Immunohistochemical characteristics of chicken spleen ellipsoids using newly established monoclonal antibodies

Ellipsoids, the extra-vasculature sites surrounding penicilliary capillaries of the chicken spleen, play critical roles in the immune response and also in the clearance of pathogens or other particles. The meshwork of ellipsoids is formed by fibroblastic reticular cells. To characterize ellipsoidal reticular cells, a series of monoclonal antibodies against the chicken spleen have been developed. Of these antibodies, CSA-1 antibody reacts with fibroblastic reticular cells in ellipsoids and with endothelial cells. The reticular nature of positive cells in ellipsoids is indicated by immuno-electron microscopy, and by double-staining with anti-heat-shock protein 47 kDa (hsp47) antibody. The reaction of CSA-1 with reticular cells is limited in ellipsoids; CSA-1 does not react with reticular cells in other lymphoid organs. These findings indicate that ellipsoidal reticular cells share the antigen with endothelial cells. Ontogenic studies reveal that, on embryonic day 18, the development of ellipsoids is completed, penicilliary capillaries become fenestrated, and CSA-1 expression in ellipsoids begins. These findings suggest that CSA-1 is expressed on the cell surface of ellipsoidal reticular cells once they are exposed to blood flow.     

Optical Extinction Spectroscopy of Oblate, Prolate and Ellipsoid Shaped Gold Nanoparticles: Experiments and Theory

Localized Surface Plasmons (LSP) on metallic nanoparticles of different shapes are investigated by extinction spectroscopy. Experimental results are compared to simulations by a Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method. Three different shapes of nanoparticles are compared, oblates, prolates and ellipsoids, in terms of spectral tunability of the LSP resonance (LSPR). It is found that the complete geometry of the nanoparticle must be given to truly define the LSP resonance and that ellipsoids offer the widest spectral tunability.     

鲤鱼和鲫鱼脾脏显微结构和亚显微结构的研究

鲤鱼和鲫鱼的脾脏中都没有小梁,其红髓和白髓是混合的。脾脏中都有椭圆体,其末端向脾髓开放。脾髓的纤维网眼中缺乏血管壁,椭圆体毛细血管中的血液可直接流入脾髓网状结缔组织的腔隙中。腹腔注射墨汁的鲫鱼,2小时后即可在椭圆体的巨噬细胞中看到碳粒的积累,可见脾脏的过滤作用主要在椭圆体中进行。在注射墨汁的鲫鱼脾脏中,黑色素巨噬细胞中心比未经注射鱼的脾脏明显,且数量增多,它和哺乳动物淋巴结和脾脏中的生发中心结构和功能都不相同。       

SOLPRO: theory and computer program for the prediction of SOLution PROperties of rigid macromolecules and bioparticles

Single-valued hydrodynamic coefficients of a rigid particle can be calculated from existing theories and computer programs for either bead models or ellipsoids. Starting from these coefficients, we review the procedures for the calculation of complex solution properties depending on rotational diffusion, such as the decays of electric birefringence and fluorescence anisotropy. We also describe the calculation of the scattering form factor of bead models. The hydrodynamic coefficients and solution properties can be combined to give universal, shape-dependent functions, which were initially intended for ellipsoidal particles, and are extended here for the most general case. We have implemented all these developments in a new computer program, SOLPRO, for calculation of SOLution PROperties, which can be linked to existing software for bead models or ellipsoids. Accepted: 1 November 1996     

The shape parameter of liposomes and DNA-lipid complexes determined by viscometry utilizing small sample volumes

A minicapillary viscometer utilizing <0.5 ml of sample at a volume fraction of <0.1% is described. The calculated a/b of DPPC/DPPG multilamellar liposome was 1.14 as prolate ellipsoids and a/b of dioleoylpropyltrimethyl ammonium methylsulfate-DNA complex at a charge ratio of 4:1 (+/-) was 3.7 as prolate ellipsoids or 4.9 as oblate ellipsoids. The deviation of shape from perfect sphere is thus expressed quantitatively in more than two significant figures. In these measurement, the necessary amount of DNA is <0.5 mg.     

