TO THE EDITOR Sir, I read with great interest the recently published article in the World Journal of Gastroenterology by Jin and co-workers on the cloning and characterization of porcine aquaporin 1 water channel from...TO THE EDITOR Sir, I read with great interest the recently published article in the World Journal of Gastroenterology by Jin and co-workers on the cloning and characterization of porcine aquaporin 1 water channel from the pig liver and studies on its expression in the porcine gastrointestinal system. The authors should be congratulated for making this important and valuable contribution to the field of aquaporin biology and porcine gastrointestinal physiology. However, there are a number of unresolved issues and controversies concerning the expression of aquaporins （especially aquaporin 1） in the gastrointestinal system that are worthy of additional comment and discussion by Jin and co-workers.展开更多
Articular cartilage is a connective tissue consisting of a specialized extracellular matrix （ECM） that dominates the bulk of its wet and dry weight. Type Ⅱ collagen and aggrecan are the main ECM proteins in cartila...Articular cartilage is a connective tissue consisting of a specialized extracellular matrix （ECM） that dominates the bulk of its wet and dry weight. Type Ⅱ collagen and aggrecan are the main ECM proteins in cartilage. However, little attention has been paid to less abundant molecular components, especially minor collagens, including type Ⅳ, Ⅵ, Ⅸ, Ⅹ, Ⅺ, Ⅻ, ⅩⅢ, and ⅩⅣ, etc. Although accounting for only a small fraction of the mature matrix, these minor collagens not only play essential structural roles in the mechanical properties, organization, and shape of articular cartilage, but also fulfil specific biological functions. Genetic studies of these minor collagens have revealed that they are associated with multiple connective tissue diseases, especially degenerative joint disease. The progressive destruction of cartilage involves the degradation of matrix constituents including these minor collagens. The generation and release of fragmented molecules could generate novel biochemical markers with the capacity to monitor disease progression, facilitate drug development and add to the existing toolbox for in vitro studies, preclinical research and clinical trials.展开更多
文摘TO THE EDITOR Sir, I read with great interest the recently published article in the World Journal of Gastroenterology by Jin and co-workers on the cloning and characterization of porcine aquaporin 1 water channel from the pig liver and studies on its expression in the porcine gastrointestinal system. The authors should be congratulated for making this important and valuable contribution to the field of aquaporin biology and porcine gastrointestinal physiology. However, there are a number of unresolved issues and controversies concerning the expression of aquaporins （especially aquaporin 1） in the gastrointestinal system that are worthy of additional comment and discussion by Jin and co-workers.
文摘Articular cartilage is a connective tissue consisting of a specialized extracellular matrix （ECM） that dominates the bulk of its wet and dry weight. Type Ⅱ collagen and aggrecan are the main ECM proteins in cartilage. However, little attention has been paid to less abundant molecular components, especially minor collagens, including type Ⅳ, Ⅵ, Ⅸ, Ⅹ, Ⅺ, Ⅻ, ⅩⅢ, and ⅩⅣ, etc. Although accounting for only a small fraction of the mature matrix, these minor collagens not only play essential structural roles in the mechanical properties, organization, and shape of articular cartilage, but also fulfil specific biological functions. Genetic studies of these minor collagens have revealed that they are associated with multiple connective tissue diseases, especially degenerative joint disease. The progressive destruction of cartilage involves the degradation of matrix constituents including these minor collagens. The generation and release of fragmented molecules could generate novel biochemical markers with the capacity to monitor disease progression, facilitate drug development and add to the existing toolbox for in vitro studies, preclinical research and clinical trials.
