大白鼠上丘脑片深层部突触传递和LTP的研究

在大白鼠上丘脑片深层部的中层或深层给电刺激、分别在径向对应的深层或中层,记录到诱发的突触后场电位.以100Hz、1秒的强直刺激首次在上丘的深层部引出了长时程突触增强(LTP).N-甲基-D-天冬氨酸(NMDA)受体的选择性拮抗剂2-氨基-5-磷酸戊酸盐(APV)对LTP的阻断效应表明,NMDA受体不仅对上丘深层部LTP的产生有作用.而且也与LTP的维持有关.突触后场电位的幅度受APV或兴奋性氨基酸受体的非选择性拮抗剂犬尿喹啉酸(KYNA)的作用而减小,受γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)A型受体的选择性拮抗剂荷包牡丹碱(Bicu)的作用而增加,表明谷氨酸能神经递质在上丘深层部的兴奋性突触传递中起着重要作用,并且这些突触传递也受到GABA能抑制性突触的调节.     

大白鼠上丘脑片深层部突触传递和LTP的研究

在大白鼠上丘脑片深层部的中层或深层给电刺激、分别在径向对应的深层或中层,记录到诱发的突触后场电位.以100Hz、1秒的强直刺激首次在上丘的深层部引出了长时程突触增强(LTP).N-甲基-D-天冬氨酸(NMDA)受体的选择性拮抗剂2-氨基-5-磷酸戊酸盐(APV)对LTP的阻断效应表明,NMDA受体不仅对上丘深层部LTP的产生有作用.而且也与LTP的维持有关.突触后场电位的幅度受APV或兴奋性氨基酸受体的非选择性拮抗剂犬尿喹啉酸(KYNA)的作用而减小,受γ-氨基丁酸(GABA)A型受体的选择性拮抗剂荷包牡丹碱(Bicu)的作用而增加,表明谷氨酸能神经递质在上丘深层部的兴奋性突触传递中起着重要作用,并且这些突触传递也受到GABA能抑制性突触的调节.     

迷走神经运动背核内心迷走神经元的GABA能突触前支配受谷氨酸能紧张性调控

谷氨酸能和GABA能支配是心迷走节前神经元(cardiac vagal neuron,CVN)的主要兴奋性和抑制性突触传入.在CVN的活动调节中,这两种支配是否有相互作用、以及如何相互作用目前尚不清楚.本研究用神经元逆行荧光染料标记法和电压膜片钳方法证明,谷氨酸NMDA型和非NMDA型受体拮抗剂AP5和CNQX在全脑片应用条件下,对疑核(nucleus ambiguus,NA)内CVN的GABA能突触前活动无明显影响,而对迷走神经运动背核(dorsal motor nucleus ofthe vagus,DMNX)内CVN的GABA能突触前活动有显著的抑制作用.这些观察结果提示支配迷走神经运动背核内CVN的GABA能神经元可能接受紧张性谷氨酸能支配,而支配疑核内CVN的GABA能神经元则没有这种紧张性谷氨酸能支配.疑核内和迷走神经运动背核内CVN的这种调节差异,是两个核团的CVN在心率和心功能调节中功能分工的可能机制之一.     

大鼠下丘脑离体脑薄片视上核神经元的全细胞记录

在大鼠下丘脑薄片标本上对52例视上核神经元进行了全细胞膜片箝记录。膜被动及主动电生理参数测量如下：静息电位,59±8mV;输入阻抗,535±129MΩ;时间常数,32±9ms;动作电位幅度,99±11mV;超射值,37±13mV（n＝39）。大多数神经元在接受去极化刺激时出现明显的慢后超极化电位或电流。我们发现,在电压箱状态下几乎所有的视上核神经元均接受兴奋性和／或抑制性突触传λ（n=13）。药理学实验表明,兴奋性突触后电流是由non－NMDA亚型谷氨酸受体介导,而抑制性突触后电流由GABAA受体介导。     

