Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α regulates branching morphogenesis during kidney development

The kidneys are exposed to hypoxic conditions during development. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), an important mediator of the response to hypoxia, is believed to have an important role in development. However, the relationship between HIF and branching morphogenesis has not been elucidated clearly.     

Denver Papillae Protocol for Objective Analysis of Fungiform Papillae

The goal of the Denver Papillae Protocol is to use a dichotomous key to define and prioritize the characteristics of fungiform papillae (FP) to ensure consistent scoring between scorers. This protocol builds off of a need that has arisen from the last two decades of taste research using FP as a proxy for taste pore density. FP density has historically been analyzed using Miller & Reedy’s 1990 characterizations of their morphology: round, stained lighter, large, and elevated. In this work, the authors forewarned that stricter definitions of FP morphology needed to be outlined. Despite this call to action, follow up literature has been scarce, with most studies continuing to cite Miller & Reedy’s original work. Consequently, FP density reports have been highly variable and, combined with small sample sizes, may contribute to the discrepant conclusions on the role of FP in taste sensitivity. The Genetics of Taste Lab explored this apparent inconsistency in counting and found that scorers were individually prioritizing the importance of these characteristics differently and had no guidance for when a papilla had some, but not all, of the reported qualities of FP. The result of this subjectivity is highly variable FP counts of the same tongue image. The Denver Papillae Protocol has been developed to remedy this consequence through use of a dichotomous key that further defines and prioritizes the importance of the characteristics put forth by Miller & Reedy. The proposed method could help create a standard way to quantify FP for researchers in the field of taste and nutritional studies.     

Bud and shoot structure may relate to the distribution area of South American Proteaceae tree species

The capacity of preformation and neoformation and the structure of winter buds are vegetative attributes that may vary between plant species and according to ontogenetic stages of the same species. The present study describes and evaluates these features for the four tree species of Proteaceae occurring in Patagonia. In particular, it analyzes the structure and development of the distal buds of the trunk and the preformed or neoformed nature of the organs involved. Two of the species, Embothrium coccineum and Lomatia hirsuta, have scaly buds, in which primordia of green leaves are covered by cataphylls. The shoots of both species may include neoformed organs, more frequently so in juvenile trees. Lomatia ferruginea and Gevuina avellana have naked buds with a low number of primordia; in juvenile and adult trees of both species trunk shoots are entirely preformed. The structure of buds and shoots suggests two different growth modalities of the axes, which would be related to ecological breadth (narrower in the species with naked buds than in those with scaly buds) and distribution area of these species. The considerable morphological differences between the two Lomatia species studied raise the question whether they ought to be included in the same genus.     

In vitro propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helleborus</Emphasis> species

A general in vitro cloning system was established for four Helleborus species: H. argutifolius, H. foetidus, H. niger and H. orientalis. The plant material was introduced in vitro from axillary buds. A Murashige and Skoog (MS)—based medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962) was used supplemented with 2% (w/v) sucrose, 2-isopentenyladenine (2-iP) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). Multiplication rates depended on the genotype and varied from 1.3 for H. foetidus till 3.8 for H. niger. The first results showed that the rooting phase could be done ex vitro. Rooting was induced by a drench for one week in a solution of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA -3 mg l⁻¹) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA-1 mg l⁻¹) at 5°C.     

In vitro propagation of the medicinal plant Plumbago zeylanica L. Through nodal explants

Summary A protocol for rapid in vitro propagation using nodal explants obtained from 2-yr-old, field-grown medicinal plants of Plumbago zeylanica L. belonging to the family Plumbaginaceae is described. High frequency bud break and fast development of shoots were induced on Murashige and Skoog's basal medium supplemented with 27.2 μM adenine sulfate +2.46 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Induction of rooting was achieved by transferring the shoots to the same basal medium containing 4.92 μM IBA. Using our protocol from one twig of P. zeylanica (eight responsive nodes per explant shoot) within a period of 5 mo., eight plantlets could be raised. After a hardening period of 4 wk, there was a 90% transplantation success in the field compared to the 60–65% survival of plantlets recorded in the experiments of previous workers. The plantlets derived through in vitro propagation mimic the growth and morphological characteristics of the donor plants.     

Ontogeny of the proventitious epicormic buds in Quercus petraea.