Immune-complex trapping in the splenic ellipsoids of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), immunised with horseradish peroxidase, were given horseradish peroxidase intravenously, and the trapping of antigen in the spleen was followed 1, 24, and 48 h after injection. After 1 h, the localisation of horseradish peroxidase indicated that the antigen had been extensively trapped in the walls of the splenic ellipsoids. The colocalisation of horseradish peroxidase with rainbow trout immunoglobulin M and complement factor 3 was shown with a double immunofluorescence technique and suggested that horseradish peroxidase was trapped in the form of immune complexes. After 24 and 48 h, very little horseradish peroxidase was detected in the ellipsoids, and horseradish peroxidase was mainly found in association with large cells with prominent cytoplasmic extensions. In nonimmunised fish given horseradish peroxidase intravenously, antigen was not detected in ellipsoids. Thus, the observed difference between immunised and nonimmunised trout suggests a specific role for the splenic ellipsoids in rapid immune-complex trapping and invites speculation on its significance in a secondary immune response.     

Macrophages and Reticulum Cells in the Spleen of the Dogfish,Scyliorhinus canicula

The presence and ultrastructural features of reticulum cells and macrophages were studied in the spleen of the dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula. Three morphologically distinguishable regions of the spleen were identified: the white pulp, the red pulp and the ellipsoids. In all three, the splenic parenchyma was a meshwork supported by reticulum cells and fibres. Reticulum cells in both the white and the red pulp are irregular elements, the processes of which are joined by cell junctions and embrace developing reticular fibres. The ellipsoids of the dogfish spleen are terminal branches of the splenic arteries of the white pulp, with a sheath consisting of reticulum cells, reticular fibres, ground substance, macrophages and occasional lymphocytes. Isolated melanomacrophages also occur in the ellipsoid walls as well as in the red pulp. In both the white and the red pulp phagocytic reticulum cells, and macrophages appear frequently forming cell associations with surrounding blood cells, mainly lymphocytes. The functional significance of the ellipsoids and the cell-cell clusters of the white and the red pulp is discussed in relation to the immune capacities demonstrated in elasmobranchs.     

Phagocytosis in the spleen of the sunfish Lepomis spp.

A histological investigation of the filtering function of the spleen of the sunfish Lepomis spp. was conducted by light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. The parenchyma of the organ is predominantly red pulp, a system of splenic cords and sinuses. The white pulp consists of loose lymphoid tissue which forms a cuff around the pulp arteries. Filtering of particulate matter from the blood occurs in the red pulp by phagocytes of the pulp cords and ellipsoids (periarterial macrophage sheaths). The ellipsoids are pale-staining cuffs of macrophages and reticular cells in a framework of reticular fibres surrounding the arterial capillaries. Destruction of effete blood cells (especially erythrocytes) is confined to the pigment nodules; particulate matter is not taken up by the nodules. These yellow-brown bodies are dispersed throughout the red pulp and are bounded by a reticular capsule. They contain masses of phagocytes and have the appearance of a morula. They are associated with blood vessels and are surrounded by sinusoids. Prussian Blue stain shows the presence of haemosiderin within their phagocytes. The phagocytes of the pigment nodules are filled with inclusions such as residual bodies, siderosomes, and fragments of erythrocytes. The early filtering of particulate matter by the phagocytes of the pulp cords and ellipsoids may allow for a more efficient phagocytosis of erythrocytes by the pigment nodules, followed by storage and reutilization of iron-containing compounds uncontaminated by other phagocytosed material.     

Anisotropic thermal motion and polypeptide secondary structure studied by X-ray analysis at 0.98Å resolution

aPP is a 36-amino acid polypeptide which forms a stable globular structure stabilised by hydrophobic interactions between a polyproline-like helix and an α-helix. Crystals contain dimers and are crosslinked by coordination through zinc ions leading to a well-ordered lattice which diffracts X-rays to a resolution of 0.98Å. This gives a 5 : 1 ratio of observations-to-parameters even when anisotropic thermal ellipsoids defined by six parameters for each non-hydrogen hydrogen atom were refined using least-squares techniques. Rigid body refinement of groups within the polypeptide was also undertaken. The relationship of the principal axes of individual thermal ellipsoids soids and the librations of rigid side groups to features of secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of aPP and its interactions with water molecules are described.     

