Developmental Changes in the Calcium Dependency of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Release from Isolated Growth Cones: Correlation with Growth Cone Morphology

We have investigated the development of Ca2+-dependent gamma-[3H]aminobutyric acid [( 3H]GABA) release in superfused growth cone fractions isolated from rats between the postnatal ages of 1 and 11 days. We have compared this release with the overall morphology of the subcellular fractions, and identified those structures taking up [3H]GABA by electron microscopical autoradiography. In fractions isolated from rats between 1 and 5 days, K+-evoked [3H]GABA release was completely independent of extracellular Ca2+. After 5 days a Ca2+ dependency appeared, which increased with age, such that by 10 days approximately 50% of the K+-evoked release was Ca2+ dependent. Electron microscopical analysis showed that, at all ages, large numbers of GABAergic growth cones were present in the subcellular fractions. Up to postnatal day 5, the growth cones were synaptic vesicle sparse but, after this age, increasing numbers of synaptic vesicle-containing growth cones were seen. These results suggest that during maturation of GABAergic growth cones into synapses there is, initially, a mechanism for release that is independent of extracellular Ca2+ and that the appearance of a Ca2+-dependent [3H]GABA release from growth cones correlates with the appearance of synaptic vesicles.     

Nolleria pulicis N. Gen., N. Sp. (Microsporida: Chytridiopsidae), a Microsporidian Parasite of the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

A new species of microsporidium, Nolleria pulicis, is described and named here from the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. The genus Nolleria is created and placed within the family Chytridiopsidae. The family is slightly modified to accommodate certain features of intracellular development seen in N. pulicis, which is otherwise very similar to other species in the family Chytridiopsidae. Sporulation is described from ultrastructural analysis of infected midgut epithelial cells of adult C. felis. The term “multiple division by vacuolation” is proposed for describing sporogony as it occurs in this species and certain related species of microsporidia. The probable mode of transmission and apparent absence of merogony are discussed.     

Neurotrophin-4: The odd one out in the neurotrophin family

Neurotrophin-4 (NT-4) is a member of a family of neurotrophic factors, the neurotrophins, that control survival and differentiation of vertebrate neurons (2–4). Besides being the most recently discovered neurotrophin in mammals, and the least well understood, several aspects distinguish NT-4 from other members of the neurotrophin family. It is the most divergent member and, in contrast to the other neurotrophins, its expression is ubiquitous and appears to be less influenced by environmental signals. NT-4 seems to have the unique requirement of binding to the lowaffinity neurotrophin receptor (p75^LNGFR) for efficient signalling and retrograde transport in neurons. Moreover, while all other neurotrophin knock-outs have proven lethal during early postnatal development, mice deficient in NT-4 have so far only shown minor cellular deficits and develop normally to adulthood. Is NT-4 a recent addition to the neurotrophic factor repertoire in search of a crucial function, or is it an evolutionary relic, a kind of wisdom tooth of the neurotrophin family?     

Cortical differentiation and neurocognitive development: The parcellation conjecture

This paper reviews evidence consistent with the Parcellation Conjecture. Briefly, this conjecture states that in postnatal development cortical parcellation processes result in previously combined information processing pathways or structures becoming segregated into relatively isolated modules. Evidence consistent with the parcellation conjecture from several aspects of behavioral development are reviewed, including the development of binocular vision, cross-modal integration, and interhemispheric transfer. Predictions are made in other domains where existing evidence is unclear such as motion and color sensitivity, and somatosensory perception. Finally, we speculatively extend the notion of parcellation to more cognitive domains such as the development of priming and interference effects.     

Genomic organization of mouse Dishevelled genes

We report the isolation and characterization of two new genomic loci corresponding to the mouse Dishevelled (Dvl) genes Dvl2 and Dvl3. The Dvl genes are homologs of the Drosophila dsh segment polarity gene, and are involved in the Wnt/wingless signal transduction pathway. Dvl2 and Dvl3 genomic clones were isolated from a mouse 129 strain λFIXII genomic library and have identical exon/intron organization to Dvll. All three Dishevelled genes span 15 exons and 14 introns and have a number of conserved splice junction sites.     