In the present work, we described the fate of proventitious epicormic buds on the trunks of 40-year-old Quercus petraea trees and in parallel the vascular trace they produced in the wood. Our results show that small and large individual epicormic buds can survive as buds for 40 years and that both are composed of a terminal meristem and scales. Meristematic areas are detected in the scale axils of small buds; in addition to these meristems the large buds also have secondary bud primordia. The small buds are connected to the pith of the main stem by a unique trace, whereas the large buds are connected by one or multiple traces. A single trace might imply that the whole bud is still alive and multiple traces might indicate that the terminal meristem has died. In the latter case, each trace is connected to a secondary bud of the large bud. The buds found in a cluster are composed of a terminal meristem and scales with axillary meristems in the scale axils. A cluster is connected to the pith of a stem either by a unique trace when it seems to be the result of partial abscission of an epicormic shoot or multiple traces when it might have originated from an epicormic bud in which the terminal meristem has died. Whatever the type of the bud, the vascular trace in the bark is composed of a cambium, secondary xylem and parenchyma cells and the trace present in the wood had parenchyma cells with vestiges of secondary xylem. Each year, the vascular trace should be produced in the bark by the cambium of the tree but not by the bud itself. On 40-year-old Q. petraea, we observed a proliferation of epicormic buds and in parallel a multiplication of the number of vascular traces in the trunk, but the knots caused by the traces of epicormic buds in the wood, either as individuals or in clusters, are minor since their colours are only slightly darker than those of woody rays and they are less than 2 mm in diameter. The knots will appear when epicormic buds develop into shoots. Received: 30 March 1999 / Accepted: 09 June 1999     

Untersuchungen an den Geschmacksknospen der Barteln von Corydoras paleatus Jenyns

Zusammenfassung Der Bau der Geschmacksknospen auf den Barteln von Corydoras paleatus Jen. wurde elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Jede Geschmacksknospe ist aus 2 Zelltypen aufgebaut: den Rezeptorzellen und den sie umhüllenden Stützzellen. Die sich von der Geschmacksknospenbasis bis zur Oberfläche erstreckenden Stützzellen tragen einen Mikrovillibesatz. — Die einheitlich gestalteten Rezeptoren, die im Längsschnitt spindelförmig, im Querschnitt rund sind, besitzen zum Unterschied von den Stützzellen zahlreiche Mitochondrien und peripher gelagerte Vesikel sowie 2 Typen von Tubuli. Der Zellapex trägt einen über die freie Oberfläche senkrecht hinausragenden, schlankkegelförmigen Fortsatz mit rundem oder ovalem Querschnitt. — Innerhalb der Bindegewebspapille befindet sich dicht unter der Geschmacksknospenbasis ein Plexus von Axonbündeln, von dem aus die Axone meist einzeln an das Perikaryon der Rezeptorzellen herantreten. In der Nähe der Kontaktstelle mit dem Rezeptor sind häufig Tubulibündel zu finden. — Die meisten Geschmacksknospen enthalten einzelne degenerierende Zellen. — Im Epithel zwischen den Geschmacksknospen wurde ein besonderer Sekretzellentyp nachgewiesen.

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Investigation of taste buds of barbels in Corydoras paleatus JenynsI. Ultrastructure of the taste buds

Summary The taste buds of the barbels of Corydoras paleatus have been studied with the electron microscope. Each taste bud is composed of two cell types: receptor cells and supporting cells. The supporting cells extend from the base of the taste bud to the surface where they bear microvilli. The apex of the uniform, spindle shaped receptor cells has a free, cone-shaped appendage. The receptor cells, unlike the supporting cells, contain numerous mitochondria, peripherally-located vesicles, and two types of tubuli. Single axons project from a nerve plexus close to the base of the taste bud and run to perikarya of the receptor cells. Frequently bundles of tubuli lie close to the area of contact between axon and receptor cell membranes. Most of the taste buds contain individual degenerating cells. A special type of secretory cell is present in the epithelium of the barbels.

     

In vitro corm production in the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus L.)

Means to increase the reproductive capacity of Crocus sativus L., in vitro, are described. Cytokinins and auxin were found to be essential for development of bud explants. Ethylene and ethaphon pretreatments inhibited leaf development but induced corm production. Microsurgery of the apical bud combined with ethylene pretreatment increased both sprouting and corm production.     

Local anaesthetic lidocaine modulates epiphyllous bud differentiation in Kalanchoe pinnata

A single treatment with lidocaine(2-Diethylamino-N-[2,6-dimethylphenyl]-acetamide) – a potent localanaesthetic(LA), caused significant and extensive inhibition of epiphyllous buddifferentiation in Kalanchoe pinnata, in a long –term irreversible manner. These effects were both concentration and treatmentduration dependent, with either variant generating similar and additiveeffects.The growth responses studied had differential sensitivity towards the applieddosage of the anaesthetic. Lidocaine also appears to influence expression oftheorganogenic potential of buds since for all inhibitory doses a significantpercentage produced shoots but not roots.