A Computational Exploration of the Color Gamut of Nanoscale Hollow Scalene Ellipsoids of Ag and Au

Hollow, nanoscale, scalene ellipsoids of Ag or Au provide an exceedingly tunable localized surface plasmon resonance. Here, we use numerical simulations to determine the limits of the color space that would be possible from colloidal suspensions of these particles and show that their color gamut will exceed that possible with nanorods, nanoshells, or nanorice. The important parameters are composition, thickness of the shell, and shape of the particle, in that order. The sensitivity of colors to geometry is optimized for an aspect ratio of between 0.3 and 0.5 and was reduced for thinner shells. Shells of Ag will have much wider and more vibrant gamut than those of Au. These findings indicate that hollow scalene ellipsoids could be used as versatile pigments in materials or display systems that exploit plasmon resonance to produce color.     

Human upper-limb force capacities evaluation with robotic models for ergonomic applications: effect of elbow flexion

The aim of this study was to apply models derived from the robotics field to evaluate the human upper-limb force generation capacity. Four models were compared: the force ellipsoid (FE) and force polytope (FP) based on unit joint torques and the scaled FE (SFE) and scaled FP (SFP) based on maximum isometric joint torques. The four models were assessed from four upper-limb postures with varying elbow flexion (40°, 60°, 80° and 100°) measured by an optoelectronic system and their corresponding isometric joint torques. Ten subjects were recruited. Three specific ellipsoids and polytopes parameters were compared: isotropy, principal force orientation and volume. Isotropy showed that the ellipsoids and polytopes were elongated. The angle between the two ellipsoids main axis and the two polytopes remained low but increased with the elbow flexion. The FE and FP volumes increased and those of SFE and SFP decreased with the elbow flexion. The interest and limits of such models are discussed in the framework of ergonomics and rehabilitation.     

Frictional coefficients of multisubunit structures. I. Theory

The theory of Kirkwood for the translational frictional coefficients of structures composed of subunits has been generalized in two ways in order to consider aggregates of nonidentical subunits. One of these generalizations fails when the sizes of subunits are too disparate; the other, derived from a surface shell distribution of frictional elements, is effective over the whole range of relative sizes. It is shown that, in the limit of a continuous surface distribution, a shell model reproduces Stoke's law for a sphere. Comparison is made between the frictional coefficients of spheres, ellipsoids, and rods modeled by finite numbers of subunits and by continuous shells of frictional elements, and those calculated from other theories. Agreement is generally good, though the shell model for prolate ellipsoids of revolution deviates by a few per cent from the Perrin value.     

Low-resolution structure of the tetrameric phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli. A neutron small-angle scattering study of hybrids composed of protonated and deuterated protomers

Escherichia coli phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase is a tetrameric protein composed of two types of protomers. In order to resolve the subunit organization, neutron small-angle scattering experiments have been performed in different contrasts with all types of isotope hybrids that could be obtained by reconstituting the alpha 2 beta 2 enzyme from the protonated and deuterated forms of the alpha and beta subunits. Experiments have been also made with the isolated alpha promoter. A model for the alpha 2 beta 2 tetramer is deduced where the two alpha promoters are elongated ellipsoids (45 x 45 x 160 A3) lying side by side with an angle of about 40 degrees between their long axes and where the two beta subunits are also elongated ellipsoids (31 x 31 x 130 A3) with an angle of 30 degrees between their axes. This model was obtained by assuming that the two pairs of subunits are in contact in an orthogonal manner and by taking advantage of the measured distance between the centers of mass of the alpha 2 and beta 2 pairs (d = 23 +/- 2 A).     

Determination of pK's of trinucleotides

pK's of trinucleotides are calculated according to the theory of Kirkwood and Westheimer for ellipsoids. In order to compare the calculated values with some experimental results, a number of trimers were prepared and their pK's were measured. The question of syn and anti conformations for monomers are discussed in light of the above considerations.     

