The expression levels of three raft-associated molecules in cultivated vascular cells are dependent on culture conditions

Relaying a signal across the plasma membrane requires functional connections between the partner molecules. Membrane microdomains or lipid rafts provide an environment in which such specific interactions can take place. The integrity of these sites is often taken for granted when signalling pathways are investigated in cell culture. However, it is well known that smooth muscle and endothelial cells undergo cytoskeletal rearrangements during monolayer culturing. Likewise affected--and with potentially important consequences for signalling events--is the organization of the plasma membrane. The expression levels of three raft markers were massively upregulated, and raft-associated 5'-nucleotidase activity increased in conventional monolayer cultures as compared with a spheroidal coculture model, shown to promote the differentiation of endothelial cells. Our data point to a shift of raft components in monolayer cultures and demonstrate potential advantages of the spheroid coculture system for investigation of raft-mediated signalling events in endothelial cells.

The Changing Environment of Audiovisual Media. New Technologies, New Patterns of Consumer/Business Behaviour and Their Implications for Audiovisual Media Regulation

Digital TV offers of 200 channels and 500 video-on-demand films, podcasting, mobile television, a new web blog being created every two seconds - these are some of the factual elements depicting contemporary audiovisual media in the digital environment. The present article looks into some of these technological advances and sketches their implications for the markets of media content, in particular as newly emerging patterns of consumer and business behaviour are concerned. Ultimately, it puts forward the question of whether the existing audiovisual media regulatory models, which are still predominantly analogue-based, have been rendered obsolete by the transformed (and continually transforming) digital environment.

Immer mehr staatlich verordnete Grenzen im Cyberspace

Das internationale Handelsrecht im Rahmen der WTO könnte zur Eindämmung dieser Tendenzen dienen - An der unlängst in Bern durchgeführten Tagung «Trade Governance in the Digital Age» wurden unter anderem die neuen künstlichen Grenzen im Internet thematisiert. Die Autorin gibt einige Eindrücke über die diskutierten Fragestellungen wieder.

Man sollte wach sein, die eigenen Bedürfnisse wahrnehmen

Zwischen 40 und 50 bilanzieren Frauen und Männer ihr Leben. Viele wollen sich neu orientieren. Wichtig sei Offenheit und der Austausch mit anderen, sagt Psychologie-Professorin Pasqualina Perrig-Chiello. (Von Rolf Murbach)