Differential staining for live and dead sperm of honey bees

ABSTRACT Seven staining techniques were modified and tested for differentially staining the live and the dead sperm cells for the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). The eosin Y staining method was found to be a simple technique by which the live cells stain bluish purple whereas the dead cells stain bright yellow to greenish yellow. Therefore, it produces a strong contrast between the dead and live sperm cells, and appears to be the most suitable supravital staining method for evaluating the viability of honey bee sperm cells. The significance of supravital staining techniques in assessing the quality of sperm cells during cryopreserving sperm cells is discussed.     

Identification of cell types in Sertoli cell-enriched cultures by immunocytochemistry and DNA-specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33342

The cell types in Sertoli cell-enriched cultures can be identified by using the DNA-specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33342 staining. This simple, rapid and reproducible procedure can be used with fixed and living cells. The peritubular myoid cells can be distinguished from the Sertoli cells in Sertoli cell-enriched cultures by the characteristic staining pattern obtained using Hoechst 33342 dye. Those cells identified as peritubular myoid cells by the characteristic DNA staining also interacted with the anti-fibronectin antibody determined by an immunocytochemical method while the Sertoli cells did not. The described staining method is valuable in assessing the presence of peritubular myoid cells in Sertoli cell-enriched cultures.     

Identification of cell types in sertoli cell-enriched cultures by immunocytochemistry and DNA-specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33342

Summary The cell types in Sertoli cell-enriched cultures can be identified by using the DNA-specific fluorochrome Hoechst 33342 staining. This simple, rapid and reproducible procedure can be used with fixed and living cells. The peritubular myoid cells can be distinguished from the Sertoli cells in Sertoli cell-enriched cultures by the characteristic staining pattern obtained using Hoechst 33342 dye. Those cells identified as peritubular myoid cells by the characteristic DNA staining also interacted with the anti-fibronectin antibody determined by an immunocytochemical method while the Sertoli cells did not. The described staining method is valuable in assessing the presence of peritubular myoid cells in Sertoli cell-enriched cultures.     

Immunocytochemical identification and localization of immunoglobulin A within Paneth cells of the rat small intestine.

Light microscopic immunocytochemistry was used to identify Paneth cells by their lysozyme content and to detect immunoglobulin antigens within a subpopulation of these cells. Antisera specific for the heavy chains of rat or human immunoglobulin A and for immunoglobulin light chain antigens produced specific staining of rat Paneth cells. The distribution of immunoglobulin staining varied between adjacent Paneth cells in the same crypt and between Paneth cells in adjacent crypts, as well as between Paneth cell populations of different animals. No staining of rat Paneth cells was detected using antisera specific for the heavy chain of immunoglobulins G or M. The specific staining of Paneth cells for immunoglobulin A and light chain antigens was blocked by absorption of each antiserum with its respective purified antigen. Absorption of these antisera with purified rat lysozyme did not affect staining and thereby eliminated the possibility of immunologic cross-reactivity between lysozyme and immunoglobulin antigens. It is suggested, in light of current concepts of Paneth cell function, that the immunoglobulin staining of Paneth cells may reflect their ability to phagocytize immunoglobulin A-coated microorganisms or immune complexes containing immunoglobulin A.     

The Cellular Basis for Biocide-Induced Fluorescein Hyperfluorescence in Mammalian Cell Culture

Clinical examination of the ocular surface is commonly carried out after application of sodium fluorescein in both veterinary and medical practice by assessing the resulting ‘staining’. Although localized intensely stained regions of the cornea frequently occur after exposure to ‘adverse’ clinical stimuli, the cell biology underlying this staining is unknown, including whether intense fluorescein staining indicates the presence of damaged cells. Ocular exposure to certain contact lens multipurpose solutions (MPS) gives rise to intense fluorescein staining referred to as solution induced corneal staining (SICS), and we have made use of this phenomenon with Vero and L929 cell culture models to investigate the fundamental biology of fluorescein interactions with cells.We found that all cells take up fluorescein, however a sub-population internalize much higher levels, giving rise to brightly staining ‘hyperfluorescent’ cells within the treated cultures, which contain fluorescein throughout the cell cytoplasm and nucleus. The numbers of these hyperfluorescent cells are significantly increased after exposure to MPS associated with SICS. Surprisingly, hyperfluorescent cells did not show higher levels of staining with propidium iodide, a marker of lysed cells. Consistently, treatment with the cytolytic toxin benzalkonium chloride resulted in almost all cells staining with propidium iodide, and the complete abolition of fluorescein hyperfluorescence. Finally we found that internalization of fluorescein and its loss from treated cells both require cellular activity, as both processes were halted after incubation at 4°C.We conclude that fluorescein hyperfluorescence can be replicated in three diverse cell cultures, and is increased by MPS-treatment, as occurs clinically. The process involves the concentration of fluorescein by a sub-population of cells that are active, and does not occur in lysed cells. Our data suggest that corneal staining in the clinic reflects active living cells, and is not directly caused by dead cells being produced in response to adverse clinical stimuli.     

