济南市南部山区不同模式庭院林空气负离子浓度

以济南市南部山区5种典型庭院林和1个无林庭院为对象,2010年3-12月对其空气负离子和相关气象因子进行同步观测.结果表明： 不同模式庭院林空气负离子浓度呈明显的季节变化,夏季>秋季>春季>冬季;其中,日变化呈双峰曲线,峰值分别出现在10:00-11:00和16:00-17:00,12:00前后出现低谷.日空气质量均在10:00和16:00最清洁,下午的空气质量优于上午;夏季空气质量最佳;园林小品型四季空气质量等级最高.不同模式庭院林年均空气负离子浓度和离子评议系数（CI）大小排序为：园林小品型>经济林果型>自然绿化型>花卉盆景型>“农家乐”型>对照.负离子浓度分别为813、745、695、688、649和570 个·cm^-3;CI为1.22、1.11、0.85、0.84、0.83和0.69.园林小品型庭院林为最理想的庭院林模式.空气负离子浓度与空气温度和相对湿度呈显著正相关,与光照强度没有相关性.     

合肥市不同生态功能区空气负离子浓度分布特征及其与气象因子的关系

空气负离子浓度与空气环境质量密切相关.以合肥市为研究对象,按照4个生态功能区(公园游览区、生活居住区、商业交通繁华区和工业区),同步进行了空气负离子浓度、主要气象要素(光照强度、气温、空气相对湿度等)观测.不同功能区空气负离子浓度的日变化特点是: 公园游览区和生活居住区日变化呈单峰形式,工业区呈双峰形式,而商业交通繁华区则比较复杂;极值出现的时间也有差异;4个功能区空气负离子浓度日变化的波动性从大到小依次为商业交通繁华区＞工业区＞生活居住区＞公园游览区.4个功能区空气负离子浓度年变化趋势基本一致,夏季最高,冬季最低.公园游览区、生活居住区、商业交通繁华区和工业区空气负离子浓度年平均值分别是819、340、149和126 个·cm^-3.影响合肥市空气负离子浓度的最主要气象因子是空气相对湿度,其次是光照强度,最小为气温.空气负离子浓度与空气相对湿度呈指数递增关系.     

干旱半干旱城市公园绿地PM2.5与空气负离子浓度动态特征

于2020—2021年不同季节在晴天、晴间多云为主的天气条件下，选择呼和浩特市敕勒川公园5种不同植被配置结构及公园西侧入口处(硬质铺装，对照点CK)作为观测点，07:00—19:00同步观测PM_2.5、空气负离子浓度，并对公园内污染和空气负离子变化特征及其影响因素进行分析。结果表明：秋季不同配置结构PM_2.5表现最高，夏季最低；春季日变化曲线呈下降趋势，夏季、冬季呈“双峰双谷”型，秋季呈“单峰单谷”型；公园内不同季节各配置结构PM_2.5浓度日变化均达到环境空气质量Ⅱ级标准以上。除春季外，各季节不同观测点空气负离子浓度均高于CK;春季、夏季空气负离子浓度日变化曲线大致呈“中午低，早晚高”的变化趋势，秋季、冬季空气负离子日变化表现为波动变化态势。公园内不同季节空气离子评价系数(CI)均值为夏季>秋季>冬季>春季，均值评价等级均在中等(Ⅲ)和允许(Ⅳ)浓度范围内，不同季节复层配置结构CI值较高。空气负离子浓度与PM_2.5浓度的相关性在不同季节显著度有所不同；PM_2.5     

