钙离子浓度对暗适应时的中华绒螯蟹光感受器超微结构的影响

用透射电镜研究了暗适应时中华绒螯蟹的光感受器超微结构与外界钙离子浓度的关系,结果显示出与培育在生理溶液中的光感受器相比,细胞外钙离子浓度升高,使得感杆束的直径急剧缩小,感杆束周围胞质增厚,胞饮泡增加,膜下猪泡囊极度减小。胞质中多囊体的数量和直径减小,而板模体和溶酶体的数量增加,同时细胞内的色素颗粒增多。分布在小网膜细胞的远端。细胞的结构表现为类似光适应状态,与之相反,细胞外钙离子浓度降低时小眼的感     

钙离子浓度对光暗适应罗氏沼虾感光细胞可溶性Gq蛋白α亚基的影响

以光适应和暗适应条件下的罗氏沼虾复眼视网膜为材料,分别用高钙溶液、生理溶液、低钙溶液孵育后,用蛋白质提取液提取可溶性Gq蛋白α亚基并SDS-PAGE电泳,利用Tanon GIS凝胶图像处理系统分析其含量。从光暗条件下3种溶液孵育后的感光细胞中都提取到了42kDa的可溶性Gq蛋白α亚基。高钙溶液、生理溶液、低钙溶液孵育后的感光细胞中可溶性Gq蛋白α亚基的含量,光适应组分别是3．13％、3．09％、3．03％;暗适应组分别是3．17％、3．06％、3．0l％。在生理溶液和低钙溶液中,该蛋白含量光适应组大于暗适应组,但低钙溶液的光适应组与暗适应组无显著差异;在高钙溶液中,暗适应组显著大于光适应组,可能与钙离子反馈调节作用有关。     

三疣梭子蟹光感受器的形态和超微结构

用电子显微镜观察了三疣梭子蟹（Portunus trituberulatus）的光感受器。扫描电镜观察结果显示三疣梭子蟹复眼为半球形。复眼表面积约为25．12mm^2,组成的小眼为长六边形,面积约为24μm^2。复眼除背面有一拇指状的区域无小眼外,其余部分都由小眼组成。透射电镜观察显示,11个小网膜细胞组成了复眼的感光系统,分成上下两部分。4个小网膜细胞位于晶锥的两侧,组成了感光部分的远端,位于晶锥之下,7个小网膜细胞组成感光系统的主体,上下部位有重叠。两部分的小网膜结构上基本相同,都含有线粒体、多囊体、内质网、色素颗粒等,但是上部的小网膜细胞没有扳膜体,而且胞质比较致密,膜下储泡囊的空腔较小,里面有膜状结构。三疣梭子蟹感光系统有二种类型的感光细胞,可能具有不同的功能。     

钙通道与钙释放通道

1.Ca~(2+)的重要生理作用胞内游离钙浓度([Ca~(2+)])的变化调节着细胞的代谢、基因表达等细胞共有的活动,以及始动兴奋、收缩或出胞分泌以及激活和失活离子通道等细胞不同的反应。[Ca~(2+)]的升高主要依赖于胞外钙经质膜上的钙通道内流或/和胞内储存钙的释放。释放的内钙也是藉细胞器膜的钙释放通道进入胞浆。可见通道启闭活动的正常是维持[Ca~(2+)]正常的一个重要保证。2.离子通道及其分类离子通道是贯穿于质膜或细胞器膜的大分子蛋白质,其中央形成能通过离子的亲水性孔道(pores)。离子的跨膜转运是通过膜上通道蛋白的功能来完     

不同波长光照对三疣梭子蟹复眼超微结构的影响

三疣梭子蟹(Portunus tritubereulatus)经过30 min暗适应后,在不同波长的红光(750 nm),黄光(580 nm),绿光(560 nm),蓝光(400 nm)下,其光感受器形态和超微结构随不同波长光的适应而发生变化。在红光下感杆束直径大,微绒毛排列最整齐,内质网、线粒体等胞器较多,色素颗粒分布均匀,膜下储泡囊小;在蓝光下感杆束直径最小,微绒毛最凌乱,多囊体、板膜体、膜下储泡囊等胞器较多,色素颗粒位于细胞核周围。     