Cytofluorometric and cytochemical comparisons of normal and abnormal human cells from the female genital tract.

Acridine orange staining of exfoliated cells from epithelial tissues facilitates discrimination between normal and abnormal cells: abnormal cells develop highly elevated nuclear fluorescence. Comparisons of acridine orange (AO) staining with propidium iodide (PI) or Feulgen staining have shown that: (a) PI staining also provides highly elevated nuclear fluorescence from abnormal cells; (b) the distributions of nuclear fluorescence following AO or PI staining were usually not significantly different as judged by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test; (c) fluorescence emission spectra from AO and PI stained cells are consistent with the hypothesis that both fluorochromes bind to DNA within cell nuclei; (d) DNAse treatment of AO stained normal cells eliminates the nuclear fluorescence peak from slit-scan contours; RNAse treatment has no effect on nuclear fluorescence; (e) the distribution of abnormal cell nuclear fluorescence after AO staining is usually, but not always, significantly different from the distribution of abnormal cell nuclear absorbance after Feulgen staining, with relative nuclear fluorescence being greater than relative nuclear absorbance. The hypothesis currently most consistent with these results is that elevated Feulgen DNA content can account for only part of the discrimination provided by AO staining, and that the chromatin within abnormal cells is altered so as to increase accessibility of DNA to intercalating dyes.     

Reversible cAMP-dependent change in nuclear localization of microtubule-associated protein-1 analogues

Intranuclear immunofluorescent staining by monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against microtubule-associated protein-1 (MAP-1) on SV-3Y1 cells disappeared when the cells were treated with 1 mM db-cAMP and 1 mM theophylline for 20-30 min at 37 degrees C. The nuclear dots of immunofluorescence disappeared and reappeared repeatedly on successive incubation of the cells with and without these drugs. The same phenomenon was induced by treatment of the cells with 6 mM theophylline or 6 mM papaverine which inhibits the cAMP-hydrolysing enzyme. The following results seem to support the hypothesis that cAMP-induced transfer of antigenic molecules from the nucleus to the cytoplasm is mediated by microtubules: Partial staining of the nucleus during the transitional period. Bright staining of the cytoplasm on treated cells in contrast to nuclear staining on control cells. Disappearance of the nuclear staining not only by the monoclonal antibody but also by the polyclonal antibody. Complete prevention of disappearance of nuclear dots induced by these drugs by pretreatment of the cells with colchicine (1 microgram/ml) or colcemid (1 microgram/ml).     

Use of fluorescent dyes as molecular probes for the study of multidrug resistance

Fluorescence microscopy has shown that 18 different fluorescent dyes, staining various intracellular structures in transformed hamster fibroblasts (DM-15), did not stain or stained weakly multidrug-resistant cells selected from DM-15 by colchicine. Reduced staining by fluorescent dyes was characteristic also of five other tested multidrug-resistant cell lines of hamster and mouse origin, selected by actinomycin D, colcemid, rubomycin, and ruboxyl. The intensity of staining of two revertant cell lines was similar to that of parental sensitive cells. All tested inhibitors of multidrug resistance, including weak detergent, metabolic inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, calmodulin inhibitors, and reserpine, restored normal staining of multidrug-resistant cells. The dyes accumulated in resistant cells in presence of these inhibitors left the cells several minutes after the removal of the inhibitor from the incubation medium. Sensitive cells retained the dyes for several hours. The efflux of the dyes from resistant cells is an active process since it occurred even in the presence of the dyes in the incubation medium. The efflux could be blocked by all tested inhibitors of multidrug resistance and it is possibly a basic mechanism of the reduced staining of resistant cells. These data support the idea that multidrug resistance is based on active nonspecific efflux of the drugs and indicate that the simple procedure of cell staining can be used for the detection of resistant cells and further study of the phenomenon of multidrug resistance.     