The viscosity increment for ellipsoids of revolution. Some observations on the Simha formula

Outstanding uncertainties in the widely employed Simha (J. Phys. Chem. 44 (1940) 25) function for the viscosity increment r of macromolecules as modelled by axially symmetric ellipsoids are resolved. A simple development of the analysis also reveals an interesting relationship between nu and the translational frictional property of macromolecules.     

Small-angle X-ray scattering study of adenosine triphosphatase from thermophilic bacterium PS3

Adenosine triphosphatase from the thermophilic bacterium PS3(TF1) has been studied by solution X-ray scattering. A structural change in TF1 caused by the binding of ADP was observed by examining the difference between the radii of gyration of the unligated and ligated forms. The radius of gyration of the unligated TF1 was found to be 49.5 +/- 0.3 A, and it decreased by approximately 3% after ligation with ADP. The positions and the amplitudes of a subsidiary maximum and a shoulder in the scattering profile showed subtle change on nucleotide binding. The lower limit of the maximum length of TF1 was determined to be 165 A for the unligated form and 150 A for the ligated form. The shape analysis of TF1 was performed by model calculations for simple triaxial bodies or their complexes. Among the various models tested, the one that gave the best fit with the experimental data consisted of seven ellipsoids of revolution; six identical ellipsoids with semi-axes: a = b = 18.5 A and c = 74 A. arranged hexagonally, and the other with a = b = 28 A and c = 45 A, located below the other six on the 6-fold axis. On the basis of this model it was suggested that there is a structural change on ligation with nucleotides, consisting of a shrinkage of the six long ellipsoids by 6% along their major axes.     

PRELIMINARILY STUDIES ON THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL NICHES OF TWO SPIDER MITES OF APPLE LEAF

Abstract  The multidimensional niches of two spider mites Tetranychus viennensis Zacher and Panonychus ulmi (Koch) comprise eleven ecological dimensions (trophic, microclimatic. and biologic dimensions). Principal component analysis shows: some dimensions of leaf nutrition and microclimate perform more important function than the biologic dimensions in the mites' niches from June to August. By the analysis of main axis technique and the method of comparative ecology the niche ellipsoids (i.e. multidimensional niches) of each mite were established. The niche ellipsoids of the two mites change their volumes with time, tend to seperate in June. overlap in July. and seperate in August.     

苹果园两种叶螨多维生态位初步研究(英语)

两种叶螨Tetranychus viennensis Zacher和Panonychus ulmi(Koch)的多维生态位由11个生态维组成(它们包括营养,微气候和生物维).主成份分析表明:由6月到8月,在两种叶螨的生态位中叶片营养和微气候维的作用比生物维的作用大.应用主轴技术和比较生态的方法建立了两种叶螨的生态位椭球(即多维生态位).两种叶螨的生态位椭球均随时间改变其体积,在6月份和8月份趋于分离,而在7月份趋于重叠.     

Ellipsoids of the spleen (ellipsoid macrophagal-lymphoid sheaths

The ellipsoids of the spleen are considered as one of the links of the immune (lymphoid) apparatus of the lymphoreticular organ. Anatomical peculiarities of interrelations between the wall of the terminal part of the arterial bed, capillary, ellipsoid macrophagal-lymphoid microenvironment and reticular stroma of the ellipsoids of the spleen are discussed. Certain ultrastructural and immune-histological differences in the structure of the endothelial lining and cells, forming the ellipsoid sheaths, demonstrate functional interconnection of these formations not only with regulation of blood stream in the spleen vascular bed, but with transport of the antigenic material and lymphocytes into the white pulp. However, the functional appointment, as well as using of terminology of these formations still remain to be cleared out. An analogy is made, concerning the function of the splenic ellipsoid sheaths and postcapillary venules of the lymph node. The formation of the structural mechanism of immune response to the antigen-antibody complexes are analyzed, using some examples of evolutionary development of the ellipsoid macrophagal-lymphoid sheaths in various animal species.