Anti-SELE monoclonal antibody, clone CL2/6 [FITC]

The Paleogene Sele Formation spans across the basinal areas of the UK Central North Sea and comprises a very laterally extensive deep-marine fan system, namely the Forties Sandstone Member, a very important oil and gas reservoir horizon. The development of this turbidite system across the basin floor resulted from the response to sea-level changes and fluctuating sediment yield from the continental landmass influenced by hinterland uplift and climate. In order to understand the distribution of terrestrially sourced and marine palynomorphs in this depositional system comprising stacked turbidite flows, statistical analyses of palynology data from 41 wells have been conducted. These statistical studies support the division of the microplankton into nine groups, clustering taxa depending on their ecology and taphonomy. It is observed that the palynological assemblages are influenced by sediment provenance across the turbidite fans, the landmass vegetation ecology, and the marine micro-plankton populations varying across the basin. The dominant derived cluster groups B (peridinioids dominated by Apectodinium species) and E (probably autotrophic gonyaulacoids) comprise about 70% of the taxa recorded. These dinoflagellates bloomed as a result of low salinity surface waters and an increase in water-mass eutrophication resulting from the greenhouse climate optimal conditions of the PETM. The pollen and spore data, although challenging to interpret due to the varied quality of the data set, supports the interplay of a coastal wetland vegetation on extensive marginal delta systems, with associated wetland and swamp environments.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common disease of the elderly that leads to loss of the central visual field due to atrophic or neovascular events. Evidence from human eyes and animal models suggests an important role for macrophages and endothelial cell activation in the pathogenesis of AMD. We sought to determine whether common ancestral variants in genes encoding the selectin family of proteins are associated with AMD. Methods: Expression of E-selectin, L-selectin and P-selectin was examined in choroid and retina by quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence. Samples from patients with AMD (n = 341) and controls (n = 400) were genotyped at a total of 34 SNPs in the SELE, SELL and SELP genes. Allele and genotype frequencies at these SNPs were compared between AMD patients and controls as well as between subtypes of AMD (dry, geographic atrophy, and wet) and controls. Results: High expression of all three selectin genes was observed in the choroid as compared to the retina. Some selectin labeling of retinal microglia, drusen cores and the choroidal vasculature was observed. In the genetic screen of AMD versus controls, no positive associations were observed for SELE or SELL. One SNP in SELP (rs3917751) produced p-values < 0.05 (uncorrected for multiple measures). In the subtype analyses, 6 SNPs (one in SELE, two in SELL, and three in SELP) produced p-values < 0.05. However, when adjusted for multiple measures with a Bonferroni correction, only one SNP in SELP (rs3917751) produced a statistically significant p-value (p = 0.0029). Conclusions: This genetic screen did not detect any SNPs that were highly associated with AMD affection status overall. However, subtype analysis showed that a single SNP located within an intron of SELP (rs3917751) is statistically associated with dry AMD in our cohort. Future studies with additional cohorts and functional assays will clarify the biological significance of this discovery. Based on our findings, it is unlikely that common ancestral variants in the other selectin genes (SELE and SELL) are risk factors for AMD. Finally, it remains possible that sporadic or rare mutations in SELE, SELL, or SELP have a role in the pathogenesis of AMD.