Calprotectin/signalling - HELP A (medical)DOCTOR? (Mar/09/2005 )
Greetings,
I'm a paediatric gastroenterologist and starting PhD research into inflammatory states affecting children and a specific interest into Calprotectin and its application as a marker of inflammation in the gut (inflammatory bowel disease, gut permeability, food allergies, etc.).
'Purely' medical journals explain basic information on the validity of this molecule as an aid to test the presence or absence of disease in the gut.
However since I am a clinician, it is rather hard to find comprehensive information about this molecule's structure, its origins, its specific inter/actions and effects. I would be very grateful indeed if someone could point me in the right direction. Non-clinical literature searches have yielded alot of very detailed information that is confusing at best! Does a map of pathway/s exist? Is there just one chemical name for this molecule or do more exist?
I would be very happy indeed to read from anyone who could help me in this endeavour.
Many thanks,
Konrad
Oh, if anyone can suggest a source of information where I can see a pathway map of how white cells interact with sites of inflammation - which mediators evoke which response - I would be grateful.
Many thanks,
Konrad noni™ 
With you're request, you're deep into immunology now... I'd recommend to search the pubmed for literature reviews regarding IBD, Crohn's disease or mucosal immunity & inflammation. Helicobacter pylori is maybe worth a look, since it causes dramatic inflammation in gastric mucosa, and some mechanisms look similar to IBD. Otherwise you may want to screen the papers about the DSS colitis mouse model...
sorry that I can't answer your question more precise here, but
is a loooong and complex story!
mike
Cheers mate,
I have been troweling PubMed for millenia and there is a hell of alot of info. The main problem is to somehow visualize the pathways - I wish I could find some kind of schematic diagram with "pictures and arrows" that would aid me into understanding how the signalling pathways tie in with each other. Hell, I'm even willing to fly anywhere on the globe if someone would explain in half an hour whats taking me weeks!
Well thanks again and if you have any bright ideas then please do let me know.
Regards,
Konrad