亚热带天然阔叶林转换为杉木人工林对土壤呼吸的影响

采用静态箱-气相色谱法对浙江省临安市玲珑山风景区天然阔叶林和由天然阔叶林改造的杉木人工林的土壤呼吸进行1年的定位监测.结果表明：天然阔叶林和杉木人工林土壤CO₂排放速率均呈现一致的季节性变化规律即夏秋季高、冬春季低;天然阔叶林和杉木人工林土壤CO₂排放速率分别为20.0～111.3和4.1～118.6 mg C·m^-2·h^-1;天然阔叶林土壤CO₂年累积排放通量（16.46 t CO₂·hm^-2·a^-1）显著高于杉木人工林（11.99 t CO₂·hm^-2·a^-1）.天然阔叶林和杉木人工林土壤CO₂排放速率与土壤含水量均没有显著相关性,而与5 cm处土壤温度呈显著指数相关,Q₁₀值分别为1.44和2.97;天然阔叶林土壤CO₂排放速率与土壤水溶性碳（WSOC）含量无显著相关性,杉木人工林土壤CO₂排放速率与WSOC含量呈显著相关.天然阔叶林转换为杉木人工林显著降低了土壤CO₂排放,提高了土壤呼吸对环境因子的敏感性.
     

基于控制试验的植株数量及空气温湿度与负离子的关系

空气负离子(NAI)作为评价大气环境质量的重要指标,以往研究侧重于野外观测试验,关于控制条件下的NAI研究甚少.本研究于2018年9-10月在浙江钱江源森林生态站杭州虎山试验基地人工气候室内控制相同气候条件下,对枫香和红豆杉不同植株数量的NAI浓度进行连续定位监测;在其他条件一致的情况下,分别设置空气温度和相对湿度的不同梯度,监测NAI浓度变化,旨在为探究森林植被和气象因子对NAI作用机理提供理论依据.结果表明: 两种植物显著提高NAI浓度.植株数量与NAI浓度呈极显著正相关,二者在0~50株范围内最符合二次函数关系,枫香、红豆杉的NAI浓度与株数的拟合方程分别为y=-0.0484x²+4.7005x+345.7(R²=0.62)、y=-0.0207x²+1.9189x+365.91(R²=0.34).NAI浓度与空气温度在5~30 ℃范围内呈极显著正相关,拟合方程为y=0.4139x²-9.2229x+89.919(R²=0.92).NAI浓度与空气相对湿度在56％~87％范围内呈极显著正相关,拟合方程为y=3.6508e^{0.0526x(R2=0.94).}     

脱甲河水系CH4关键产生途径及其稳定碳同位素特征

为明确脱甲河溶存CH₄关键产生途径,明晰水系碳同位素组成及其分布特征,为小流域CH₄排放估算和减排提供数据支撑.利用双层扩散模型法估算了CH₄浓度和传输通量,研究了周年内脱甲河4级河段(S₁～S₄)水体CH₄通量的时空分布及其主控环境因子;运用稳定同位素方法探究了溶存CH₄关键产生途径,分析了溶解CH₄、悬浮颗粒物和沉积物有机质δ¹³C分布特征.结果表明: 水体pH均值为(7.27±0.03),各河段四季差异均显著;溶解氧(DO)在0.43～13.99 mg·L^-1内变化,S₁河段DO浓度最高且夏、秋季差异显著,其他河段均为冬与春、夏、秋季差异显著;可溶性有机碳(DOC)变化范围是0.34～8.32 mg·L^-1,由S₁至S₄河段总体呈递增趋势;水体电导率(EC)和氧化还原电位(ORP)变化范围分别是17～436 μS·cm^-1和-52.30～674.10 mV,各河段差异明显;铵态氮(NH₄⁺-N)、硝态氮(NO₃^--N)浓度分别在0.30～1.35(平均0.90±0.10) mg·L^-1和0.82～2.45 (平均1.62±0.16) mg·L^-1内变化.溶存CH₄浓度和传输通量变化范围分别是0～5.28 (平均0.46±0.06) μmol·L^-1和-0.34～619.72 (平均53.88±7.15) μg C·m^-2·h^-1;均存在时空变化且变异规律相似,为春季>冬季>夏季>秋季,S₂>S₃>S₄>S₁.通量与水体铵态氮和DOC浓度均呈显著正相关.各级河段均以乙酸发酵产甲烷途径为主导,但不同河段差异明显,乙酸发酵途径产CH₄贡献率以S₁河段最高(87%),其次为S₄(81%),S₂、S₃分别达到78%和76%.溶存CH₄、悬浮颗粒物和沉积物有机质的δ¹³C均值分别为-41.64‰±1.91‰、-14.07‰±1.06‰和-26.20‰±1.02‰,溶存甲烷δ¹³C与沉积物有机质的δ¹³C呈显著正相关,与其传输通量呈极显著负相关.     