EVIDENCE OF DIFFERENCES IN THE DESOXYRIBONUCLEOPROTEIN COMPLEX OF RAPIDLY PROLIFERATING AND NON-DIVIDING CELLS

1. Quantitative cytophotometric analysis of the interphase cells of a rapidly proliferating differentiated tissue such as liver of new born rat, indicates that these cells can be separated into two groups on the basis of their staining characteristics after methanol fixation. 2. These groups are thought to correspond to two stages of interphase. The first, called "autosynthetic interphase," comprises cells which are duplicating chromosomal material in preparation for mitosis, and shows parallel increases in the methyl green and Feulgen staining of DNA and the fast green staining of histone from the diploid (2 C) to double these values (4 C). 3. The second group is designated the "heterosynthetic interphase," during which the cell ceases proliferating and functions in a manner commensurate with its state of differentiation. In this stage Feulgen staining indicates the diploid chromosomal complement, but there is a decreased capacity of the DNA to bind methyl green and of the histone to bind fast green. 4. The difference between the methyl green binding of the heterosynthetic and autosynthetic 2 C cells is due to the presence of a protein in the former which presumably inhibits staining by competing with the dye for binding sites on the DNA. The effect of this inhibition can be removed by extracting the protein, or by blocking the protein basic groups. 5. The decreased fast green staining of histone in the heterosynthetic cells can be minimized by prolonged fixation with formaldehyde. It is thought to stem either from a similar type of inhibition, or from an increased susceptibility of the histone to loss from the cell during this stage. 6. While histone inhibits methyl green staining of DNA in all cells, the differences between the staining properties of the autosynthetic and heterosynthetic interphase cells are believed to be due to another protein, whose properties appear similar to those of the chromosomal "residual protein." It is concluded that a complex of DNA and residual protein existing during the heterosynthetic interphase is dissociated during the autosynthetic interphase.     

胎牛雄性生殖干细胞源类ES细胞的分离培养与多能性研究

雄性生殖干细胞(male germ stem cells , mGSCs)来源于原始生殖细胞(primordial germ cells ,PGCs) ,且终生存在于性分化后的睾丸中。从20周胎牛分离睾丸细胞,2步连续贴壁速率差法能有效纯化胎牛mGSCs ,经流式细胞仪检测,CD9阳性细胞的比例达到95.8 %。原代与支持细胞共培养,出现隆突状和鸟巢状两种细胞集落。获得1株传至4代仍呈现集落生长的细胞株,且集落AKP染色阳性。对第3代鸟巢状细胞集落免疫组化和诱导分化分析,结果显示:SSEA1和Oct-4免疫组化染色阳性;短期内可自发形成c-kit染色阳性的分化态精原细胞;定向诱导分化形成了表达神经丝蛋白(Neuro filament ,NF)的神经样细胞和表达α-actin的心肌样细胞团。试验结果表明:20周胎牛雄性生殖干细胞在体外可形成具有多分化潜能性的类胚胎干(embryonic stem,ES)细胞。     

Live-cell assay for detection of apoptosis by dual-laser flow cytometry using Hoechst 33342 and 7-amino-actinomycin D

This protocol describes a rapid and simple method for the identification of apoptotic cells. Owing to changes in membrane permeability, early apoptotic cells show an increased uptake of the vital DNA dye Hoechst 33342 (HO342) compared with live cells. The nonvital DNA dye 7-amino-actinomycin D (7-AAD) is added to distinguish late apoptotic or necrotic cells that have lost membrane integrity from early apoptotic cells that still have intact membranes as assayed by dye exclusion. The method is suitable to be combined with cell surface staining using Abs of interest labeled with fluorochromes that are compatible with HO342 and 7-AAD emissions. Surface antigen staining is carried out according to standard methods before staining for apoptosis. The basic assay can be completed in 30 min, and extra time is needed for cell surface antigen staining.     

Nucleostemin在大鼠骨髓基质干细胞向成骨细胞诱导分化中的研究

目的探讨Nucleostemin（NS）在大鼠骨髓基质干细胞向成骨细胞诱导分化中的机制及作用。方法取4～6周龄雄性SD大鼠两侧股骨、胫骨骨髓基质细胞,原代及传代培养。取第3代骨髓间充质干细胞分别用普通和矿化培养基培养,通过相差倒置显微镜观察细胞生长、MTT法检测细胞增殖、碱性磷酸酶和茜素红钙染色了解成骨活性。免疫组化SABC法及免疫荧光法检测NS在细胞中的表达情况,比较NS分别在普通培养基和成骨细胞诱导培养基作用下的表达情况。结果大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞在矿化培养基诱导下其NS的表达较普通培养基培养下的表达明显减弱,且呈时间依赖性衰减。成骨细胞的NS表达则为阴性。在矿化液作用下,骨髓间充质干细胞可诱导为成骨细胞。MTT显示矿化液培养细胞生长潜伏期长,对数生长期较对照组延长。结论NS作为核干细胞因子,在干细胞中和某些肿瘤细胞中表达丰富。细胞分化后,其表达明显减少。因此,NS很可能作为大鼠基质干细胞是否具有潜在分化能力的标志性因子。     