红螯螯虾感光器中Gq蛋白的鉴定及光波长对其含量的影响

用蛋白质常规提取方法分别提取红螯螯虾复眼视网膜的可溶性和膜结合蛋白质,用SDS-PAGE和免疫印迹法进行G蛋白的分离和鉴定;在经光、暗适应及红、绿、蓝、黄4种波长光照处理后,对其感光器中G蛋白分别进行SDS-PAGE分析.暗适应、自然光及4种波长光适应的感光器可溶性蛋白、膜结合蛋白条带数量和分子量大小基本相同,在42?kD处都出现一条清晰的蛋白条带.兔抗Gαq-11多克隆抗体能识别这一蛋白条带.表明红螯螯虾感光器中存在可溶性和膜结合Gq蛋白α亚基,分子量为42?kD.在不同光照条件下感光器中可溶性和膜结合Gqα亚基的含量有差异.可溶性Gqα蛋白占总蛋白的百分含量依次为:日光(7.71%)>黄光(7.32%)>红光(7.06%)>暗适应(6.94%)>蓝光(6.46%)>绿光(5.74%);除暗适应与红光之间差异不显著外,红光与黄光差异显著,其余差异极显著.而膜结合Gqα亚基的百分含量则相反,依次为:绿光(13.94%)>蓝光(10.56%)>暗适应(10.25%)>红光(10.14%)>黄光(9.76%)>日光(9.44%);除暗适应与红光差异不显著外,红光与黄光差异显著,其余差异极显著.推测红螯螯虾感光器中Gq蛋白的激活与光照刺激的波长有关,其感光器对不同波长光刺激的敏感度有差别.     

质膜钙离子ATP酶

钙离子(Ca2+)是重要的第二信使,通过与效应蛋白的结合和解离,以及在不同细胞器之间的穿梭运动而精确调控细胞活动,参与多种重要生命过程。细胞内具有精确调节Ca2+时空分布的调控系统。在静息状态下,细胞内的游离Ca2+浓度约为100 nmol/L;而当细胞受到信号刺激后,胞内的Ca2+浓度可上升至1000 nmol/L甚至更高。细胞中存在多种跨膜运送Ca2+的膜蛋白,以精确调节Ca2+浓度的时空动态变化,其中,细胞质膜上的多种Ca2+通道(包括电压门控通道、受体门控通道、储存控制通道等),以及内质网/肌质网和线粒体等胞内"钙库"膜上的雷诺丁受体、三磷酸肌醇受体等膜蛋白复合物,均可提升胞内Ca2+浓度,而细胞质膜上的钠钙交换体、质膜Ca2+-ATP酶、"钙库"膜上的内质网Ca2+-ATP酶、线粒体Ca2+单向转运体等,可将Ca2+浓度降低至静息态水平。质膜钙ATP酶是向细胞外运送Ca2+的关键膜蛋白,本文将对其结构、功能及其酶活性的调控机制做一简要综述。     

青蛙心肌细胞膜在调节肌浆钙离子浓度中所起作用的定量考虑

在骨胳肌兴奋-收缩耦联过程中,肌浆钙离子浓度主要由肌浆网系调节。青蛙心肌细胞的肌浆网系不发达,没有横管,且细胞直径很小,因此肌浆钙离子浓度很可能由发生在肌膜上的过程调节。本文从定量角度验证这一设想的可能性。假定青蛙心肌细胞兴奋时钙离子顺浓度差从细胞外跨膜扩散入细胞使肌浆钙浓度升高,又经肌膜上类似载体作用的主动过程将钙离子排出细胞,由此计算静息蛙心肌在某一频率的重复刺激下肌浆钙离子浓度随刺激次数的变化以及对不同刺激频率当收缩张力达稳态时肌浆内钙浓度值。利用肌肉稳态收缩张力和细胞内钙离子浓度之间已知的单值关系可以看到,计算结果同实验记录的蛙心肌稳态张力与刺激频率间的“阶梯”关系符合得很好,说明青蛙心肌细胞膜在调节肌浆钙离子浓度中起决定作用这一想法从定量角度考虑也完全是可能的.     

灰茶尺蠖成虫复眼的超微结构及其明暗适应中的变化

【目的】明确灰茶尺蠖Ectropis grisescens成虫复眼的超微结构及其明暗适应中的变化,探究其调光机制。【方法】采用超景深显微镜测定了灰茶尺蠖成虫复眼的小眼数量、间角、直径和曲率半径等外部参数,并通过组织切片、光学显微镜和透射电子显微镜等技术观察了复眼的内部超微结构;通过光学显微镜观察了灰茶尺蠖成虫复眼在明暗环境中分别适应2 h后晶锥结构及色素颗粒的位置变化。【结果】灰茶尺蠖成虫复眼呈半球形,雌、雄虫单个复眼分别有2 502±105和3 123±78个小眼。小眼自远端至近端由角膜、晶锥、透明区构成的屈光层和由15个视网膜细胞构成的感光层组成。2个初级色素细胞包裹着晶锥,自角膜近端延伸至视网膜细胞核区的远端;每个小眼外围由6个次级色素细胞围绕,自角膜近端延伸至基膜;在透明区内14个视网膜细胞聚集成束(非感杆束),远端与晶锥束末端连接,在感光层内形成闭合型感杆束,延伸至第15个视网膜细胞(基部视网膜细胞)。在明暗适应时,灰茶尺蠖复眼的晶锥细胞间出现开闭,色素颗粒进行纵向位移,以适应外界的光强度的变化。【结论】灰茶尺蠖成虫复眼属于重叠像眼,感杆束为“14+1”模式;屏蔽色素颗粒的移...     

