Mesoderm and Neural Inductions on Newt Ectoderm by Activin A

Mesoderm-inducing activity of human recombinant activin A was examined on presumptive ectoderm of the Japanese newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster , by using the animal cap assay, Activin A induced neural tissues and mesodermal tissues such as brain, neural tube, notochord, muscle, mesenchyme, coelomic epithelium and blood-like cells after 14 days cultivation. These tissues were induced by activin A at concentrations ranging from 0.5– 100 ng/ml. Dose-dependent inducing activity of activity A on newt ectoderm was slightly different from that on other animals, including Xenopus . Wide range of concentration of activin A (0.5– 100 ng/ml) could induce the neural tube, notochord, mesenchyme and coelomic epithelium on the newt ectoderm. Though the percentage of induced explants (two out of 23 explants, 8.7%) was low, the pulsating heart was induced. This paper showed first that activin could induce the mesodermal and neural tissues in newt presumptive ectoderm. Since activin homologues were present In Xenopus and chick embryos, it is likely that activin may be one of the natural inducers in a wide range of species.     

Histochemical and Enzyme Digestion Studies on Neural Induction in Xenopus laevis

The purpose of this work was to obtain information on the chemical constitution and functional significance of the extracellular materials (granules and fibrils) observed, in previous investigations, at the ecto-mesodermal junction during neural induction.
The results indicate that the granules are composed mainly of RNA and the fibrils of glycosaminoglycans, and that neither of these morphological features are essential mediators of the inductive stimuli required for the formation of the nervous system.
It is therefore suggested that the mechanism of neural induction depends either on the passage of diffusible substances between the two tissues or on direct contacts between the membranes of their constituent cells.     

Transmission of Homoiogenetic Induction in Presumptive Ectoderm of Newt Embryo

Using newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster , embryos, the production and/or transmission of a homoiogenetic effect of the induction within a presumptive ectoderm was investigated. The primary inductor was the swimbladder of a crucian carp, Caracius auratus. In the first experiment, a piece of presumptive ectoderm was isolated from an early gastrula and one-third of its inner surface was placed in contact with the swimbladder for 30 min. After removal of the inductor, the ectodermal piece was allowed to stand by itself for several hours (pre-cultivation), and then it was divided into three parts of equal size, i.e. the end that had been placed in contact with the swimbladder (P1), the next middle (P2) and the end part (P3).
The tissues produced in each part were examined after 10 days' cultivation in Holtfreter's solution. The induction was evoked not only in P1, but also in P2 and P3 which had been free from the inductor. The incidences of tissue differentiation in P2 and P3 increased with the lapse of the pre-cultivation time, and the rise in P3 came after P2. These results suggested that the mesodermal tissues in the parts not placed in contact with the swimbladder (P2 and P3) were evoked by the homoiogenetic stimulus which came from P1 and P2, respectively.
In the next experiment, P2 of the ectodermal piece was substituted by an aged ectoderm which had lost its primary competence. In this system, the mesodermal induction was not evoked in P3. This suggested that the production of the homoiogenetic activity of the ectoderm might be associated with its competenece.     

Types of Neural Tissues Induced through the Presumptive Notochord of Newt Embryo

Neural induction through the presumptive notochord was tested by means of the sandwich method. The result disclosed that the notochord was a potent inducer of neural tissues not only in the ectoderm of gastrula but also in the ventral ectoderm of neurula and early tail-bud embryos. Structures formed by the induced neural tissue varied greatly. They can be classified into three types. (1) Tubular: the neural tissues induced in explants containing abundant mesenchymes always formed long tubular structures. The shapes of these neural tubes showed considerable variation; moreover, they were atypical and none formed the regular structure of the spinal cord. This type was most frequent, being found in about 50% of the explants. (2) Inverted: this type was produced when the explant contained mesenchymal component. Consequently, the epithelium of explants was missing. Nevertheless, a considerable mass of neural tissue was always induced. It was noticed that the induced neural tissues were invariably inside out; this type was found in about 30% of the explants. (3) Archencephalic: this was the only type to form the regular structure, i.e., the archencephalon. Formation of the archencephalon was limited solely to those explants containing only a few mesenchymes; this type was found in about 20% of the cases. As described above, it was found that the neural tissues induced by the same inducer of the notochord were not uniform but varied in type. Further, it was shown that the types of neural tissue differed according to different quantities of the surrounding mesenchyme. Based on these facts, it is to be concluded that it is not the inducer of notochord, but the surrounding mesenchyme that is of primary importance for the determination of the types of neural tissue.     

