure 1 General pathways through which molecules can actively or passively cross a monolayer of cells. (A) Endocytosis of solutes and fusion of the membrane vesicle with the opposite plasma membrane in an active process called transcytosis. (B) Similar to A, but the solute associates with the membrane via specific (e.g., receptor) or nonspecific (e.g., charge) interactions. (C) Passive diffusion between the cells through the paracellular space. (C, C") Passive diffusion (C ) through the cell membranes and cytoplasm or (C") via partitioning into and lateral diffusion within the cell membrane. (D) Active or carrier-mediated transport of an otherwise poorly membrane permeable solute into and/or out of a cellular barrier.

The oral administration of large proteins and peptides is limited due to their low membrane permeability. These compounds are mainly restricted to the para-cellular pathway, but because of their polar characteristics and their size the pore of the tight junctional system is also highly restrictive. An additional transcellular pathway has therefore been suggested for these peptides, i.e., the transcytotic pathway, which involves a receptor-mediated endocytosis in Caco-2 cells [126],... 

Copper is part of several essential enzymes including tyrosinase (melanin production), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (catecholamine production), copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (free radical detoxification), and cytochrome oxidase and ceruloplasmin (iron conversion) (Aaseth and Norseth 1986). All terrestrial animals contain copper as a constituent of cytochrome c oxidase, monophenol oxidase, plasma monoamine oxidase, and copper protein complexes (Schroeder et al. 1966). Excess copper causes a variety of toxic effects, including altered permeability of cellular membranes. The primary target for free cupric ions in the cellular membranes are thiol groups that reduce cupric (Cu+2) to cuprous (Cu+1) upon simultaneous oxidation to disulfides in the membrane. Cuprous ions are reoxidized to Cu+2 in the presence of molecular oxygen molecular oxygen is thereby converted to the toxic superoxide radical O2, which induces lipoperoxidation (Aaseth and Norseth 1986). 

Finally, the chemistry of the organism must be taken into account. Interrelationships among metals can rarely be explained on a purely chemical basis (i.e. inhibition of the uptake of the metal of interest and uptake of the competing metal). Even metals exhibiting the expected chemical antagonisms, may also initiate a cellular feedback, alter the overall biological metabolism or modify membrane permeability or the cells capacity to deal with the metal of interest. 

Immobilization or labeling technique. The polymeric supports should not significantly affect indicator performance, such as response time or selectivity, and if affected the changes should be reproducible. For cellular applications, indicator should be membrane permeable and/or retained by the cells. 

In situ models are to evaluate absorption or membrane permeability under the physiologically relevant tissue condition. While the luminal environment can be modulated by the administered solution, the tissue condition is physiologically controlled. The estimated membrane permeability can be, in most cases, assumed to represent the transport across the epithelial cell layer at steady state or quasisteady state. However, one needs to be aware that the involvement of metabolic degradation, which may occur at the cellular surface or within the cytosol, can be a factor leading to biased estimates of membrane permeability and erroneous interpretation of the transport process. Particularly,... 

Dideoxyuridine (ddU) is an antiviral agent that proved ineffective at controlling human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in human T-cells. This ineffectiveness was ascribed to a lack of substrate affinity of ddU for cellular nucleoside kinases, which prevent it from being metabolized to the active 5 -triphosphate. To overcome this problem, bis[(pivaloyloxy)methyl] 2, 3 -dideoxyuridine 5 -monophosphate (9.41) was prepared and shown to be a membrane-permeable prodrug of 2, 3 -di-deoxyuridine 5 -monophosphate (ddUMP, 9.42) [93]. Indeed, human T-cell lines exposed to 9.41 rapidly formed the mono-, di-, and triphosphate of ddU, and antiviral activity was observed. This example again documents... 

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