洋葱花药发育中钙离子分布特征

采用焦锑酸钾沉淀钙离子技术,对洋葱（Alliumcepa）花药发育中Ca^2＋分布进行了研究。在小孢子母细胞时期,小孢子母细胞中的钙沉淀颗粒很少,但绒毡层细胞的内切向壁已出现明显的钙沉淀颗粒。在四分体时期,四分体小孢子的胼胝质壁中出现较多的钙沉淀颗粒;绒毡层细胞内切向壁的钙沉淀颗粒消失,而在外切向壁和径向壁部位的钙沉淀颗粒增加。在小孢子早期,小孢子中也出现了钙沉淀颗粒,而绒毡层细胞内切向壁表面出现了很多絮状物,其上附有细小钙沉淀颗粒。到小孢子晚期,小孢子中出现一些小液泡,细胞质中的钙沉淀颗粒有所下降。此时绒毡层细胞已明显退化,但在绒毡层膜上仍有一些乌氏体和钙沉淀颗粒。在二胞花粉早期,营养细胞中的液泡收缩、消失,细胞质中又出现了较多的钙沉淀颗粒,在质体和其内部的淀粉粒表面上附有较多的钙沉淀颗粒。到二胞花粉晚期,花粉中的钙沉淀颗粒已明显下降,仅在花粉外壁中还有一地钙沉淀颗粒．     

Ectogenesis and the case against the right to the death of the foetus

Ectogenesis, or the use of an artificial womb to allow a foetus to develop, will likely become a reality within a few decades, and could significantly affect the abortion debate. We first examine the implications for Judith Jarvis Thomson’s violinist analogy, which argues for a woman’s right to withdraw life support from the foetus and so terminate her pregnancy, even if the foetus is granted full moral status. We show that on Thomson’s reasoning, there is no right to the death of the foetus, and abortion is not permissible if ectogenesis is available, provided it is safe and inexpensive. This raises the question of whether there are persuasive reasons for the right to the death of the foetus that could be exercised in the context of ectogenesis. Eric Mathison and Jeremy Davis have examined several arguments for this right, doubting that it exists, while Joona Räsänen has recently criticized their reasoning. We respond to Räsänen’s analysis, concluding that his arguments are unsuccessful, and that there is no right to the death of the foetus in these circumstances.     

On the diversity of the Cladocera in the tropics

The mythical concept of an impoverished tropical cladoceran fauna is refuted. On a planetary scale, around half of the cladoceran species presently known occur exclusively in the tropics-subtropics, often with considerable restriction to particular geographical subzones. On a regional (political) scale, the situation is often unclear because of the continued fragmentary nature of studies, and because political units are not a good basis for biogeographical comparisons. At the finest level of resolution (lake-perlake comparisons), there appears to be an upper limit of c. 50 cladoceran species per individual lake. No significant difference between lakes in the temperate zone and in the tropics could be established here. Daphnia is largely absent from the tropics, but is replaced by more Sidids, Moinids, and Bosminids, such that the average cladoceran community in the limnetic zone of a tropical lake is not characterized by less species but rather by lower population densities. This, in turn, is considered a consequence of higher prevalent predation levels in the tropics.     

Tubular networks in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human,the monkey,the cat and the dog

Summary A tubular network was found in the terminal endings of the visual receptor cells in the human, the monkey (Macaca mulatta), the cat and the dog. These tubules are arranged in close groups in the vicinity of the synaptic lamellae and the invaginated dendrites. According to the form, diameter, density of the tubules and to the consistence of the network formed by them one can distinguish at these places an initial type (type I), a transitory (type II) and a vesicular one (type III). In the the type III branching, bizarre forms are frequent. The diameter of all the tubules reaches 500–600 Å, their density and walls being the same as in the synaptic vesicles.Similar networks also occur in the axons of the visual receptor cells of the monkey.

