Brian Reid | University of East Anglia (original) (raw)
Papers by Brian Reid
Nature Biotechnology, 2002
Nature Biotechnology, 2002
Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2011
Electric fields, generated by active transport of ions, are present in many biological systems an... more Electric fields, generated by active transport of ions, are present in many biological systems and often serve important functions in tissues and organs. For example, they play an important role in directing cell migration during wound healing. Here we describe the manufacture and use of ultrasensitive vibrating probes for measuring extracellular electric currents. The probe is an insulated, sharpened metal wire with a small platinum-black tip (30-35 μm), which can detect ionic currents in the μA/cm(2) range in physiological saline. The probe is vibrated at about 200 Hz by a piezoelectric bender. In the presence of an ionic current, the probe detects a voltage difference between the extremes of its movement. A lock-in amplifier filters out extraneous noise by locking on to the probe's frequency of vibration. Data are recorded onto computer. The probe is calibrated at the start and end of experiments in appropriate saline, using a chamber which applies a current of exactly 1.5 μA/cm(2). We describe how to make the probes, set up the system and calibrate. We also demonstrate the technique of cornea measurement, and show some representative results from different specimens (cornea, skin, brain).
Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 2011
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2005
Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2011
Wound Repair and Regeneration, 2012
Migration of epidermal stem cells (EpSCs) into wounds may play an important role in wound healing... more Migration of epidermal stem cells (EpSCs) into wounds may play an important role in wound healing. Endogenous electric fields (EFs) arise naturally at wounds. Consistent with previous reports, we measured outward electric currents at rat skin wounds using vibrating probes. Topical use of prostaglandin E2 significantly promoted wound healing. However, it is not known whether EpSCs respond to EFs. We first isolated and characterized EpSCs from rat skin. We then demonstrated that EpSCs isolated from the epidermis migrated directionally toward the cathode in EFs of 50-400 mV/mm. The directedness values increased in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The migration speed of EpSCs was significantly increased in EFs. EFs induced asymmetric polymerization of intracellular F-actin and activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B pathways. Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, or PI3K significantly inhibited the cathodal distribution of F-actin and the electrotactic response of EpSCs. These data for the first time show that EpSCs possess obvious electrotaxis, in which the epidermal growth factor receptor-mitogen activated protein kinase-PI3K pathways are involved. These data thus suggest a novel aspect of electric signaling in wound healing-to stimulate and guide migration of EpSCs and to regulate wound healing.
Nature Biotechnology, 2002
Nature Biotechnology, 2003
Geophysical Research Letters, 1987
Geophysical Research Letters, 1988
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 1991
Biopsies of the esophagus, stomach, and intestine are most often obtained using the traditional a... more Biopsies of the esophagus, stomach, and intestine are most often obtained using the traditional advance-and-close method with flexible endoscopes by extending an open forceps several millimeters beyond the endoscope tip to sample the mucosa, all under direct vision. We developed an alternative "turn-and-suction" endoscopic biopsy technique that permits the acquisition of larger mucosal samples. The biopsy forceps is advanced into the lumen, opened, and withdrawn backward until it is flush with the endoscope tip. Next, the endoscope tip is turned gently into the wall while air is suctioned from the lumen, and the biopsy forceps is very slightly advanced and then closed, usually without direct visualization. After straightening the endoscope tip, the biopsy is obtained by withdrawing the forceps and avulsing a superficial mucosal sample. By using this new method, we have safely taken over 10,000 biopsies without complications in endoscopic surveillance research protocols in patients at risk for gastrointestinal cancer. To compare the sizes of biopsies obtained with these two techniques, histologic sections of 341 mucosal samples from 12 patients with chronic ulcerative colitis were studied retrospectively. The mean greatest length of biopsy sections using the traditional technique was 4.72 mm, and using our new technique was 7.35 mm (56% longer). The turn-and-suction endoscopic biopsy method is best applied when flat mucosa is randomly sampled to seek microscopic pathologic changes that are not visible endoscopically, and may be advantageous for various non-histologic research analyses of gastrointestinal mucosa which are limited by tissue quantity.
Environment International, 2008
Developmental Biology, 2009
American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 1986
Hereditary gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes can be divided into adenomatous and hamartomatous... more Hereditary gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes can be divided into adenomatous and hamartomatous types. Familial adenomatous polyposis coli (FAPC) is the prototype adenomatous polyposis syndrome and is defined by the autosomal dominant transmission of multiple (more than 100) colorectal adenomas. Virtually all affected patients develop colorectal carcinoma if untreated. Adenomas may develop also in the stomach and small bowel in FAPC patients, but the incidence of carcinoma in these sites is low. A variety of extracolonic manifestations has been reported in FAPC, with the name Gardner's syndrome applied to kindreds with osteomas of the skull and mandible, multiple epidermal cysts, and other skin and soft-tissue lesions. In Turcot's syndrome, brain tumors are present. The distinction between Gardner's and Turcot's syndromes and classical FAPC has become blurred because of marked overlap between them; some authorities consider them to be varying manifestations of a single genetic defect. The hamartomatous polyposes include Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, familial juvenile polyposis, Cowden's disease, intestinal ganglioneuromatosis, and the Ruvalcaba-Myrhe-Smith syndrome. The incidence of gastrointestinal cancer in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and familial juvenile polyposis exceeds that in the normal population, but is relatively low. In Cowden's disease, the gastrointestinal tract may be the site of multiple hamartomas, but there is no associated increase in the incidence of gastrointestinal cancers; instead, there is an increased incidence of carcinoma of the breast and thyroid. Intestinal ganglioneuromatosis occurs in von Recklinghausen's disease, in association with multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2b, or as an isolated abnormality. Patients with ganglioneuromatosis do not appear to have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer. Ruvalcaba-Myrhe-Smith syndrome comprises macrocephaly, mental deficiency, an unusual craniofacial appearance, hamartomatous intestinal polyposis, and pigmented macules on the penis. No increased risk of developing cancer has been identified in the few reported cases.