Post-embedding staining of rat gastric mucous cells with lectins

Summary The mucous cells of the rat stomach were stained with lectins by two post-embedding staining methods for electron microscopy. The mucous granules of surface mucous cells and foveolar mucous cells were stained weakly by Ricinus communis agglutinin-ferritin and wheat germ agglutinin-ferritin. The mucous granules of mucous neck cells were stained by concanavalin A-ferritin, Ricinus communis agglutinin-ferritin and wheat germ agglutinin-ferritin. The mucous granules of pyloric gland cells showed an affinity for wheat germ agglutinin-ferritin and concanavalin A-ferritin, while Ricinuscommunis agglutinin-ferritin only slightly stained the granules. The granules of mucous neck cells and pyloric gland cells were also stained by the concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase-colloidal gold method, but the granules of surface and foveolar mucous cells were not stained by this method. Periodic acid oxidation of the sections before the standard concanavalin A-ferritin procedure enhanced the staining of the granules of mucous neck cells and pyloric gland cells slightly. Reduction of the sections after the periodic acid oxidation weakened the staining. Similar results were obtained using the concanavalin A-horseradish peroxidase-colloidal gold method. Though the staining with Ricinus communis agglutinin-ferritin was inhibited by periodic acid oxidation of the sections before staining, the staining with wheat germ agglutinin-ferritin was not inhibited by the oxidation. It is suggested that the paradoxical staining is closely related to the position of the concanavalin A-binding sugar residues in the carbohydrate chains.This work was supported in part by a grant-in-aid (No. 457008) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan and a grant-in-aid for cancer research (55-21) from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan     

Rapid hypotonic method for flow cytofluorometry of monolayer cell cultures. Some pitfalls in staining and data analysis.

The rapid hypotonic staining procedure developed by Krishan for DNA determinations by flow cytofluorometry has been proven accurate for in vivo cell samples and for cell lines growing in suspension culture. We show that the unmodified procedure may produce distorted DNA histograms when used for staining cells growing in monolayer cultures, however. To eliminate these distortions, it was necessary to avoid the use of trypsin by staining the attached cells directly, using a hypotonic fluorochrome solution to which nonionic detergent was added. Two sublines of HeLa S3 cells are shown to exhibit major differences in their staining characteristics. By using our revised staining procedure, the two sublines appear to produce very satisfactory DNA histograms. However, in only one subline does the S phase fraction calculated from the histograms agree with the autoradiographical labeling index. Mitotic cells remain intact under these staining conditions, and the principal observed effect of nonionic detergents in this case is to decrease the coefficient of variation of fluorescence intensity.     

Optimizing Staining Protocols for Laser Microdissection of Specific Cell Types from the Testis Including Carcinoma In Situ

Microarray and RT-PCR based methods are important tools for analysis of gene expression; however, in tissues containing many different cells types, such as the testis, characterization of gene expression in specific cell types can be severely hampered by noise from other cells. The laser microdissection technology allows for enrichment of specific cell types. However, when the cells are not morphologically distinguishable, it is necessary to use a specific staining method for the target cells. In this study we have tested different fixatives, storage conditions for frozen sections and staining protocols, and present two staining protocols for frozen sections, one for fast and specific staining of fetal germ cells, testicular carcinoma in situ cells, and other cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties that express the alkaline phosphatase, and one for specific staining of lipid droplet-containing cells, which is useful for isolation of the androgen-producing Leydig cells. Both protocols retain a morphology that is compatible with laser microdissection and yield RNA of a quality suitable for PCR and microarray analysis.     

