[News article] Ciliopathies lie behind many human diseases — ScienceDaily

Ciliopathies lie behind many human diseases — ScienceDaily.

Excerpt

Date:December 1, 2014

Source: American Institute of Biological Sciences

Summary: Growing interest in cilia, which are finger-like organelles that extend from the bodies of individual cells, has revealed their role in a number of human ailments. As a result of cilia’s presence in a wide variety of cells, defects in them cause diverse human diseases that warrant further study.

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Cilia perform a broad range of functions, including a starring role in cell signalling. Motile ones wiggle and so move fluids within the body, including cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. In humans, cilia are found on almost every cell in the body. Because of this, ciliopathies often make themselves known as syndromes with widely varying effects on a number of tissue types. For instance, the ciliopathy Jeune asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy involves the development of abnormally short ribs, accompanied by short limbs and, occasionally, the development of extra digits.

In primary ciliary dyskinesia, motile cilia are dysfunctional and fail to beat. This can lead to bronchitis resulting from the failure to clear mucus from the sufferer’s airways. Male patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia are infertile because of impaired motility of the sperm’s flagellum (flagella and cilia are structurally similar).

The article’s authors point to a number of other human diseases in which cilia may play a role; for example, some cancers and neurological diseases may be related to ciliopathies. Because of the limitations placed on research involving humans, the authors propose the use of model species ranging from the green alga Chlamydomonas to the house mouse to further study the role of cilia. They write, “We can anticipate that new and improved techniques will open new avenues for gaining further insight into these immensely important and ever more fascinating cell organelles.”

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[Reblog] The Environmental Factors That Influence Our Children’s Illnesses

POSTED ON OCTOBER 23, 2013 BY BABYGREENSERIES

 

© Ampyang | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

In general, we know that most illnesses and diseases are caused by an interplay of genetics and environmental factors. While there is little we can do to alter genetic susceptibility, understanding what and how environmental factors exacerbate if not trigger illnesses and diseases can help you keep your child safe and healthy.

First, note that there are disease agents – chemical and biological – that your child is exposed to through ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact with soil, food, water and the air. That’s called direct exposure. The opposite, indirect exposure, involves contact with disease agents through interactions with parents and caretakers. For instance, if the father who works in the construction industry comes home and holds his baby, the baby may inhale industrial fumes from his work clothes or chemical residue from the father’s worksite may be transferred from the father’s skin to the baby. Through both modes, children absorb disease agents that alter hormones and disrupt metabolic processes thereby triggering a number of childhood illnesses. It’s also important to recognize that exploratory behavior for children includes putting objects in the mouth, hand-to-mouth contact, which increases the risk for exposure to environmental disease agents.

The chart below lists a number of common childhood illnesses, an associated environmental agent and potential direct and indirect sources of exposures. Use this list to determine if there are any sources of disease agents that you should keep away from your child.

Presenting Problem	Environmental                  Agent	Potential Exposures
Abdominal Pain	Lead	Batteries, smelting, painting, ceramics, enameling, welding, plumbing
Acute Psychoses	Lead Carbon disulfide mercury	Fungicide, maternal infection, wood preserving, removing paint from old houses, viscose rayon
Angina	Methylene chloride Carbon monoxide	Improperly vented indoor combustion sources, traffic exhaust, car repair, furnaces, water heaters, gas grill, foundry, wood finishing
Asthma	Formaldehyde Pet dander Tobacco smoke Toluene diisocyanate	Plastics, textiles, lacquer, playing with pets, polyurethane kits
Cardiac Arrhythmia	Fluorocarbons Solvents	Refrigerator repair, automobile emissions, cigarette smoke, paint thinners, propane gas
Dermatosis	Solvents Soaps Caustic alkali Metals	Plastics, metal cleaning, electroplating, machining, housekeeping, leather tanning
Headache	Carbon monoxide Solvents	Unvented kerosene, tobacco smoke, firefighting, dry cleaning, wood finishing, gas grill, water heaters, furnaces, automobile exhaust, improperly vented indoor combustion mechanisms
Hepatitis	Halogenated hydrocarbons	Healthcare workers, lacquer
Pulmonary Edema	Cadmium Nitrogen oxides Phosgene Halogen gases	Farming, welding, smelting, chemical operations

 

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• Air pollution a leading cause of cancer – UN agency (eco-business.com)
• Could Environmental Factors Be Playing A Role In Rise Of Kidney Disease? (greenerideal.com)
• Early-life exposure of frogs to herbicide increases mortality from fungal disease (sciencedaily.com)
• Smoking affects molecular mechanisms and thus children’s immune systems (eurekalert.org)
• Environmental factors ‘turn on and off’ cancer related genes (medicalxpress.com)