Failure to demonstrate self-recognition in gorillas

Two zoo-reared gorillas were each given nearly 400 h of mirror exposure. Extensive mirror gazing and social behaviors were exhibited, the frequency of which decreased gradually over the study period. Neither animal demonstrated the transition from other-directed to self-directed behavior characteristic of both chimpanzees and orangutans, and no evidence of self-recognition was found using the Gallup marking paradigm. These negative findings, after extensive mirror exposure, suggest that the gorilla may be the only great ape which lacks the conceptual ability necessary for self-recognition.     

Steady-state cultures of human skin

Pretransplantation cultivation of adult human skin has been optimized for rapid and prolonged outgrowth of epidermal cells from tissue explants using autonomic-perfusion, thin-layer culture technology (steady-state). This system fostered growth of autologous mesenchymal elements via critical control of the culture environment. The resulting cellular outgrowth maintained a balanced epithelial-dermal relationship, contained keratinocytes as well as minority epidermal cells, melanocytes and possibly Langerhans cells. Critical control of culture pH and osmolarity was found to enhance epithelial cell proliferation.     

Failure to demonstrate rat hippocampus adenylate cyclase

Summary The fate of ATP exposed to rat hippocampal extracts was investigated after their separation by a microdisc electrophoresis technique. It could be demonstrated that the histochemical adenylate cyclase procedure using ATP as substrate is not suitable for specific localization of the enzyme, since other ATP hydrolysing enzymes were also able to convert ATP unless the concentrations of inhibitors reached 1 mM (ouabain) and 40 mM (NaF). With a prolonged incubation time of 18 h further substrate splitting protein zones could be revealed, possibly reflecting activities of enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of degradation products of ATP.Supported by Ministerium für Hoch- und Fachschulwesen der DDR     

Blood groups of anthropoid apes and their relationship to human blood groups

Affinity between blood groups of man and those of anthropoid apes is reflected not only in similarities or identities of reactions of the red cells with many specific typing reagents, but also in overall structures of some of the main blood group systems defined in man and in apes.Besides specificities of human-type, such as A-B-O, M-N, Rh-Hr, I-i, etc. known to be present on the red cells of various species of apes, specific reagents were produced by iso- or cross-immunization of chimpanzees that detect red cell specificities characteristic for apes only. Some of those specificities were found to be shared by several ape species and to fall into separate blood group systems that are counterparts of the human blood group systems. Recently obtained serological, as well as population data, indicate that the chimpanzee R-C-E-F blood group system is the counterpart of the human Rh-Hr system. Similarly to the Rh-Hr system, it is built around a main antigen, the R^c antigen, to which secondary specificities are attached by means of multiple allelic genes. The R^c is not only the principal factor of the chimpanzee R-C-E-F group system, but also constitutes a direct link with the human Rh-Hr blood group system, since anti-R^c reagents also detect Rh₀ specificity on the human red cells. Another chimpanzee blood group system, the V-A-B-D system, is counterpart of the M-N-S-s system, and is built around the central antigen V^c. the V^c is not only the principal specificity of the chimpanzee V-A-B-D system, but it also constitutes the direct link with the human M-N-S-s system since anti-V^c reagent gives with chimpanzee red cells reactions parralleling those obtained with anti-N lectin (N^v) while in tests with human red cells it detects specificity identical or closely related to the Mi^a specificity.     

Comparison of human and siamang ABH and MN blood groups using monoclonal antibodies

Comparison of human and siamang ABHIi and MNSs blood groups using monoclonal antibodies and enzyme-modified erythrocytes showed a different organization of ABHIi in the siamang, and a greatly altered expression of the sialoglycoproteins that express MNSs. While several monoclonal antibodies to human MNSs sialoglycoproteins failed to agglutinate siamang erythrocytes, MoAb145, a monoclonal antibody that reacts with the MN sialoglycoprotein, agglutinated siamang erythrocytes to almost the same titer as human red blood cells. These studies suggest the potential usefulness of monoclonal antibodies in seroprimatology.     

Growth and characterization of human skin epithelial cell cultures

Summary In 129 of 140 attempts, human skin cells were successfully cultured on the dermal collagen bed of sterile, dead pigskin. Diploid epithelial cells grew selectively on the collagen bed; fibroblasts grew on the glass surfaces of the culture dishes. The cultures could be subdivided physically up to six times at a 1:2 split ratio, but at least 24 to 48 cell generations were produced over the months the cells could be carried. Much of the cell multiplication resulted in maturation into distinct basal, squamous, granular, and keratinized cell layers. The cultured cells were considered epithelial because of their shape, possession of intercellular bridges, desmosomes and tonofibrils, and because they formed maturating epithelium in vitro and upon transplantation back to the original human donor. As the cells grew they digested the pigskin collagen, thus producing clear zones that could be used to monitor and quantitate cell growth. Multiplication of epithelial cells, rather than migration, was indicated by mitotic figures in colchicine-treated cultures and by DNA synthesis. Expert technical assistance was provided by Nancy Allen (cell culture); William Towler (electron microscopy); James Malone, Nona Scaife, and Joy M. Nicolet (cytogenetics); R. Thomas Campbell and Dorothy Sarver (photography); and V. L. Angerstein, Susan Ekker, and Arnater Yarbrough (histology). This work was supported by The United Fund Cancer Society of Summit County, the Greater Cleveland Associated Foundation (grant no. 3G3490X1), the National Institute of General Medical Services (grant no. 1 R01 GM 21929-01), and the Charles E. Merrill Trust.     

Variegated translocation mosaicism in human skin fibroblast cultures.

The term "variegated translocation mosaicism" is used to describe the repeated occurrence, within cultures of human skin fibroblasts, of a multiplicity of chromosomal rearrangements. With respect to the frequencies of such cytogenetically aberrant clones we found that they (1) were not detectable in routine diagnostic skin fibroblast cultures from 29 subjects with a wide variety of indications for biopsy; (2) were not detectable during in vitro aging of diploid strains with four normal individuals; (3) could be detected after rescue from bacterial contamination of a culture from an otherwise normal diploid male; (4) occurred with high frequencies in independent cultures from another apparently normal subject; (5) occurred with high frequencies in multiple biopsies obtained at autopsy from a patient with Werner's syndrome who died of sepsis; (6) were of pseudodiploid nature; and (7) involved a different spectrum of chromosomes in different individuals. A consistent association with mycoplasma contamination could not be made.