Using fluorescent lipids in live zebrafish larvae: From imaging whole animal physiology to subcellular lipid trafficking.

Lipids serve essential functions in cells as signaling molecules, membrane components, and sources of energy. Defects in lipid metabolism are implicated in a number of pandemic human diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia. Many aspects of how fatty acids and cholesterol are absorbed and processed by intestinal cells remain unclear and present a hurdle to developing approaches for disease prevention and treatment. Numerous studies have shown that the zebrafish is an excellent model for vertebrate lipid metabolism. In this chapter, we review commercially available fluorescent lipids that can be deployed in live zebrafish to better understand lipid signaling and metabolism. In this chapter, we present criteria one should consider when selecting specific fluorescent lipids for the study of digestive physiology or lipid metabolism in larval zebrafish.

Epithelial membrane antigen expression in breast fluids and 'witch's milk'.

We have examined breast fluids from non-lactating women and male neonates for the expression of epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), also termed polymorphic epithelial mucin (PEM). All fluids exhibited significant amounts of EMA as demonstrated by immunoblot analyses and enzyme immunoassay. EMA was present in the breast fluids of both pre- and post-menopausal women, and these results suggest that nipple aspirates could provide an easily accessible source of antigen for assessing the value of EMA as a tumor marker both before and after various therapeutic modalities. The presence of EMA in the 'witch's milks' indicates that full maturation of the breast is not a prerequisite for antigen expression in breast tissue.