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Zusammenfassung In den Endigungen der Photorezeptorzellen von Mensch, Affe (Macaca mulatta), Katze und Hund kommen aus Tubuli bestehende Komplexe vor. Organellenartig in geschlossenen Gruppen angeordnet, liegen sie in Nähe der synaptischen Lamellen und der invaginierten Dendriten. An diesen Stellen kann man nach Form, Durchmesser, Dichte und Konsistenz der von den Tubuli gebildeten Komplexe drei Typen unterscheiden: 1. einen initialen (Typus I), 2. einen Übergangstypus (Typus II) und 3. einen vesiculären Typus (Typus III). In letzterem kommen häufig verzweigte, bizarre Formen vor. Der Durchmesser sämtlicher Tubuli erreicht 500–600 Å. Ihre Dichte und ihre Wand gleicht denen der synaptischen Vesikel.Ähnliche Komplexe fanden wir auch in den Axonen der Photorezeptorzellen vom Affen.

     

Assessing the Physiological State of the Fucoids from the Barents Sea Littoral by the End of the Polar Night

Methods of amperometry and potentiometric titration were used to follow dark respiration (DR) and apparent photosynthesis (AP) in the fucoids Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol, Fucus vesiculosus L., and F. serratus L. from the Barents Sea littoral by the end of the 40-day-long polar night. The macroalgae were shown to manifest species-specific low rates of photosynthesis and respiration. However, in spite of their low photosynthetic status due to the effects of subzero temperature and prolonged low or zero illumination, the macroalgae have been able to restore DR and AP to the initial level already by the day 9; the ability to restore AP depended on the level of illumination. The study of the changes in the carbonate–bicarbonate system in the light and darkness demonstrated that the macroalgae grown in darkness, in contrast to those grown in twilight, could absorb bicarbonate in darkness; however, they lost this capacity after two-day-long illumination at an irradiance of 7 mol/(m² s). Bicarbonate uptake in darkness and the capacity to restore the systems of photosynthesis and respiration in fucoid cells are discussed in the context of algal energy metabolism under the polar night conditions.     

Arranging the elements of the potassium channel: the T1 domain occludes the cytoplasmic face of the channel

The voltage-gated potassium channel is currently one of the few membrane proteins where functional roles have been mapped onto specific segments of sequence. Although high-resolution structures of the transmembrane portions of three bacterial potassium channels, the tetramerization domain and the cytoplasmic ball are available, their relative spatial arrangement in mammalian channels remains a matter of ongoing debate. Cryo-electron microscopic images of the six transmembrane voltage-gated Kv channel have been reconstructed at up to 18 Å resolution, revealing that the T1 domain tetramerizes and is suspended below the transmembrane segments. However, the resolution of these images is insufficient to reveal the location of the third piece of the puzzle, the inactivating ball domain. We have used the aberrant interactions observed in a series of chimæric channels to establish that an assembled T1 domain restricts access to the cytoplasmic face of the channel, suggesting that the N-terminal ball and chain may be confined in the space between the T1 domain and the transmembrane portion of the channel.     

Observations on the permeability of the choriocapillaris of the eye

Summary The choriocapillaris is a fenestrated capillary bed located posterior to the retinal pigment epithelium. It serves as the main source of supply to the photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and other cells of the outer retina. The permeability of these capillaries to intravenously injected ferritin (MW — approx. 480,000; mol. diam. 11 nm) was examined in the mouse, rabbit, and guinea pig, each of which is characterized by a different type of retinal vascularization. In all three species, the bulk of the ferritin remained in the capillary lumina, where it appeared to be blocked at the level of the diaphragmed fenestrae. Some ferritin was present in endothelial cell vacuoles. The results confirm previous work on the rat choriocapillaris and indicate that the barrier function of the choriocapillary endothelium is present even among species in which the retinal circulation differs significantly.Supported by NIH grant EY03418     

Separation of the pineal vesicle from the wall of the third ventricle during the post-hatching development of the chicken

Summary According to light- and electron-microscopic observations the pineal organ of the 3-day-old chicken consists of a prominent end vesicle and a tapering parenchymal stalk. During this stage the pineal lumen is in open communication with the third ventricle. However, in the 40-day-old chicken, which still possesses a well-developed end vesicle, the proximal portion of the pineal stalk displays regressive changes leading to local fragmentation. At this stage the pineal stalk is reduced, and the pineal lumen is missing. In 1-year-old chickens the parenchyma of the proximal portion of the stalk is further diminished, and in 3-year-old domestic fowl is completely displaced by bundles of collagenous fibers, only some nerve fibers being present. This post-hatching pineal development may reflect the sequence of changes leading from pineal sense organs to pineal glands.This work was supported by a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan