In search of an effective cell disruption method to isolate intact mitochondria from Chinese hamster ovary cells

An efficient isolation of mitochondria from cells under physiological conditions is crucial for many studies in life sciences but still challenging in many cases such as in metabolic characterization of mitochondria. In this work, four methods for the disruption of Chinese hamster ovary cells were evaluated regarding their influence on mitochondrial integrity and yield. After cell disruption, mitochondria released from cells were separated from the remaining cell homogenate by differential centrifugation. Sonication was shown to be a rapid and sensitive isolation method. Yields of 14.0 ± 0.3 mg raw mitochondrial protein per 10⁸ cells were obtained. The mitochondria were morphologically intact, with membrane integrities of 67% (outer membrane) to 94% (inner membrane). Compared with the methods using Dounce homogenization, digitonin permeabilization, or electroporation for cell disruption the ultrasound method provided the highest yield of isolated mitochondria. Furthermore, this method is rapid (≈ 45 s for disruption), more robust than Dounce homogenization regarding their influence on mitochondrial integrity and especially suitable for preparing a relatively large amount of mitochondria. The results of this work can be helpful for quantitative and dynamic studies of molecular processes related to mitochondria under physiological conditions for many questions in both biomedicine and biotechnology.     

Development of a combined new mechanical and enzymatic method for the isolation of intact preantral follicles from fetal, calf and adult bovine ovaries

The isolation of preantral follicles from the ovaries of bovine fetuses, calves and adult cows was performed using a simple, rapid mechanical and enzyme method. The ovaries were cut into small pieces with a tissue chopper. Then, the suspension was filtered successively through 500 and 100 mum nylon mesh filters. This simple mechanical procedure resulted in large numbers of isolated preantral follicles: 2,142 +/- 254; 512 +/- 92 and 298 +/- 54 from the ovaries of bovine fetuses, calves and cows, respectively. In addition, the ovarian fragments between 100 and 500 mum were suspended in 10 ml of M199 Hepes medium plus 5% FCS and divided into 2 equal parts: one portion was used for collagenase treatment (200 U/ml) for 20 minutes, while the other served as a control. Collagenase treatment resulted in 841 +/- 161; 216 +/- 51 and 52 +/- 17 preantral follicles from fetuses, calves and cows, respectively, compared with 312 +/- 86; 52 +/- 15 and 10 +/- 2 in the control group. The use of collagenase with ovarian fragments selected by filtration as a method for increasing the rate of recovery of preantral follicles is described here.     

Steroidogenic activity of atretic follicles in the cycling hamster ovary and relation to ultrastructural observations

To evaluate the relation between the steroidogenic activity and cell proliferation of individual follicles in mature hamster ovaries during the estrous cycle, the localization of enzymes involved in estrogen biosynthesis and bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation were examined immunohistochemically. Moreover, granulosa cells from the early atretic follicle were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Immunoreactivity for aromatase was localized in the granulosa cells of healthy developing follicles and Graafian follicles, as well as in newly formed granulosa lutein cells. In the healthy follicles of an ovulation cycle, intensity of aromatase immunoreactivity was suddenly decreased on day 3. The theca interna cells of healthy developing follicles were immunopositive for 17-hydroxylase/C17–C20 lyase (17-lyase) from day 2 to the morning of day 4, but on the evening of day 4 most theca interna cells were immunonegative except for only a few cells of the large Graafian follicles. BrdU incorporation was observed in the granulosa cells of healthy developing follicles, in the endothelial cells of capillaries around the developing follicles, and of newly formed corpora lutea. Very early morphological signs of atresia was the pyknotic change of a few granulosa cells lining the antral cavity. In that follicle, the number of BrdU-incorporating granulosa cells was suddenly decreased whilst immunoreactivity of aromatase and 17-lyase were gradually decreased. These data suggest that the mechanism of the loss of aromatase activity from the granulosa cells of atretic follicles appears to differ from that in cycling follicles. Even in the early stage of atresia, the granulosa cells showed remarkable morphological change characteristic of apoptosis, as visualized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Cessation of granulosa cell proliferation may occur earlier than apoptotic change and the degeneration of the granulosa cells becomes rapid once atresia starts.     

Development of primordial and prenatal follicles from undifferentiated somatic cells and oocytes in the hamster prenatal ovary in vitro: effect of insulin

Fetal hamster ovaries were cultured for up to 16 days in the presence or absence of various dosages of insulin to evaluate the induction of folliculogenesis in vitro. In the absence of insulin, a few primordial follicle-like structures appeared by the 4th day, and distinct primary follicles (stage 1) appeared by the 12th day of culture. The organelles in the oocytes and adjacent granulosa cells developed along with follicular growth. Moreover, gap junctions between the oocyte and somatic cell plasma membrane also developed as early as 8 days in culture. In the presence of 0.2 microg/ml insulin, primary follicles developed after 8 days, and approximately 4% secondary follicles with 2-3 layers of granulosa cells appeared after 16 days of culture. However, higher dosages (> 0.2 microg/ml) of insulin retarded primary follicle formation and induced the formation of primordial follicles with larger oocytes. An increased number of larger oocytes with a few granulosa cells accumulated at the periphery of the ovary. The results indicate that although primordial and primary follicles can develop after 12 days in vitro in the absence of exogenous insulin, the latter is required for timely progression of follicular development through primary and secondary stages.     

