Research resources with associated information are the most essential materials in the study and application of the life sciences, since these are employed in everything from basic research to advanced industrial high technology. Numerous nations recognize the importance of these scientific assets and are simultaneously enhancing their internal security measures and strengthening international cooperation to protect and share them. Consequently, most resource centers are sustained by governments under various national strategic plans. The Korea National Research Resource Center (KNRRC) is supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MEST) and consists of 33 research resource centers (RRCs), 5 core centers, and a head office. Its collection includes microorganisms, plants, animals, human specimens, and non-biologic materials. The KNRRC headquarters provides a total management system for the RRCs including database management, guidelines and educational programs, and certification of resources, workers, and the research centers themselves. These supervisory powers are granted to the KNRRC headquarters under national legislation entitled "Management and Application for Biological Resources." The KNRRC has signed memorandums of understanding for cooperation with 9 national and 5 international agencies. The former include the National Agro-biodiversity Center, the Rural Development Administration, and the Functional Proteomics Center, and the latter include the International Vaccine Institute and the RIKEN BRC of Japan. Currently, the KNRRC is serving as head office of the Asian Chapter of the International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories.

Tetra cell adhesion molecule(T-CAM) is a new recombinant mixture of fibronectin and ig-h3. Fibronectin and ig-h3 are extracellular matriprotein involved in each phase of wound healing, and the combination of these materials may generate a synergistic effect in wound healing. Regenin is easily attainable from protein recombination. It can be developed as wound healing material, and also it has a good effect in cell adhesion and proliferation. We combined the chitosan with regenin or T-CAM at different concentration, which are gene recombination material. They were applied to the artificial wound of white rabbit to compare the healing effect in each group. Round full thickness skin defects, 3 cm in diameter, were made bilaterally on the dorsolateral aspect of New Zealand white rabbit. Experimental group was divided into 6 groups, according to concentration of T-CAM and regenin with chitosan-based dressing materials as followings; Group C: control group - oint material dressing, Group Ch: chitosan base only, Group T1: chitosan base in combination with 25g/ml of T-CAM, Group T2: chitosan base in combination with 625g/ml of T-CAM, Group R1: chitosan base in combination with 25g/ml of Regenin, Group R2: chitosan base in combination with 625g/ml of Regenin. Gross findings by means of percentage of wound contraction, percentage of wound epithelization and percentage of total wound healed area were compared with surface tracing of the remained wound area at the time of 7, 14, 21 days after wound formation. Wound biopsy were performed at the time of 7, 14, 21 days after wound formation. T1, T2 group and R1, R2 groups have less infiltration of inflammtory cell, fast appearance of new vessels, fibroblast, increased volume of collagen fiber comparing to C and Ch group. there's more statistical significance between T1 and T2 group. The same results were shown in Regenin group. In conclusion, our results suggest that T-CAM and Regenin have good effect in wound healing and higher concentration of T-CAM and Regenin is more effective in wound healing than lower concentration. In addition, comparision of same concentration of T-CAM and Regenin group presented almost same results.

Background:Activation of transforming growth factor- (TGF-) system has been implicated in the pathological change of diabetic nephropathy such as renal hypertrophy and accumulation of extracellular matrix. In tissues, TGF- is secreted as a biologically inactive complex requiring in vivo activation. Thus, increased TGF-1 mRNA or protein may not necessarily reflect parallel changes in TGF-1 biologic activity. TGF-1 inducible gene-h3 (ig-h3) is a novel gene uniquely up-regulated by active TGF-1. Methods:For evaluating the ig-h3 protein expression in human diabetic nephropathy, we examed the expression of ig-h3 protein, TGF-1, TGF- type II receptor (TRII) and Smad protein intranuclear translocation by immunohistochemistry in human diabetic nephropathy tissues (n=11) and normal renal tissue (n=3). Results:The ig-h3 protein was expressed in diabetic tubular epithelium (diabetes vs. normal 7/11 vs. 0/3) and diabetic glomerulus (diabetes vs. normal 5/11 vs. 0/3). The tubular expression was stronger than the interstitial expression. The TGF-1 was expressed in diabetic tubular epithelium (diabetes vs. normal 1/11 vs. 0/3) and diabetic glomerulus (diabetes vs. normal 3/11 vs. 0/3). The TGF- type II was expressed more in diabetic glomerulus (diabetes vs normal 6/11 vs. 1/3). But in the tubule, the expression didn't show any significant difference. The number of intranuclear translocation of Smad protein in glomerulus (diabetes vs normal 49.10.3 vs. 40.10.8) was increased in diabetes, but the tubular manifestation was not significant. Conclusion:We propose that TGF- system mediates human diabetic nephropathy through ig- h3 protein expression. The ig-h3 protein expression could be a useful marker expecting of disease activity and progress.

betaig-h3 is an extracellular matrix protein and its expression is highly induced by TGF-beta and it has also been suggested to play important roles in skin wound healing. In this paper, we demonstrate that betaig-h3 is present in the papillary layer of dermis and synthesized in the basal keratinocytes in vivo and its expression is induced by TGF-beta in normal human keratinocytes (NHEK) and HaCaT cells. betaig-h3 mediates not only adhesion and spreading of keratinocytes but also supports migration and proliferation. These activities are mediated through interacting with alpha3beta1 integrin. Previously identified two alpha3beta1 integrin-interacting motifs of betaig-h3, EPDIM, and NKDIL, are responsible for these activities. The results suggest that betaig-h3 may regulate keratinocyte functions in normal skin and potentially during wound-healing process.