5—羟色胺抑制离体脊髓运动神经元的突触传递

应用新生大鼠脊髓切片运动神经元(MN)细胞内记录技术,发现5-羟色胺(5-HT)10～100μmol/L灌流可浓度依从地抑制背、腹根刺激在MN诱发的兴奋性突触后电位(EPSP)和抑制性突触后电位,但可增大外源性谷氨酸引起的MN去极化。5-HT对背根性EPSP的抑制无刺激频率依赖性,可为5-HT_(1A)受体激动剂8-OH-DPAT模拟,但不受士的宁、酮色林及MDL 72222的影响。结果表明5-HT可直接激活初级传入纤维末梢5-HT_(1A)受体而抑制MN的突触传递。     

硝酸士的宁对刺激鲫鱼脊髓诱发的Mauthner细胞胞内电位变化的影响

目的探索肌注硝酸士的宁对刺激鲫鱼脊髓所诱发的M细胞胞内电位变化的影响。方法运用微电极穿刺技术记录M细胞的胞内电位变化。结果肌注硝酸士的宁后逆向动作电位后突触后电位（PSPs）的幅度升高,持续时间增加,并可在此基础上暴发动作电位。结论从脊髓到M细胞的传入通路中可能有抑制性递质甘氨酸的释放和相应受体的存在,其与兴奋性递质一起调节M细胞兴奋性,从而使M细胞的活动与整体一致。     

昆虫γ-氨基丁酸受体研究现状

γ-氨基丁酸(gamma-aminobutyric acid,GABA)是脊椎动物和无脊椎动物体内重要的抑制性神经递质,其作用是引起神经传递的抑制,造成突触后膜的超极化,因而抑制动作电位的产生。占领GABA受体或破坏GABA受体的作用即能影响动物(昆虫)正常的突触传递,造成神经功能失常,从而引起死亡。基于此开发的杀虫剂主要有环戊二烯类,阿维菌素类等。近年GABA受体基因及其表达的研究,已为不同的种属GABA受体的亚基组成、生理功能及其对很多杀虫剂药物反应的多样性提供了令人信服的依据。     

幼年大鼠视皮层神经元对闪光刺激的反应特性

哺乳动物视觉系统的发育延续到出生后,大鼠出生后 3~5 周是视觉系统发育的关键期 . 在关键期中,视皮层的兴奋性和抑制性突触连接逐渐成熟,形成有效的皮层内回路 . 为了观察发育关键期大鼠视皮层神经元的反应特性与成年大鼠的异同,使用胞外单细胞记录的方法对比研究了幼年和成年大鼠对闪光刺激的视觉反应特性 . 结果显示：与成年大鼠相比较,幼年大鼠视皮层神经元对持续闪光刺激显示出更强的适应性,对光刺激的诱发放电频率更低,而在没有光刺激时的自发放电频率更高,从而导致信噪比更低 . 这一结果表明,幼年大鼠视皮层对连续刺激的反应能力下降,对信号的分辨能力也更弱,其原因可能是兴奋性突触和抑制性突触发育的不同步所致 .     

刺激迷走神经引起的鲫鱼Mauthner细胞顺向激活

目的 :研究迷走神经感觉传入信息对Mauthner细胞 (M细胞 )兴奋性的影响。方法 :刺激鲫鱼迷走神经 ,并运用微电极穿刺技术记录鲫鱼M细胞胞内电位变化。结果 :在M细胞胞内记录到分级的、复合的兴奋性突触后电位(EPSP) ,分为第一成分和第二成分。随着刺激强度的增大 ,EPSP的幅度增大 ,反应持续时间延长。当刺激强度足够大时 ,在第一成分或第二成分的基础上可爆发动作电位。结论 :①刺激迷走神经可引起M细胞顺向激活 ,这与以往的观点不同 ;②从迷走神经到M细胞的感觉传入通路可能由含有兴奋性和抑制性成分的不同种类的神经链构成 ,M细胞的兴奋性取决于兴奋和抑制之间的相互关系     