黑河中游干旱绿洲土壤盐渍化对大型土壤动物群落的影响

以内陆干旱区黑河中游绿洲边缘区天然沙质草地及其转变的人工梭梭灌木林（21 a）、人工杨树林（28 a）、人工樟子松林（33 a）和农田（开垦27 a和100 a）为研究对象,对6种样地土壤盐渍化和大型土壤动物群落特征进行调查,采用多变量排序、多元回归和通径分析及一元回归分析等方法,研究了不同土地覆被和管理措施下土壤动物群落组成及对土壤盐碱环境变化的响应.结果表明: 在缺乏管理措施的情况下,单纯改变土地覆被并不会显著影响土壤动物群落结构;而在有管理措施的情况下,土地覆被变化与管理措施耦合可显著改变土壤动物群落结构.土壤动物群落演变受到土壤pH、可溶性盐及Na⁺、Cl^-、HCO₃^-、Mg²⁺浓度的共同影响,其中Na⁺和可溶性盐含量的贡献率最大,是关键影响因子.土壤动物密度和类群丰富度与土壤中的Na⁺和可溶性盐含量呈显著负指数函数关系,与Mg²⁺和HCO₃^-含量呈显著二次曲线关系.研究区土壤动物密度和类群丰富度在Mg²⁺和HCO₃^-含量达到生态阈值点（分别为38.7～39.4 mg·kg^-1和324.9～335.3 mg·kg^-1）时达到峰值（40～43只·m^-2和13～14科·m^-2）.此后,随着Mg²⁺和HCO₃^-含量的增加, 土壤动物密度和类群丰富度下降.     

脱甲河水系CH_4关键产生途径及其稳定碳同位素特征

为明确脱甲河溶存CH_4关键产生途径,明晰水系碳同位素组成及其分布特征,为小流域CH_4排放估算和减排提供数据支撑.利用双层扩散模型法估算了CH_4浓度和传输通量,研究了周年内脱甲河4级河段(S_1~S_4)水体CH_4通量的时空分布及其主控环境因子;运用稳定同位素方法探究了溶存CH_4关键产生途径,分析了溶解CH_4、悬浮颗粒物和沉积物有机质δ¹³C分布特征.结果表明:水体pH均值为(7.27±0.03),各河段四季差异均显著;溶解氧(DO)在0.43~13.99 mg·L^-1内变化,S_1河段DO浓度最高且夏、秋季差异显著,其他河段均为冬与春、夏、秋季差异显著;可溶性有机碳(DOC)变化范围是0.34~8.32 mg·L^-1,由S_1至S_4河段总体呈递增趋势;水体电导率(EC)和氧化还原电位(ORP)变化范围分别是17~436μS·cm^-1和-52.30~674.10 mV,各河段差异明显;铵态氮(NH_4^+-N)、硝态氮(NO_3^--N)浓度分别在0.30~1.35(平均0.90±0.10)mg·L^-1和0.82~2.45(平均1.62±0.16)mg·L^-1内变化.溶存CH_4浓度和传输通量变化范围分别是0~5.28(平均0.46±0.06)μmol·L^-1和-0.34~619.72(平均53.88±7.15)μg C·m^-2·h^-1;均存在时空变化且变异规律相似,为春季>冬季>夏季>秋季,S_2>S_3>S_4>S_1.通量与水体铵态氮和DOC浓度均呈显著正相关.各级河段均以乙酸发酵产甲烷途径为主导,但不同河段差异明显,乙酸发酵途径产CH_4贡献率以S_1河段最高(87%),其次为S_4(81%),S_2、S_3分别达到78%和76%.溶存CH_4、悬浮颗粒物和沉积物有机质的δ¹³C均值分别为-41.64‰±1.91‰、-14.07‰±1.06‰和-26.20‰±1.02‰,溶存甲烷δ¹³C与沉积物有机质的δ¹³C呈显著正相关,与其传输通量呈极显著负相关.     

黄土丘陵区表层土壤有机碳沿降水梯度的分布

沿368～591 mm降水量梯度选取7个调查地点、共63个调查样点,在每个样点选择恢复年限相近的林地、草地和农地,调查表层（0～30 cm）土壤有机碳的分布特征,分析气候、土层深度和土地利用类型等因素对土壤有机碳分布的影响.结果表明： 在黄土丘陵区368～591 mm的降水量范围内,表层土壤有机碳含量表现为草地（8.70 g·kg^-1）>林地（7.88 g·kg^-1）>农地（7.73 g·kg^-1）,土壤有机碳密度表现为草地（20.28 kg·m^-2）>农地（19.34 kg·m^-2）>林地（17.14 kg·m^-2）.林地、草地、农地的土壤有机碳含量无显著差异,综合3种土地利用类型的数据分析表明,不同降雨梯度下土壤有机碳含量差异显著（P<0.001）,土壤有机碳含量（r=0.838,P<0.001）与年均降水量间存在显著线性正相关关系;由北向南（以最北端鄂尔多斯为起点）,土壤有机碳含量沿着368～591 mm的年均降水量梯度的递增速率为0.04 g·kg^-1·mm^-1,土壤有机碳密度的递增速率为0.08 kg·m^-2·mm^-1.年均降水量、土壤黏粒含量、林下枯落物蓄积量和农作物根系密度可较好地模拟表层土壤有机碳分布.     

珠江口附近海区甲壳类动物的区系特征及其分布状况

根据2006年8月（夏季）、2006年10月（秋季）、2006年12月（冬季）和2007年4月（春季）珠江口附近海区的底拖网调查资料,分析了该海域甲壳类动物的区系特征和分布状况.结果表明：本次调查共采获甲壳类动物54种,分隶于2目17科25属,其中,虾类22种、蟹类22种、虾蛄类10种;该海域甲壳类动物多数为热带 亚热带的暖水性种类,少数为广温性种类,未出现暖温性和冷温性种类;广盐性的种类最多,其次为高盐性种类,低盐性种类最少;大多数种类属于印度洋 西太平洋区系;调查海域的甲壳类动物种类与东海、菲律宾海、印度尼西亚海、日本海关系较密切,与黄海、渤海、朝鲜海关系较疏远.调查海域甲壳类动物的优势种为周氏新对虾、口虾蛄、武士蟳、红星梭子蟹、猛虾蛄、锈斑蟳、日本蟳、长叉口虾蛄、中华管鞭虾、三疣梭子蟹和逍遥馒头蟹.出现的种类数以秋季最多（33种）,春季最少（26种）.甲壳类资源密度在水深0～40 m水域较高,在水深10～20 m最密集.调查海域甲壳类动物的平均资源密度为99.60 kg·km^-2,以夏季最高（198.93 kg·km^-2）、春季最低（42.35 kg·km^-2）;组成甲壳类动物的3个类群中,蟹类的资源密度最高（41.81 kg·km^-2）,其次是虾类（38.91 kg·km^-2）,虾蛄类最低（18.88 kg·km^-2）;各类群资源密度存在明显的季节变化,虾类在夏季最高（120.32 kg·km^-2）、春季最低（0.67 kg·km^-2）,蟹类和虾蛄类则均在冬季最高（62.01和29.49 kg·km^-2）、秋季最低（24.64和6.30 kg·km^-2）.     

Isolation and enzymic characterization of euglena proplastids

Organelles were isolated from dark-grown Euglena gracilis Klebs by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Plastids, identified by triosephosphate isomerase and NADP glyoxylate reductase were present at an equilibrium density of 1.24 grams per cubic centimeter clearly separated from mitochondria at an equilibrium density of 1.22 grams per cubic centimeter. Assay for choline phosphotransferase and glucose-6-phosphatase showed that endoplasmic reticulum membranes were present at a density of 1.12 grams per cubic centimeter. The plastid fraction contained phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, triosephosphate isomerase and aldolase indicating the operation of a glycolytic pathway. During regreening pyruvate kinase and phosphofructokinase in the developing proplastid decreased, neither enzyme being present in the mature chloroplast. However, plastids were present in the photosynthetic cell as shown by a peak of glycolysis enzymes at an equilibrium density of 1.24 grams per cubic centimeter.     

Isolation and Characterization of Concanavalin A-labeled Plasma Membranes of Carrot Protoplasts

The plasma membranes of protoplasts released from carrot suspension culture cells were labeled with [¹⁴C]acetyl-concanavalin A. After homogenization a single labeled membrane fraction was isolated in a continuous isopycnic Renografin gradient. The labeled membranes peaked at an apparent density of 1.14 grams per cubic centimeter between the Golgi fraction at a density of 1.11 grams per cubic centimeter as determined by latent IDPase activity and the mitochondria at a density of 1.16 grams per cubic centimeter as determined by the cytochrome c oxidase activity. This method provided a very discrete peak of putative plasma membrane. On discontinuous Renografin gradients a relatively pure fraction of labeled plasma membranes could be readily isolated at the 1.122 to 1.146 grams per cubic centimeter interface. The labeled fraction was enriched in both an ATPase (pH 6.5) and a glucan synthetase with a pH optimum of 6.5 whose activity was promoted by magnesium and cellobiose. Enzyme activities were not altered by the membrane label.     

空气负离子浓度分布的影响因素研究综述

近年来随着生态旅游的日益兴起,空气负离子作为一种生态保健旅游资源越来越受到人们的关注。研究空气负离子浓度分布规律可以指导人们在合适的地点、合适的时间充分利用自然状态下产生的空气负离子调养身心。通过查阅国内近十多年有关空气负离子的文献资料,对空气负离子浓度分布规律及其影响因素的有关研究进展进行了综述。现有的研究表明,空气负离子浓度变化及其分布主要受到气象、时空、植物和水体等因素的影响。今后,应加强空气负离子的产生机制及其生态学效应等方面的研究,以便更好地为空气负离子资源的合理开发和生态环境保护提供理论依据。     

Purification of plasma membranes from roots of barley: specificity of the phosphotungstic Acid-chromic Acid stain

Plasma membrane vesicles from roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare L., var. Arivat) had an equilibrium density in sucrose of about 1.16 grams per cubic centimeter, but could not be purified satisfactorily with the procedure developed for roots of other plant species. The reported procedure involving differential centrifugation to remove mitochondria (peak density of 1.18 grams per cubic centimeter) and subsequent density gradient centrifugation to purify plasma membrane vesicles was modified to include a narrower differential centrifugation fraction (13,000 to 40,000g instead of 13,000 to 80,000g) and a narrower density range in the sucrose gradient (1.15 to 1.18 grams per cubic centimeter instead of 1.15 to 1.20 grams per cubic centimeter). The fraction obtained by the modified procedure was between 60 and 70% pure as determined by staining with the phosphotungstic acid-chromic acid procedure, which was judged to be reliable for identifying plasma membrane vesicles in subcellular fractions from barley roots. The plasma membrane fraction was enriched in K⁺-stimulated ATPase activity at pH 6.5. The presence of nonspecific ATP-hydrolyzing activity in the plasma membrane fraction made it difficult to determine if the ATPase had properties in common with those reported for cation absorption in barley roots.     