Quantitative cytochemical aspects of a combined Feulgen-Naphthol Yellow S staining procedure for the simultaneous determination of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins and DNA in mammalian cells

The simultaneous cytophotometric determination of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins and DNA by means of a combined Feulgen-Naphthol Yellow S (NYS) staining procedure was investigated. According to this procedure Feulgen staining is performed prior to NYS staining. The following main results were obtained:

1. 1. After NYS staining alone, the amount of NYS bound to the cell was found to be closely correlated to the cellular dry mass. The correlation coefficient was 0.99 in ethanol-acetone fixed cells and 0.95 in formaldehyde-fixed cells. This close correlation was not significantly altered by the Feulgen staining procedure and was 0.92 in ethanol-acetone and 0.94 in formaldehyde-fixed cells. However, the absolute amount of NYS bound per unit dry mass was affected by the method of fixation and type of Feulgen hydrolysis.

2. 2. The cells lose material during the Feulgen procedure, particularly during the acid hydrolysis stage. The type of hydrolysis most suitable for the Feulgen procedure (5 N HCl, 22 °C, 60 min) resulted in a considerable loss of dry mass in ethanol-acetone fixed cells. This loss was smaller in formaldehyde-fixed cells (15%) and was in addition closely correlated (correlation coefficient 0.99) to the dry mass of the cells prior to hydrolysis. In formaldehyde-fixed cells the dry mass after the Feulgen procedure is thus a good measure of the true cellular dry mass of the fixed cells. This is further demonstrated by the close correlation between NYS binding to Feulgenstained cells and the dry mass of these cells prior to the Feulgen procedure (correlation coefficient 0.95).

3. 3. When using the combined Feulgen-NYS staining procedure under standardized conditions (formaldehyde fixation and acid hydrolysis in 5 N HCl, 22 °C, 60 min) a constant amount of NYS was found to be bound per unit dry weight to nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins in various types of mammalian cells with different proliferative activity.

4. 4. The Feulgen DNA determination was not found to be quantitatively affected by the subsequent NYS staining.

From the results of the present study it seems that, under standardized conditions, the combined Feulgen-NYS staining procedure can be used as a reliable quantitative method for the determination of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins and DNA in mammalian cells.     

Peroxidase-labeled antibody staining for carcinoembryonic antigen of cytologic specimens for light and electron microscopy

Immunohistochemical staining methods suitable for light and electron microscopic examination of cytologic specimens are described. Application of the methods clearly demonstrated the localization of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in adenocarcinoma cells in body fluids. The use of a peroxidase-labeled antibody method permits rapid penetration of the cells by the antibody, which is not achieved by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase or avidin-biotin-peroxidase-complex staining methods. Since mesothelial and inflammatory cells are negative for CEA, the staining of body fluids for CEA is expected to be an extremely useful tool for the differential diagnosis of adenocarcinoma.     

Quantitation of lymphocyte response to PHA by flow cytofluorometry. III. Heterogeneity of induction period.

Early events in phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation of mouse splenocytes have been quantitated by using flow cytometry and supravital staining with acridine orange (AO). Increasing percentages of single cells with increased metachromatic (red) AO staining were demonstrated in cultures stimulated by PHA for up to 24 hr. These differences in staining could be eliminated by fixation with 1:1 ethanol/acetone before staining. Stimulated cells showed an increase in nonspecific esterase activity as measured by flow cytometry after supravital staining with fluorescein diacetate (FDA). The data reported show a heterogeneity in the per cell response of mouse splenocytes to PHA. The relationship between these data and the mechanism of mitogen stimulation is discussed.     

大鼠肺泡Ⅱ型上皮细胞的原代分离

目的建立大鼠肺泡Ⅱ型上皮细胞(alveolar epithelial cells typeⅡ,AECⅡ)分离、纯化、原代培养及鉴定的方法。方法用4.2U/ml的弹性蛋白酶通过气管插管注入肺泡内,消化分离AECⅡ。把细胞悬液接种到包被有大鼠IgG的塑料平皿中纯化细胞。用电镜、碱性磷酸酶显色法、改良巴氏染色法、单宁酸染色法、免疫组化染色法鉴定AECⅡ。结果细胞纯度达到90%以上,倒置显微镜下可见细胞呈岛屿状生长。电镜下可见细胞内有大量板层小体,包膜上有绒毛结构。碱性磷酸酶染色法(BCIP/NBT)可见胞浆内有蓝色颗粒。改良巴氏染色法、单宁酸染色法可见胞浆内有黑色颗粒。抗大鼠肺泡表面活性蛋白A(surfactant protein A,SP-A)免疫组化染色呈阳性反应。结论弹性蛋白酶作用温和,不损伤胞膜,分离所得细胞活力好;IgG免疫粘附纯化法操作简单,纯化效率高。电镜、BCIP/NBT、巴氏染色、单宁酸染色及免疫组化染色等鉴定方法稳定可靠,特异性高。