Effect of various immunomodulators on the thymus gland of rats during the process of adaptation to high-altitude conditions

Changes in all composition of the thymus of the animals under conditions of altitude against the background of immunomodulators demonstrate that at initial stages of adaptation structures responsible for the state of T-cell immunity are the first to be damaged. In B-dependent structures in 1 month after elevation certain tendency to normalization of morphometric characteristics is noted.     

Effect of constant light on the circadian rhythm in locomotor activity in intact or eyelids-removed rats

According to the Aschoff's role, exposure to continuous light (LL) results in the elongation of the free-running period of the rat circadian rhythm. However, the LL may not always mean the constant intensity of the light for the suprachiasmatic nucleus, since the rat may regulate the contrast of the illumination by their eyelids which are closed during the sleep phase. In this study, the surgical removal of the eyelids under the LL caused arrhythmicity of the locomotor activity in 7 of 10 rats. The remaining 3 rats maintained the free-running rhythm after the removal of the eyelids. These results suggest that constant light may affect the free-running rhythm of the rat with or without eyelids in the different manner.     

The manifestation of the motor activity circadian rhythm of blinded rats depends on the lighting conditions during lactation

The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effect of different lighting conditions during lactation on the functioning of the circadian pacemaker in the adult rat in absence of the retinal input. We reared one group of rats under constant light (LL-rats) and the other under constant darkness (DD-rats). After weaning they were placed under light-dark cycles of 24h period for 29 days to eliminate the aftereffects of the previous lighting. All the animals were then binocularly enucleated and motor activity was recorded. Results reveal that, before and after the enucleation, the expression of the circadian rhythm was stronger in DD- than in the LL-rats. Our results indicate that lighting conditions during lactation modify the functioning of the circadian pacemaker.     

Generational variability in the patterns of motor activity circadian rhythm in the rats

Motor activity circadian rhythm of 32 rats belonging to three consecutive generations of rats from a laboratory strain, has been studied. This rhythm has been registered from the day of weaning (at 21 days) to at least 30 days after. The pattern of this rhythm has been analyzed by means of a Fourier analysis, by which the daily power spectrum of each rat was obtained. Based on the mean power spectrum of each animal, the variance among the different families and generations has been calculated. Results show that the variance increases in a statistically significant way with the succeeding generations. It can be suggested that in the third generation, the characteristics of the progenitors are dispersed, confirming the genetic character of the rhythm and suggesting a multigenic character for the transmission of the circadian rhythm of motor activity.     

Electron microscopic-radioautographic study of RNA synthesis in the epithelial cells of the kidney urinary tubules of white rats in corrosive sublimate poisoning

Radioautographic study of ultrathin selections of proximal white rat renal canals labeled with 3H-uridine revealed diffuse transition of peripheral and paranuclear heterochromatin to be observed in nuclei of undamaged epithelia cells and those affected by partial necrosis in case of sublimate nephrosis. Nucleus degranulation as well as decrease in its size accompanied by inhibition of RNA synthesis is also observed. Nucleus reparation being observed 48 hours after subcutaneous injection of 0.4/0.1 kg corrosive sublimate in some cells and characterized by the appearance of granular component as well as the increase of nucleolar vacuole count is usually revealed in case of decondensation form of peripheral and paranuclear chromatin in the enlarged nuclei.     

The effect of insulin on circadian rhythm of voluntary locomotor activity in rats

Effects of single intranasal administration of 0.2 ng insulin at different moments of the projected daily cycle (ZT = 1, ZT = 7, ZT = 13 and ZT = 19) on the circadian rhythms of voluntary locomotor activity (wheel-running) were studied in Wistar male rats. Insulin administered at ZT-7 or ZT-13 induced a statistically significant phase advance by 4.4 and 5.5 hours, respectively. The administration of insulin at ZT-13 additionally induced a reduction of the period of the circadian rhythm of voluntary locomotor activity. Intranasal administration of insulin at other moments of the projected daily cycle (ZT = 1 or ZT = 19) did not induce any statistically significant change in phase or period duration of the circadian rhythms. Insulin did not cause changes in total daily activity irrespective of administration time. The results of the study suggest the role of endogenous insulin as entrainment factor for circadian oscillator in absence of the main physiological zeitgeber--cyclic afferent input from retina photoreceptors.     

Analysis of the circadian rhythm of motor activity in white rats by using several pharmacologic agents which act on cerebral monoamines]

Three pharmacological agents, (disulfiram, imipramine and reserpine) influencing the brain monoamine transmitters have been studied to explain the mechanism involved in the motor circadian rhythm. The new results corroborate our previous ones : the norepinephrine transmitter responsible for the paradoxical sleep is unable to explain the depressed metabolic phase of the circadian rhythm; the negative results obtained with disulfiram and imipramine corroborate the previous results with nialamide. On the contrary, the agents which reduce the serotonine transmitter mechanisms (p-chlorophenylalanine) decrease the difference between active and sleep phases by their action involved in the non-activated sleep. Reserpine, supposed to reduce both transmitter mechanisms (serotonine and norepinephrine) shows a p-chlorophenylalanine-like effect, perhaps more strong. It thus appears that the non-activated sleep is responsible for the two essential sleep functions : the restitution function and the depressed phase of the circadian rhythm.     

Effect cold adaptation to the ouabain-sensitive component of kidney respiration in rats

In the course of intermittent cold adaptation (0 degrees C, for 16 weeks) the rats demonstrated an increase in the rate of oxygen consumption by a suspension of kidney pieces. The increase of oxygen consumption by 60% is ouabain-sensitive. Together with the data on Na, K-ATPase activation this indicates the main role of the Na-pump in the increased respiration of the kidneys on cold adaptation.     

Mouse kidney androgen-regulated protein messenger ribonucleic acid is expressed in the proximal convoluted tubules

Kidney androgen-regulated protein (KAP) mRNA represents the most abundant [approximately 4% of the total poly(A) RNA] mRNA species that is induced by androgens in the mouse kidney. Comparison of the expression of several androgen-regulated mRNAs in this tissue, revealed that the mRNAs were differentially regulated by the hormone. KAP mRNA exhibited unusual sensitivity to low concentrations of the androgen-receptor complex. Because of its unusual characteristics, it was of interest to determine in what cells of the kidney KAP mRNA was being produced. Using the technique of in situ hybridization with single stranded RNA probes, we have identified the epithelial cells of the renal proximal convoluted tubules as the site of synthesis of KAP mRNA. Interestingly, only a subpopulation of these cells, those located in the juxtamedullary region of the renal cortex, contain KAP mRNA in castrated males. After androgen treatment, cortical proximal tubules are also induced to express KAP mRNA. These results suggest that two types of response to androgens occur in these cells. One is the progressive increase of KAP gene expression in the juxtamedullary region while the other involves recruitment of new cells in the cortical proximal tubules to synthesize KAP mRNA.