Fems Microbiology Letters, 2001
American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2000
The of high-grade dysplasia management (HGD) in Barrett's esophagus remains contr... more The of high-grade dysplasia management (HGD) in Barrett's esophagus remains controversial, in part, because of uncertainty about the ability of endoscopic biopsies to consistently detect early, curable cancers. Here we report cancers we have diagnosed in 45 patients with Barrett's HGD using a protocol involving serial endoscopies with four-quadrant biopsies taken at 1-cm intervals. We compare these results to a modeled endoscopic biopsy protocol in which four-quadrant biopsies are taken every 2 cm in the Barrett's segment. Thirteen cancers were detected at the baseline endoscopy and 32 in surveillance. In 82% of patients, cancer was detected at a single 1-cm level of the esophagus, and in 69% the cancer was detected in a single endoscopic biopsy specimen. A 2-cm protocol missed 50% of cancers that were detected by a 1-cm protocol in Barrett's segments 2 cm or more without visible lesions. The maximum depth of cancer invasion was intramucosal in 96% of patients. Only 39% of patients who had endoscopic biopsy cancer diagnoses had cancer detected in the esophagectomy specimen. Adverse outcomes included the development of regional metastatic disease during surveillance (1 of 32), operative mortality (3 of 36), including two patients who had their primary surgeries at other institutions, and death from metastatic disease after endoscopic ablation performed at another institution (1 of 3). A four-quadrant, 1-cm endoscopic biopsy protocol performed at closely timed intervals consistently detects early cancers arising in HGD in Barrett's esophagus and should be used in patients with HGD who do not undergo surgical resection.
Nature Biotechnology, 2002
Nature Biotechnology, 2002
Journal of Visualized Experiments, 2011
Electric fields, generated by active transport of ions, are present in many biological systems an... more Electric fields, generated by active transport of ions, are present in many biological systems and often serve important functions in tissues and organs. For example, they play an important role in directing cell migration during wound healing. Here we describe the manufacture and use of ultrasensitive vibrating probes for measuring extracellular electric currents. The probe is an insulated, sharpened metal wire with a small platinum-black tip (30-35 μm), which can detect ionic currents in the μA/cm(2) range in physiological saline. The probe is vibrated at about 200 Hz by a piezoelectric bender. In the presence of an ionic current, the probe detects a voltage difference between the extremes of its movement. A lock-in amplifier filters out extraneous noise by locking on to the probe's frequency of vibration. Data are recorded onto computer. The probe is calibrated at the start and end of experiments in appropriate saline, using a chamber which applies a current of exactly 1.5 μA/cm(2). We describe how to make the probes, set up the system and calibrate. We also demonstrate the technique of cornea measurement, and show some representative results from different specimens (cornea, skin, brain).
Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 2011
FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2005
Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2011
Wound Repair and Regeneration, 2012
Migration of epidermal stem cells (EpSCs) into wounds may play an important role in wound healing... more Migration of epidermal stem cells (EpSCs) into wounds may play an important role in wound healing. Endogenous electric fields (EFs) arise naturally at wounds. Consistent with previous reports, we measured outward electric currents at rat skin wounds using vibrating probes. Topical use of prostaglandin E2 significantly promoted wound healing. However, it is not known whether EpSCs respond to EFs. We first isolated and characterized EpSCs from rat skin. We then demonstrated that EpSCs isolated from the epidermis migrated directionally toward the cathode in EFs of 50-400 mV/mm. The directedness values increased in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. The migration speed of EpSCs was significantly increased in EFs. EFs induced asymmetric polymerization of intracellular F-actin and activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B pathways. Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, or PI3K significantly inhibited the cathodal distribution of F-actin and the electrotactic response of EpSCs. These data for the first time show that EpSCs possess obvious electrotaxis, in which the epidermal growth factor receptor-mitogen activated protein kinase-PI3K pathways are involved. These data thus suggest a novel aspect of electric signaling in wound healing-to stimulate and guide migration of EpSCs and to regulate wound healing.