Rats avoid exposure to HVdc electric fields: A dose response study

Rats, given the choice, avoid exposure to alternating current (ac) 60-Hz electric fields at intensities ? 75 kV/m. This study investigated the generality of this behavior by studying the response of rats when exposed to high voltage direct current (HV dc) electric fields. Three hundred eighty male Long Evans rats were studied in 9 experiments with 40 rats per experiment and in one experiment with 20 rats to determine 1) if rats avoid exposure to HVdc electric fields of varying field strengths, and 2) if avoidance did occur, what role, if any, the concentration of air ions would have on the avoidance behavior. In all experiments a three-compartment glass shuttlebox was used; either the left or right compartment could be exposed to a combination of HVdc electric fields and air ions while the other compartment remained sham-exposed. The third, center compartment was a transition zone between exposure and sham-exposure. In each experiment, the rats were individually assessed in 1-h sessions where half of the rats (n = 20) had the choice to locomote between the two sides being exposed or sham-exposed, while the other half of the rats'(n = 20) were sham-exposed regardless of their location, except in one experiment where there was no sham-exposed group. The exposure levels for the first six experiments were 80, 55, 42.5, 30, ?36, and ?55 kV/m, respectively. The air ion concentration was constant at 1.4 × 10⁶ ions/cc for the four positive exposure levels and ?1.4 × 10⁶ ions/cc for the two negative exposure levels. Rats having a choice between exposure and non-exposure relative to always sham-exposed control animals significantly reduced the amount of time spent on the exposed side at 80kV/m (P < .002) as they did at both 55 and ?55 kV/m (P < .005). No significant differences between groups were observed at 42.5, 30, or -36 kV/m. To determine what role the air ion concentration might have had on the avoidance behavior at field strengths of 55 kV/m or greater, four additional experiments were conducted. The HVdc exposure level was held constant at either ?55 kV/m (for three experiments) or -55 kV/m (for 1 experiment) while the air ion concentration was varied between experiments at 2.5 × 10⁵ ions/cc, 1.0 × 10⁴ for two of the experiments and was below the measurement limit (< ± 2 × 10³ ions/cc) for the other two experiments at 55 and ?55 kV/m. The exposed rats significantly reduced the amount of time spent on the exposed side at 55 and ?55 kV/m, relative to the sham-exposed rats regardless of air ion concentration (all at P < .005). Thus, HVdc electric fields of ? + or ?55 kV/m are sufficient to produce avoidance behavior in rats. Positive or negative air ion concentrations were not significant factors in these avoidance outcomes. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Intracellular Localization of Enzymes of Fatty Acid-beta-Oxidation in the Alga Cyanidium caldarium

The intracellular distribution of enzymes, participating in the β-oxidation of fatty acids in the eucaryotic alga Cyanidium has been studied. After separating the organelles from a crude homogenate on a linear flotation gradient, the enzymes enoyl-CoA hydratase, hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, and thiolase were present in the mitochondrial fraction (density: 1.19 gram per cubic centimeter). Activity of an acyl-CoA synthetase was found in the mitochondrial fraction as well as in a band where mitochondrial membrane apparently had accumulated (density: 1.17 gram per cubic centimeter). None of these enzymes were present in the peroxisomes (density: 1.23 gram per cubic centimeter). Results from cell fractionation as well as properties of β-oxidation enzymes indicate a mitochondrial location of fatty acid degradation also in the algae Galdieria sulphuraria and Cyanidioschyzon merolae.     