兔肠系膜下神经节细胞的两种非胆碱能性慢突触后电位

以常规细胞内记录技术对兔肠系膜下神经节细胞的跨膜电位进行了观察。对节前神经的短串脉冲刺激,可诱发出一串快兴奋性突触后电位(f-EPSP)或顺向动作电位;在此之后,大多数细胞还出现一个持续约2min 的缓慢去极化电位。该电位具有抗箭毒和阿托品性质,受低钙高镁溶液的可逆性阻抑,因而可称为非胆碱能性兴奋性突触后电位,或者也可归入迟慢兴奋性突触后电位(ls-EPSP)。多数细胞的 ls-EPSP 伴有膜电阻增大,电位的幅度随细胞静息电位的超极化而变小;提示在这些细胞上,钾电导的失活很可能参与了电位的发生。以P物质溶液灌流神经节未见该电位有显著改变。另外,在箭毒化加阿托品化的神经节中,还发现少数细胞对节前神经的串刺激发生一个持续约一分钟的超极化电位。它也具有抗胆碱能受体阻断剂的性质,受低钙高镁溶液可逆性阻抑,为此我们命之为“极慢抑制性突触后电位”(vs-IPSP),以区别于“慢抑制性突触后电位”(s-IPSP),后者是通常用以表示一种胆碱能性的慢电位。本文所述的这两种非胆碱能性的突触电位有关递质,尚待探索。     

Ectogenesis and the case against the right to the death of the foetus

Ectogenesis, or the use of an artificial womb to allow a foetus to develop, will likely become a reality within a few decades, and could significantly affect the abortion debate. We first examine the implications for Judith Jarvis Thomson’s violinist analogy, which argues for a woman’s right to withdraw life support from the foetus and so terminate her pregnancy, even if the foetus is granted full moral status. We show that on Thomson’s reasoning, there is no right to the death of the foetus, and abortion is not permissible if ectogenesis is available, provided it is safe and inexpensive. This raises the question of whether there are persuasive reasons for the right to the death of the foetus that could be exercised in the context of ectogenesis. Eric Mathison and Jeremy Davis have examined several arguments for this right, doubting that it exists, while Joona Räsänen has recently criticized their reasoning. We respond to Räsänen’s analysis, concluding that his arguments are unsuccessful, and that there is no right to the death of the foetus in these circumstances.     

On the diversity of the Cladocera in the tropics

The mythical concept of an impoverished tropical cladoceran fauna is refuted. On a planetary scale, around half of the cladoceran species presently known occur exclusively in the tropics-subtropics, often with considerable restriction to particular geographical subzones. On a regional (political) scale, the situation is often unclear because of the continued fragmentary nature of studies, and because political units are not a good basis for biogeographical comparisons. At the finest level of resolution (lake-perlake comparisons), there appears to be an upper limit of c. 50 cladoceran species per individual lake. No significant difference between lakes in the temperate zone and in the tropics could be established here. Daphnia is largely absent from the tropics, but is replaced by more Sidids, Moinids, and Bosminids, such that the average cladoceran community in the limnetic zone of a tropical lake is not characterized by less species but rather by lower population densities. This, in turn, is considered a consequence of higher prevalent predation levels in the tropics.     

Tubular networks in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human,the monkey,the cat and the dog

Summary A tubular network was found in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human, the monkey (Macaca mulatta), the cat and the dog. These tubules are arranged in close groups in the vicinity of the synaptic lamellae and the invaginated dendrites. According to the form, diameter, density of the tubules and to the consistence of the network formed by them one can distinguish at these places an initial type (type I), a transitory (type II) and a vesicular one (type III). In the the type III branching, bizarre forms are frequent. The diameter of all the tubules reaches 500–600 Å, their density and walls being the same as in the synaptic vesicles.Similar networks also occur in the axons of the visual receptor cells of the monkey.

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Zusammenfassung In den Endigungen der Photorezeptorzellen von Mensch, Affe (Macaca mulatta), Katze und Hund kommen aus Tubuli bestehende Komplexe vor. Organellenartig in geschlossenen Gruppen angeordnet, liegen sie in Nähe der synaptischen Lamellen und der invaginierten Dendriten. An diesen Stellen kann man nach Form, Durchmesser, Dichte und Konsistenz der von den Tubuli gebildeten Komplexe drei Typen unterscheiden: 1. einen initialen (Typus I), 2. einen Übergangstypus (Typus II) und 3. einen vesiculären Typus (Typus III). In letzterem kommen häufig verzweigte, bizarre Formen vor. Der Durchmesser sämtlicher Tubuli erreicht 500–600 Å. Ihre Dichte und ihre Wand gleicht denen der synaptischen Vesikel.Ähnliche Komplexe fanden wir auch in den Axonen der Photorezeptorzellen vom Affen.