Studies on the Formation and State of Determination of the Trunk Organizer in the Newt, Cynops Pyrrhogaster III. Tangential Induction in the Dorsal Marginal Zone

Analysis of the course of differentiation of combinants between the presumptive prechordal plate (PcP) and presumptive ectoderm (PE) by time-lapse filming showed that the PcP of early gastrulae has the capacity to induce mesoderm (notochord, muscle cells and migrating cells) in the PE. The mesoderm-inducing capacity of the PcP decreases sharply during gastrulation. Following invagination in the mid-gastrula, the PcP completely loses its mesoderm-inducing capacity. This change also occurred when the PcP of the earliest gastrula was aged in vitro for 18 hr. This shows that the mesoderm-inducing capacity of the PcP decreases autonomously with aging.
PE transplanted into the presumptive trunk organizer region of the dorsal marginal zone of the earlist gastrula, became mesodermized within 12 hr. It is clear that this mesodermization of the transplanted PE is due to "tangential induction" from the PcP. The stepwise formation of the trunk organizer in Cynops pyrrhogaster is discussed in consideration of these results.     

Hormonal Induction of Male Courtship Behavior in the Japanese Newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster

In the breeding season, the sexually mature male newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster, vibrates the tail in front of the female at an early stage of courtship. Effects of prolactin (PRL), gonadotropin (GTH), and sex steroids on this behavior were investigated in the male paired with the female receiving PRL and GTH. The behavior was elicited in the sexually inert male by injections of PRL of bovine, ovine, or bullfrog origin and human chorionic gonadotropin or bullfrog LH and FSH in combination. The effect of PRL or GTH alone was less marked than that of PRL plus GTH, especially in terms of frequency of the behavior. In the hypophysectomized male, combination of PRL and GTH significantly increased both the incidence and frequency of the behavior. However, PRL alone was not effective, and the effect of GTH alone was less pronounced than that in the intact animal receiving GTH injections. The effect of GTH was nullified by castration. In the PRL-treated castrated animal, testosterone or dihydrotestosterone, but not estradiol, was effective in inducing the behavior.     

Studies on the Effect of the Adhesion Protein Isolated from Bovine Eye on Cell Proliferation in the Newt Cornea

The effect of the adhesion protein isolated from the bovine cornea was studied on the model of mechanical injury (cross cutting of the cornea). In the concentration of 10^?12 mg/ml, the protein influenced the proliferation of corneal epithelial cells in newt Pleurodeles waltl in vivo. Experiments were conducted using autoradiography, and the nuclear labeling index (NLI) was determined at different times after surgery and in different corneal regions. This adhesion protein significantly induced proliferation of corneal epithelial cells relative to control groups with the injured eyes treated with the serum adhesion protein at the same concentration or water. The differences between the experimental and control animals were most pronounced 7 days after surgery. By day 14, they were less pronounced but still significant. On day 28, no significant differences in NLI were observed between the three groups, although these values remained higher than in intact animals. An increased pool of proliferating cells in the corneal epithelium was observed both in the affected and intact areas. The data obtained indicate that the biological activity of this protein is not species specific and that it can be a proliferation factor for corneal epithelial cells.     

心脏诱导的研究

对心脏发育调控机制的认识是从观察两栖动物和鸟类的胚胎学过程开始的.心脏的诱导调控一直是人们研究的热点.从心脏的形态发生,心脏诱导和心脏的分子标识等3个方面对最近的一系列研究结果进行了综述.     

