ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY (3)

Author: RUIZ UCEDA ESTHER.
Year: 2006.
University: COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID [www.ucm.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS BIOLÓGICAS.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS BIOLÓGICAS.

Summary: The diabetic retinopathy is one of the microvascular complications more frequent among individuals with DM type 1. The mechanisms underlying the development of this disease are extremely complex, and its study has gained considerable importance in recent years. It is known that one of those mechanisms, which contributes substantially to the development of this disease is blood pressure. Drugs that block the action of angiotensin II, as antihypertensive agents have demonstrated exerts a protective effect against diseases that share alterations angiopáticas. Some initial data in different tissues show this effect on the drugs cited, independent of its action on blood pressure. This work was carried out to further the mechanisms responsible for this effect added, in this type of drug involved in the damage to the retina diabetic. It studied the effects of local and systemic blockade SRA on the changes of early diabetic retinal. In addition, it studied the possible interactions between growth factors and cytokines involved in these changes.

Author: MORENO RODRIGUEZ MARIA.
Year: 2006.
University: OVIEDO [www.uniovi.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE BIOLOGIA.
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD DE OVIEDO.

Summary: Aging is a complex process that is associated with a widespread deterioration of physiological functions and an increased risk of age-related diseases, such as diabetes mellitus type 2. It has been demonstrated, both in humans and in rodents, existqencia of resistance to the action of insulin linked to the physiological aging. Despite remaining unsolved what are the mechanisms responsible for this disease, in the case of females appears to be due to loss of ovarian function due to menopause, more specifically, the decline in the level of estrogen. In this regard, there are many cases which related clinical and experimental variations in sensitivity to the action of insulin with changes in plasma levels of sex steroids. This work has revealed the existence of an intrinsic to the process of aging that implies a decrease in the body's ability to respond to the action of insulin. However, the presence of 17beta-estradiol prevents such resistance to the action of insulin is as sharp acting mainly at the location of the transporter glucose Glut4 in the plasma membrane of the target tissues to insulin. Thus, our results suggest the existence of mechanisms for regulating various components of the path of intracellular insulin signaling and control processes translocation of Glut4 during aging, probably through the estrogen receptor and other factors require further study.