     

Assessing the Physiological State of the Fucoids from the Barents Sea Littoral by the End of the Polar Night

Methods of amperometry and potentiometric titration were used to follow dark respiration (DR) and apparent photosynthesis (AP) in the fucoids Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol, Fucus vesiculosus L., and F. serratus L. from the Barents Sea littoral by the end of the 40-day-long polar night. The macroalgae were shown to manifest species-specific low rates of photosynthesis and respiration. However, in spite of their low photosynthetic status due to the effects of subzero temperature and prolonged low or zero illumination, the macroalgae have been able to restore DR and AP to the initial level already by the day 9; the ability to restore AP depended on the level of illumination. The study of the changes in the carbonate–bicarbonate system in the light and darkness demonstrated that the macroalgae grown in darkness, in contrast to those grown in twilight, could absorb bicarbonate in darkness; however, they lost this capacity after two-day-long illumination at an irradiance of 7 mol/(m² s). Bicarbonate uptake in darkness and the capacity to restore the systems of photosynthesis and respiration in fucoid cells are discussed in the context of algal energy metabolism under the polar night conditions.     

Arranging the elements of the potassium channel: the T1 domain occludes the cytoplasmic face of the channel

The voltage-gated potassium channel is currently one of the few membrane proteins where functional roles have been mapped onto specific segments of sequence. Although high-resolution structures of the transmembrane portions of three bacterial potassium channels, the tetramerization domain and the cytoplasmic ball are available, their relative spatial arrangement in mammalian channels remains a matter of ongoing debate. Cryo-electron microscopic images of the six transmembrane voltage-gated Kv channel have been reconstructed at up to 18 Å resolution, revealing that the T1 domain tetramerizes and is suspended below the transmembrane segments. However, the resolution of these images is insufficient to reveal the location of the third piece of the puzzle, the inactivating ball domain. We have used the aberrant interactions observed in a series of chimæric channels to establish that an assembled T1 domain restricts access to the cytoplasmic face of the channel, suggesting that the N-terminal ball and chain may be confined in the space between the T1 domain and the transmembrane portion of the channel.     

Separation of the pineal vesicle from the wall of the third ventricle during the post-hatching development of the chicken

Summary According to light- and electron-microscopic observations the pineal organ of the 3-day-old chicken consists of a prominent end vesicle and a tapering parenchymal stalk. During this stage the pineal lumen is in open communication with the third ventricle. However, in the 40-day-old chicken, which still possesses a well-developed end vesicle, the proximal portion of the pineal stalk displays regressive changes leading to local fragmentation. At this stage the pineal stalk is reduced, and the pineal lumen is missing. In 1-year-old chickens the parenchyma of the proximal portion of the stalk is further diminished, and in 3-year-old domestic fowl is completely displaced by bundles of collagenous fibers, only some nerve fibers being present. This post-hatching pineal development may reflect the sequence of changes leading from pineal sense organs to pineal glands.This work was supported by a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan     

Observations on the permeability of the choriocapillaris of the eye

Summary The choriocapillaris is a fenestrated capillary bed located posterior to the retinal pigment epithelium. It serves as the main source of supply to the photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and other cells of the outer retina. The permeability of these capillaries to intravenously injected ferritin (MW — approx. 480,000; mol. diam. 11 nm) was examined in the mouse, rabbit, and guinea pig, each of which is characterized by a different type of retinal vascularization. In all three species, the bulk of the ferritin remained in the capillary lumina, where it appeared to be blocked at the level of the diaphragmed fenestrae. Some ferritin was present in endothelial cell vacuoles. The results confirm previous work on the rat choriocapillaris and indicate that the barrier function of the choriocapillary endothelium is present even among species in which the retinal circulation differs significantly.Supported by NIH grant EY03418     

On the Dependence of the Quadratic Risk of the Classical Predictor and the Prediction-Horizon

When constructing predictors on the basis of the linear model of time series of various indicators often the question arises on the dependence of forecasting accuracy and the changing prediction horizon. The dependency of the quadratic risk of the classical predictor and the time horizon is considered.