Assay for Neural Induction in the Chick Embryo

The chick embryo is a valuable tool in the study of early embryonic development. Its transparency, accessibility and ease of manipulation, make it an ideal tool for studying the formation and initial patterning of the nervous system. This video demonstrates how to graft organizer tissue into a host, a method by which Hensen s node (the organizer in the chick embryo) is grafted to a host competent ectoderm. The organizer graft instructs overlying na ve tissue to adopt a neural fate via neural inducing signals. This mechanism is referred to as neural induction, and constitutes the initial step in the formation of brain and spinal cord in amniotes. This method is essentially used for the characterization of putative neural inducing molecules in chick. This video demonstrates the different steps in the assay for neural induction; First, the donnor embryo is explanted and pinned on a dish. Then, the host embryo is prepared for New culture. The graft is excised and transplanted to the host area pellucida margin. The host is cultured for 18-22 hrs. The assembly is fixed and processed for further applications (e.g. in situ hybridization). This method was originally devised by Waddington ^1,2 and Gallera ^3,4.Open in a separate windowClick here to view.^{(67M, flv)}     

The Effect of Colchicine on the Induction of the Stellate Configuration in Dorsal Iris Epithelial Cells of the Newt Notophthalmus viridescens, in vitro

Neuroblastoma cells, grown in monolayer, transform, emit cytoplasmic processes, and acquire morphological and functional properties resembling those of mature neurons, whereas in suspension culture they remain in the undifferentiated anaplastic form. The appearance of intermediate (10 nm) filamentous structures in neuroblastoma cells is generally considered to indicate a state of cellular differentiation, one of a progressive sequence of maturing phases which lead the cell to the final differentiated state.
We have examined by electron microscope murine C 1300 neuroblastoma cloned cells, grown in suspension or in monolayer cultures in the presence or absence of BrdU as an inducing agent and have compared the expression of intermediate filaments. These filaments were present in five clones of cells grown in suspension still in undifferentiated anaplastic form. One clone in particular showed a massive expression of filaments, particularly visible in the perinuclear region. One hundred per cent of the cells observed presented filaments whose number apparently increased when cells were grown in the presence of BrdU in suspension or in monolayer. One clone never showed intermediate filaments under any circumstances. The original line from which clones were derived showed poor expression of filaments which were visible only in cells grown in monolayer. These results suggest that the expression of intermediate filaments in neuroblastoma cells should be viewed as the result of a positive genetic control of phenotype expression rather than the result of a progressive sequence of differentiating events.     

Homoiogenetic Neural Induction in Xenopus Chimeric Explants

We previously raised monoclonal antibodies specific for epidermis (7) and neural tissue (8) of Xenopus for use as markers of tissue differentiation in induction experiments (8). Here we have used these monoclonal antibodies to examine homoiogenetic neural induction, by which cells induced to differentiate to neural tissues can in turn induce competent ectoderm to do the same. Presumptive anterior neural plate excised from late gastrulae of Xenopus laevis was conjugated with competent ectoderm from the initial gastrula of Xenopus borealis , either side by side or with their inner surfaces together. The chimeric explants enabled us to distinguish induced neural tissues from inducing neural tissues. In both types of explant, neural tissues identified by the neural tissue-specific antibody, NEU-1, were induced in the competent ectoderm by the presumptive anterior neural plate. The results suggest that homoiogenetic neural induction does occur in Xenopus embryos.     

红瘰疣螈的体温调节

红瘰疣螈(Tylototriton shanjing)为我国Ⅱ级重点保护野生动物。本实验测定了在不同环境温度条件下红瘰疣螈体温及代谢率变化。结果表明,在10～35℃环境温度范围内红瘰疣螈体温(Tb)与环境温度(Ta)呈正相关,其直线回归方程为:Tb=3.99+0.86Ta(R2=0.99,P0.01);其代谢率(MR)在15～30℃的环境温度范围内随环境温度的升高而升高,在35℃时,其代谢率由于体温过高而急剧降低;在15～35℃之间的6个温度条件下雄性代谢率的回归方程为:MR1=0.374 1-0.355 1Ta+0.113 9T2a-0.010 5T3a(R2=0.47,P0.01,df1=3,df2=46);雌性代谢率的回归方程为:MR2=0.478 8-0.420 3Ta+0.130 4T2a-0.011 8T3a(R2=0.40,P0.01,df1=3,df2=46)。不同于内热源动物的代谢特征,红瘰疣螈的体温调节表现出外热源动物的特点:其体温受环境影响较大,体温生理调节能力较弱。     