The role of gap junction membrane channels in development

In most developmental systems, gap junction-mediated cell-cell communication (GJC) can be detected from very early stages of embryogenesis. This usually results in the entire embryo becoming linked as a syncytium. However, as development progresses, GJC becomes restricted at discrete boundaries, leading to the subdivision of the embryo into communication compartment domains. Analysis of gap junction gene expression suggests that this functional subdivision of GJC may be mediated by the differential expression of the connexin gene family. The temporal-spatial pattern of connexin gene expression during mouse embryogenesis is highly suggestive of a role for gap junctions in inductive interactions, being regionally restricted in distinct developmentally significant domains. Using reverse genetic approaches to manipulate connexin gene function, direct evidence has been obtained for the connexin 43 (Cx43) gap junction gene playing a role in mammalian development. The challenges in the future are the identification of the target cell populations and the cell signaling processes in which Cx43-mediated cell-cell interactions are critically required in mammalian development. Our preliminary observations suggest that neural crest cells may be one such cell population.     

鲇鱼成鱼和幼鱼中含色素的巨噬细胞集结的诱导发生

通过腹腔注射不同剂量的牛血清白蛋白（ＢＳＡ）或墨汁以刺激巨噬细胞活动,研究了鲇鱼成鱼和幼鱼头肾、肾、脾和肝中含色素的巨噬细胞集结（ＰＭＡ）的发生。鲇鱼淋巴样组织中存在巨噬细胞的不均一性,可分网状／纤维状巨噬细胞,梭状巨噬细胞,圆形红色巨噬细胞,圆形黄红色巨噬细胞和含色素的巨噬细胞。注射ＢＳＡ或墨汁后,头肾、肾,脾和肝中ＰＭＡ和圆形巨噬细胞的数量最终均有不同程度的增加。通过诱导发生实验,表明含色素的     

贝氏隐孢子虫在珍珠鸡体内发育的扫描电镜观察

采用扫描电镜观察了贝氏隐孢子虫在珍珠鸡体内的发育。大量球形虫体镶嵌于气管和法氏囊微绒毛丛中。气管纤毛消失,微绒毛生发生融合。法氏囊粘膜表面可观察到宿主细胞突起,在突起的表面有数个虫体寄生。滋养体呈球状,平均大小为１．７μｍ。裂殖体拥有４个或８个香蕉状裂殖子。成熟大配子体大小为 ４.２ × ３．３μｍ,在其侧面可观察到锯齿状突起。偶尔能观察到卵囊,其表 面有一明显裂缝。虫体逸出后所留下的带虫空泡似弹坑状,根据其结构可将其分为两类,其中一类为裂殖子或小配子的形成场所,另一类为卵囊的形成场所。     

中药凌霄花的研究进展

本文对中药凌霄花的研究进展进行了综述,包括生药学研究、化学成分研究、药理学研究及临床应用。     

人胎视网膜含NOS神经元的发育

本文用一氧化氮合酶（ＮＯＳ）的组织化学方法对胎龄１５周至３６周的人胎视网膜含ＮＯＳ神经元的发育进行了研究。胚胎１５周视网膜颞侧半少部分神经元即有ＮＯＳ的表达,２０周视网膜含ＮＯＳ神经元数密度达峰值。大部分含ＮＯＳ神经元胞体位于内核层内带,只少部分位于节细胞层,其突起均分布于内同层,形成内同层的１、３、５亚层。含ＮＯＳ神经元的形态各异,依据其突起的多少分Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ等三种类型,其中Ⅱ、Ⅲ型含ＮＯＳ神经元在２８周以后才开始出现,且愈近晚期胎龄,它们所占含ＮＯＳ神经元的数量比呈上升趋势。随视网膜发育成熟,含ＮＯＳ神经元胞体均面积呈不断增大的变化。本文结果显示：人胎视网膜内核层含ＮＯＳ神经元为无长突细胞,节细胞层的Ⅰ型含ＮＯＳ神经元为移位无长突细胞,推测它们在视网膜的发育过程中对内网层突触的形成与修饰可能起有重要作用。