What is Laminin?
 Laminin is a protein found in the "extracellular matrix“ or
any extra substance that are within the cell’s tissue. These
are the sheets of protein that form the substrate (a
substance acted upon by an enzyme) of all internal organs.
 It's actually made up of three separate parts, called the A,
B1, and B2 chains. That gives it a total of six "ends", which
accounts for a lot of its flexibility in connecting up various
kinds of molecules.
 Laminin is also a glycoprotein which is any of a group of
complex proteins, containing a carbohydrate combined
with a simple protein.
 Basically, Laminin is extremely important because it makes
sure that your overall body structures hold together.
Description of Appearance
 It consists of three chains, bound to each other by
disulfide bonds into a cross-shaped molecule having
the appearance of one long and three short arms, with
globules at each end.
Discovery
 Laminin was discovered in 1979 by Rupert Timpl who
was also responsible for the isolation and localization
of the molecule.
 Timpl earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from the
University of Graz in 1966, and in 1967 he became an
Assistant in the Department of Immunology at the
University of Vienna, Austria. He also became a
Scientific Member and Director of the Department of
Protein Chemistry in 1992.
Rupert Timpl
Pathology
Pitted teeth
 There is a certain laminin that if it is dysfunctional then it can cause a
form of congenital muscular dystrophy. This laminin’s special area of
work is to the brain and muscle fibers. Or you may just fall apart in a
way similar to aging, a condition called "progeria".
 Any abnormal lamnins can cause many problems within the body such
as pitted teeth or if in the kidney filter it can cause leakage of protein in
to the urine and cause nephritic syndrome. Which is kidney disease,
especially marked by non-inflammatory degeneration (loss of fictional
activity) of the tubular system.
Hana Hwang (left) has
Progeria. This is aYouTube
video of her making Selena a
Bracelet.
http://www.youtube.com/wa
tch?v=N-5W64CAEEI
Laminin Networks
 Laminins also bind to cell membranes through integrin
receptors and other plasma membrane molecules, such as
the Lutheran blood group glycoprotein.
 Through interactions such as these they not only just
contribute to cell attachment and differentiation (cell
separation in to different parts) but as well as cell shape
and movement, maintance of tissue phenotype, and
promote tissue survival.
 Definition of a phenotype: the appearance of an organism
resulting from the interaction of the genotype (the sum
total of genes transmitted from parent to offspring) and the
environment.
Types of Laminin
 Fifteen different types of Laminin have been identified so far these
types consist of making various combinations with the three chains,
alpha-, beta-and gamma-chains
 There are five forms of alpha-chains that correspond numerically
for example; LAMA1 is LAM(Laminin)A(alpha-chain) 1(first form)
 There are four beta-chains that are scientifically written the same
way as an alpha-chain but changes to look like this; LAMB2
 There are also three gamma-chains that follow the same notation as
the alpha- and beta-chains but look like this; LAMC3
Newest stem cells?
 Some laminins have recently been proven to be able to be used to
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culture cells (train cells to do a different job than intended) if two
laminins are mixed, specifically the laminins 511 and 521 from a human
placenta. They recombine the laminins to make up the new stem cells.
A placenta is an organ in most mammals, formed in the lining of the
uterus by the union of the uterine mucous membrane with the
membranes of the fetus, that provides for the nourishment of the fetus
and the elimination of its waste products.
Basically a placenta is the passage way of the nourishments that the
mother eats in her food gets broken down in this organ to go to the
baby and it also acts as a trash can for the baby’s wastes.
Some protein isoforms (several different forms of the same protein) are
impossible to isolate from their tissue in a pure form due to the need
for a harsh extraction conditions like low pH that caused degradation.
Scientists have used them to create artificial substrates for transplants.
Biblography
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Laminin- Wikipedia
Answers.com topic Laminin
Google images
Laminin Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNL5ma9XNMk&feature=related
Blog about Laminin:
http://pakulakmadness.blogspot.com/2007/02/laminin.html
Dictionary.com for definitions
Discovery of Laminin: When was laminin discovered? | Answerbag
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/2165832#ixzz1n5S6pg8k
Basic information on Laminin:
http://askville.amazon.com/Laminin/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=492
5085
Louie Giglio: How Great is Our God? Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1QGustjXO4