Leptin, Leptin Receptors and ACTH Immunoreactivities are Present in the Gastrointestinal Tract and the Neural Tube of Tadpoles of the Newt Triturus

Leptin, its receptor and ACTH were detected by immunohistochemistry in the gastrointestinal tract and the neural tube of the amphibian urodele, Triturus cristatus carnifex, during development. These molecules were found after hatching of tadpoles, starting from stage 41. In the gastrointestinal tract, cells immunoreactive to leptin and its receptor were first revealed in the stomach, the liver and the gut and then in the pancreas. Both immunoreactives were colocalized in the same cells in some areas. Immunostaining for ACTH appeared at stages 43/45 in the stomach, the gut and the pancreas. In adjacent sections, a few cells immunoreactive to both ACTH and leptin receptor were detected. A few cells were immunoreactive to both insulin and leptin receptor. Immunoreactivities to leptin and its receptor were also found in adjacent sections of the neural tube, often colocalized in the same cell. Moreover, in prosencephalon, mesencephalon, rhomboencephalon and spinal cord, ACTH-immunoreactive cells were detected in the same areas as the leptin receptor immunoreactive cells. These results suggest the existence of a neuroendocrine network in newt tadpoles both at the central level, where it resembles that of mammals, and at the peripheral level, where it may act locally to regulate food intake and metabolism, e.g. yolk digestion.     

N-Acetyl-Glucosaminidase Activity during Limb Regeneration in the Adult Newt

N-Acetyl-glucosaminidase activity was measured during the first 25 days of limb regeneration. It was found that the enzyme is present in the normal limb. Following amputation a significant drop was obtained at day 3. A significant increase in enzyme activity was found at day 5 followed by a second drop by day 10. For days 12–15 a second peak of enzyme activity was detected, followed by a third drop; by day 25, normal levels of enzyme activity were detected. Histochemical localization of the enzyme in tissue samples showing enzyme activity as detected biochemically (days 5 and 17 of regeneration) gave negative results. However, enzyme activity was found in the incubation medium, indicating that the enzyme is released from the cells. The peaks of enzyme activity coincide with the stages of limb regeneration where a high degree of tissue demolition and cell lysis occurs. The latter are important events in the regeneration process, cell dedifferentiation, and blastema formation.     

五加科植物发状根诱导研究进展

五加科植物多为重要的中药材,利用发根农杆菌诱导五加科药用植物产生发状根,并从中获取有用的次生代谢产物,是保护五加科珍稀药用植物资源和实现有效次生代谢物质工业化生产的有效途径。该文在概述发根农杆菌转化药用植物研究历程和转化机理研究的基础上,对近年来在发根农杆菌诱导五加科植物的种类及诱导率、影响发根农杆菌诱导五加科植物的各种因素和利用发根农杆菌诱导五加科植物获得再生植株等方面研究进行了重点分析,并对今后亟需研究的几个重点方向进行了展望,以期为五加科药用植物的良性开发和合理利用提供参考。     

Studies on Induction and Repression in Activated Sludge Systems

Both repression and induction of substrate utilization have been the subject of many basic research investigations employing pure cultures. In this investigation these effects were studied using heterogeneous microbial populations prevalent in such biological treatment processes as activated sludge systems.Diauxic substrate removal by activated sludge was observed in a multicomponent medium consisting of glucose and sorbitol. The sludge was acclimated solely to sorbitol; however, the presence of glucose blocked sorbitol removal until glucose was completely utilized. Both diphasic and triphasic oxygen utilization was shown for activated sludges metabolizing multicomponent synthetic wastes consisting of glucose, melibiose, and lactose. It appears from these studies that melibiose utilization was suppressed by the presence of glucose and, although melibiose induced acclimation to lactose, the presence of melibose suppressed lactose utilization. Studies were also conducted using glycogen and starch systems in which it was found that acclimation to either compound conferred immediate acclimation to the other. It was also found that loss of acclimation to lactose was a passive phenomenon and its kinetics could be predicted on the basis of simple diluting out of the enzyme(s) responsible for such acclimation.