Role of the endoplasmic reticulum in glyoxysome formation in castor bean endosperm

Homogenates of the endosperm of castor bean (Ricinus communis var. Hale) were prepared at intervals during germination and fractionated on sucrose gradients. Early in germination when glyoxysomes were being produced, a substantial proportion (50%) of the activities of malate synthetase and citrate synthetase was recovered in the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum (mean density 1.12 grams per cubic centimeter). This proportion declined to less than 10% at 4 days when the glyoxysomes were fully developed.     

Stress and physiological,behavioral and performance patterns of children under varied air ion levels

The possibility that individual differences in reactivity to stressors are a major factor underlying discordant results reported for air ion studies prompted an investigation of response patterns in school children under both normal indoor air ion levels and moderately increased negative air ion levels (4000±500/cm³). It was hypothesized that the impact of stressors is reduced with high negative air ionization, and that resultant changes in stress effects would be differentially exhibited according to the children's normal degree of stimulus reactivity. A counter-balanced, replicative, withinssubject design was selected, and the subjects were 12 environmentally sensitive, 1st–4th grade school children. In addition to monitoring stress effects on activity level, attention span, concentration to task and conceptual performance, measures were also made of urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid levels and skin resistance response (SRR) to determine if changes extended to the physiological state. The cold water test was used to add physical stress and enable calculations of Lacey's autonomic lability scores (ALS) as indicators of individual reactivity. The results show main effects for air ions on both physiological parameters, with 48% less change in %SRR (P<0.01) and 46% less change in urinary 5-HIAA levels (P<0.055) during negative air ions, indicating increased stress tolerance. Strong interactive effects for ALS x air ion condition appeared, with high and low ALS children reacting oppositely to negative air ions in measures of skin resistance level (P<0.01), wrist activity (P<0.01) and digit span backwards (P<0.004). Thus individual differences in autonomic reactivity and the presence or absence of stressors appear as critical elements for internal validity, and in preventing consequent skewed results from obscuring progress in air ion research.     

Effects of cell concentration and growth period on articular and ear chondrocyte transplants for tissue engineering

This study determined the effects of chondrocyte source, cell concentration, and growth period on cartilage production when isolated porcine cells are injected subcutaneously in a nude mouse model. Chondrocytes were isolated from both ear and articular cartilage and were suspended in Ham's F-12 medium at concentrations of 10, 20, 40, and 80 million cells per cubic centimeter. Using the nude mouse model, each concentration group was injected subcutaneously in 100-microl aliquots and was allowed to incubate for 6 weeks in vivo. In addition, cells suspended at a fixed concentration of 40 million cells per cubic centimeter were injected in 100-microl aliquots and were incubated for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 12 weeks. Each concentration or time period studied contained a total of eight mice, with four samples harvested per mouse for a final sample size of 32 constructs. All neocartilage samples were analyzed by histologic characteristics, mass, glycosaminoglycan level, and DNA content. Control groups consisted of native porcine ear and articular cartilage.Specimen mass increased with increasing concentration and incubation time. Ear neocartilage was larger than articular neocartilage at each concentration and time period. At 40 million cells per cubic centimeter, both ear and articular chondrocytes produced optimal neocartilage, without limitations in growth. Specimen mass increased with incubation time up to 6 weeks in both ear and articular samples. No significant variations in glycosaminoglycan content were found in either articular or ear neocartilage, with respect to variable chondrocyte concentration or growth period. Although articular samples demonstrated no significant trends in DNA content over time, ear specimens showed decreasing values through 6 weeks, inversely proportional to increase in specimen mass. Although both articular and ear sources of chondrocytes have been used in past tissue-engineering studies with success, this study indicates that a suspension of ear chondrocytes injected into a subcutaneous location will produce biochemical and histologic data with greater similarity to those of native cartilage. The authors believe that this phenomenon is attributable to the local environment in which isolated chondrocytes from different sources are introduced. The subcutaneous environment of native ear cartilage accommodates subcutaneously injected ear chondrocyte transplants better than articular transplants. Native structural and biochemical cues within the local environment are believed to guide the proliferation of the differentiated chondrocytes.