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Don · 16th April 2006, 07:48 AM

I'll try.

First of all, Steve's group is involved in "basic" research trying to unravel the process of "cellular signalling" - i.e., how cells "talk" to each other.

So let's look at the cellular signalling process in terms of tanning.

When UVR strikes the body, an estimated 10,000 signalling events takes place instantaneously, i.e., within milliseconds. One of the most important cellular signalling events is the conversion of the vitamin D-effective photon "energy" found in UVR into the vitamin D (25-OH) that is necessary for optimal health. This process operates exactly like what Steve's abstract describes except that instead of the LH (leutenizing hormone) receptors involved in reproduction, we have the vitamin D receptors involved in vitamin D metabolism.

cAPM (i.e., cyclic AMP) is "key" to any and all signalling events. How cAMP "energy" passes from one cell to another cell has been a "mystery" that Steve's group has helped to clarify over the past few years. They were among the first to describe "lipid rafts" i.e., "domains" that are involved in conducting the "signal" through the cell membrane. [Note: To show you how "fast" things change in research today, when they first started working on lipid rafts several years ago, the task was to "prove" that they really existed. Today, thanks in part to their work, no one doubts their existance and everyone is now trying to determine how lipid rafts help cells to communicate with each other. Once the "pathway" of cellular signalling is identified (and understood) the "holy grail" is to find ways to either improve the process and/or use it more effectively.]

For instance, today I found a fantastic article talking about vitamin D receptors (and lipid rafts) and the way the German researchers were trying to use this knowledge to develop vitamin D "analogs" that would be as safe and effective as UVR-induced vitamin D.

As an example of how basic research data can be used, here is a "mystery" involving the tanning process that might be resolved using the basic cellular signalling/lipid raft information found in Steve's paper.

Why doesn't the body "recognize" in "real time" that it has had too much UVR exposure and "warn" us to get out of the sun before we suffer skin damage?

The "answer" to that question requires idenifiying the erythema (sunburning) "pathway" and finding out whether or not the "receptors" involved can be "taught" to let us know when we have had enough UVR.

The "bottom line" is that "cellular signalling" (and the important role that lipid rafts play) is one of the "new frontiers" of research. Understanding the role of reproductive receptors (i.e., LH/FSH, etc) cellular signalling has led to the advances in helping "infertile" women conceive; understanding the role of insulin receptors is leading to new treatments for diabetes; understanding the role of various receptors is leading to new treatments for various forms of cancer; and we haven't even scatched the surface regarding the 10,000 signalling events (all involving receptors) that take place when UVR strikes the skin.

After you have read the above, I DARE YOU to try not to think about all of the "signalling events" taking place the next time you tan-LOL.

16th April 2006, 07:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
Don Veteran Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 376	Re: This article has nothing........ I'll try. First of all, Steve's group is involved in "basic" research trying to unravel the process of "cellular signalling" - i.e., how cells "talk" to each other. So let's look at the cellular signalling process in terms of tanning. When UVR strikes the body, an estimated 10,000 signalling events takes place instantaneously, i.e., within milliseconds. One of the most important cellular signalling events is the conversion of the vitamin D-effective photon "energy" found in UVR into the vitamin D (25-OH) that is necessary for optimal health. This process operates exactly like what Steve's abstract describes except that instead of the LH (leutenizing hormone) receptors involved in reproduction, we have the vitamin D receptors involved in vitamin D metabolism. cAPM (i.e., cyclic AMP) is "key" to any and all signalling events. How cAMP "energy" passes from one cell to another cell has been a "mystery" that Steve's group has helped to clarify over the past few years. They were among the first to describe "lipid rafts" i.e., "domains" that are involved in conducting the "signal" through the cell membrane. [Note: To show you how "fast" things change in research today, when they first started working on lipid rafts several years ago, the task was to "prove" that they really existed. Today, thanks in part to their work, no one doubts their existance and everyone is now trying to determine how lipid rafts help cells to communicate with each other. Once the "pathway" of cellular signalling is identified (and understood) the "holy grail" is to find ways to either improve the process and/or use it more effectively.] For instance, today I found a fantastic article talking about vitamin D receptors (and lipid rafts) and the way the German researchers were trying to use this knowledge to develop vitamin D "analogs" that would be as safe and effective as UVR-induced vitamin D. As an example of how basic research data can be used, here is a "mystery" involving the tanning process that might be resolved using the basic cellular signalling/lipid raft information found in Steve's paper. Why doesn't the body "recognize" in "real time" that it has had too much UVR exposure and "warn" us to get out of the sun before we suffer skin damage? The "answer" to that question requires idenifiying the erythema (sunburning) "pathway" and finding out whether or not the "receptors" involved can be "taught" to let us know when we have had enough UVR. The "bottom line" is that "cellular signalling" (and the important role that lipid rafts play) is one of the "new frontiers" of research. Understanding the role of reproductive receptors (i.e., LH/FSH, etc) cellular signalling has led to the advances in helping "infertile" women conceive; understanding the role of insulin receptors is leading to new treatments for diabetes; understanding the role of various receptors is leading to new treatments for various forms of cancer; and we haven't even scatched the surface regarding the 10,000 signalling events (all involving receptors) that take place when UVR strikes the skin. After you have read the above, I DARE YOU to try not to think about all of the "signalling events" taking place the next time you tan-LOL.