Nature Biotechnology, 2002
Nature Biotechnology, 2003
Geophysical Research Letters, 1987
Geophysical Research Letters, 1988
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 1991
Biopsies of the esophagus, stomach, and intestine are most often obtained using the traditional a... more Biopsies of the esophagus, stomach, and intestine are most often obtained using the traditional advance-and-close method with flexible endoscopes by extending an open forceps several millimeters beyond the endoscope tip to sample the mucosa, all under direct vision. We developed an alternative "turn-and-suction" endoscopic biopsy technique that permits the acquisition of larger mucosal samples. The biopsy forceps is advanced into the lumen, opened, and withdrawn backward until it is flush with the endoscope tip. Next, the endoscope tip is turned gently into the wall while air is suctioned from the lumen, and the biopsy forceps is very slightly advanced and then closed, usually without direct visualization. After straightening the endoscope tip, the biopsy is obtained by withdrawing the forceps and avulsing a superficial mucosal sample. By using this new method, we have safely taken over 10,000 biopsies without complications in endoscopic surveillance research protocols in patients at risk for gastrointestinal cancer. To compare the sizes of biopsies obtained with these two techniques, histologic sections of 341 mucosal samples from 12 patients with chronic ulcerative colitis were studied retrospectively. The mean greatest length of biopsy sections using the traditional technique was 4.72 mm, and using our new technique was 7.35 mm (56% longer). The turn-and-suction endoscopic biopsy method is best applied when flat mucosa is randomly sampled to seek microscopic pathologic changes that are not visible endoscopically, and may be advantageous for various non-histologic research analyses of gastrointestinal mucosa which are limited by tissue quantity.
Environment International, 2008
Developmental Biology, 2009
American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 1986
Hereditary gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes can be divided into adenomatous and hamartomatous... more Hereditary gastrointestinal polyposis syndromes can be divided into adenomatous and hamartomatous types. Familial adenomatous polyposis coli (FAPC) is the prototype adenomatous polyposis syndrome and is defined by the autosomal dominant transmission of multiple (more than 100) colorectal adenomas. Virtually all affected patients develop colorectal carcinoma if untreated. Adenomas may develop also in the stomach and small bowel in FAPC patients, but the incidence of carcinoma in these sites is low. A variety of extracolonic manifestations has been reported in FAPC, with the name Gardner's syndrome applied to kindreds with osteomas of the skull and mandible, multiple epidermal cysts, and other skin and soft-tissue lesions. In Turcot's syndrome, brain tumors are present. The distinction between Gardner's and Turcot's syndromes and classical FAPC has become blurred because of marked overlap between them; some authorities consider them to be varying manifestations of a single genetic defect. The hamartomatous polyposes include Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, familial juvenile polyposis, Cowden's disease, intestinal ganglioneuromatosis, and the Ruvalcaba-Myrhe-Smith syndrome. The incidence of gastrointestinal cancer in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and familial juvenile polyposis exceeds that in the normal population, but is relatively low. In Cowden's disease, the gastrointestinal tract may be the site of multiple hamartomas, but there is no associated increase in the incidence of gastrointestinal cancers; instead, there is an increased incidence of carcinoma of the breast and thyroid. Intestinal ganglioneuromatosis occurs in von Recklinghausen's disease, in association with multiple endocrine neoplasia, type 2b, or as an isolated abnormality. Patients with ganglioneuromatosis do not appear to have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal cancer. Ruvalcaba-Myrhe-Smith syndrome comprises macrocephaly, mental deficiency, an unusual craniofacial appearance, hamartomatous intestinal polyposis, and pigmented macules on the penis. No increased risk of developing cancer has been identified in the few reported cases.
Fems Microbiology Letters, 2001
American Journal of Gastroenterology, 2000
The of high-grade dysplasia management (HGD) in Barrett's esophagus remains contr... more The of high-grade dysplasia management (HGD) in Barrett's esophagus remains controversial, in part, because of uncertainty about the ability of endoscopic biopsies to consistently detect early, curable cancers. Here we report cancers we have diagnosed in 45 patients with Barrett's HGD using a protocol involving serial endoscopies with four-quadrant biopsies taken at 1-cm intervals. We compare these results to a modeled endoscopic biopsy protocol in which four-quadrant biopsies are taken every 2 cm in the Barrett's segment. Thirteen cancers were detected at the baseline endoscopy and 32 in surveillance. In 82% of patients, cancer was detected at a single 1-cm level of the esophagus, and in 69% the cancer was detected in a single endoscopic biopsy specimen. A 2-cm protocol missed 50% of cancers that were detected by a 1-cm protocol in Barrett's segments 2 cm or more without visible lesions. The maximum depth of cancer invasion was intramucosal in 96% of patients. Only 39% of patients who had endoscopic biopsy cancer diagnoses had cancer detected in the esophagectomy specimen. Adverse outcomes included the development of regional metastatic disease during surveillance (1 of 32), operative mortality (3 of 36), including two patients who had their primary surgeries at other institutions, and death from metastatic disease after endoscopic ablation performed at another institution (1 of 3). A four-quadrant, 1-cm endoscopic biopsy protocol performed at closely timed intervals consistently detects early cancers arising in HGD in Barrett's esophagus and should be used in patients with HGD who do not undergo surgical resection.