An enzymatic method for removal of phenol from industrial effluent

Phenols in an aqueous solution were removed after treatment with peroxidase in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Phenols occur in wastewater of a number of industries, such as high temperature coal conversion, petroleum refining, resin and plastic, wood and dye industries, etc. It can be toxic when present at elevated levels and is known to be carcinogeneous. Thus, removal of such compound from these industrial effluents is of great importance. An enzymatic method for removal of phenols from industrial wastewater, using turnip peroxidase, has been developed. Phenol-containing industrial wastewater was treated with immobilized turnip peroxidase in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. In the reaction, a number of phenols are oxidized to form the corresponding free radicals in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. Free radicals polymerize to form substances that are less soluble in water than the original substances. The precipitates were removed by conventional methods and residual phenol was estimated. The present report describes the immobilization of turnip peroxidase on silica via covalent coupling, and its utility in phenol removal. A comparative study was also carried out with other immobilization techniques, viz., calcium alginate entrapment, polyacrylamide gel entrapment, etc. Peroxidase, covalently bound to silica, showed 95% removal of phenol, whereas naphthol was removed up to 99%.     

Solubilization of intact collagen from hamster and baboon lung

Collagen has been solubilized from normal hamster and baboon lungs using extraction cycles involving pepsin, pancreatic elastase, and dithiothreitol. Eighty to ninety percent of the recoverable collagen is solubilized. Only intact α chains and larger-molecular-weight components are found with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The presence of principally types I and III collagen in various fractions is indicated by interrupted gel electrophoresis. The ability to largely solubilize lung collagen should aid in the characterization of collagen in the lung in normal and disease states.     

A quantitative and qualitative cytochemical analysis of glycosaminoglycan content in the zona pellucida of hamster ovarian follicles

In this study the amount of neutral and acidic glycosaminoglycans in the zona pellucida and antrum of primary, preovulatory, and atretic follicles was analyzed. Serial sections of preovulatory hamster follicles were stained with PAS or alcian blue to estimate the content of neutral and acidic glycosaminoglycans, respectively. The amount of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and sialic acid was determined using enzyme digestion procedures followed by alcian blue staining. Microdensitometric analyses showed that the strongest PAS staining was in the zona pellucida of atretic follicles, less staining in preovulatory follicles but more than in the antrum of preovulatory follicles. No hyaluronic acid was found in the zona pellucida of any follicular type, but there was a measurable amount in the antrum of preovulatory follicles. Chondroitin sulfate was present in the zona pellucida of primary and atretic follicles, as well as in the antrum of preovulatory follicles. Sialic acid was present in the antrum and zona pellucida of all follicular types. Sialic acid plays a role in receptor recognition and its presence may reflect the role of the zona pellucida in sperm recognition and fertilization.     

A quantitative and qualitative cytochemical analysis of glycosaminoglycan content in the zona pellucida of hamster ovarian follicles

Summary In this study the amount of neutral and acidic glycosaminoglycans in the zona pellucida and antrum of primary, preovulatory, and atretic follicles was analyzed. Serial sections of preovulatory hamster follicles were stained with PAS or alcian blue to estimate the content of neutral and acidic glycosaminoglycans, respectively. The amount of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and sialic acid was determined using enzyme digestion procedures followed by alcian blue staining. Microdensitometric analyses showed that the strongest PAS staining was in the zona pellucida of atretic follicles, less staining in preovulatory follicles but more than in the antrum of preovulatory follicles. No hyaluronic acid was found in the zona pellucida of any follicular type, but there was a measurable amount in the antrum of preovulatory follicles. Chondroitin sulfate was present in the zona pellucida of primary and atretic follicles, as well as in the antrum of prevulatory follicles. Sialic acid was present in the antrum and zona pellucida of all follicular types. Sialic acid plays a role in receptor recognition and its presence may reflect the role of the zona pellucida in sperm recognition and fertilization.     

Measurement of glycinamide ribonucleotide synthetase activity in intact human fibroblasts and Chinese hamster ovary cells

An intact cell assay system based on Tween 80 permeabilization was used to investigate glycinamide ribonucleotide (GAR) synthetase activity in human fibroblasts and Chinese hamster ovary cells. Optimal conditions for the assay of the enzyme were determined with regards to ATP, MgCl2, NH4Cl and ribose-5'-phosphate concentrations as well as pH. Using the optimal assay conditions, the Vmax values as determined by Lineweaver-Burke double reciprocal plots were found to be 5.19 nmol GAR formed/5 X 10(5) cells/30 min for the fibroblasts and 13.4 nmol GAR formed/5 X 10(5) cells/30 min for the Chinese hamster ovary cells.     

A quantitative histological study of adrenal development during the perinatal period in intact and hypophysectomized pigs

Adrenal growth was studied between D70 of gestation (D0: day of mating) and D6 after birth in 33 fetuses and 11 new-born pigs of the Large White breed. Volume, height and mean surface, were estimated by zone, as well as cell number, cell size and nucleocytoplasmic ratio. The volume increased exponentially. In the cortex it was 4.0 mm3, 7.2 mm3, 10.5 mm3, 33.6 mm3, 55.3 mm3 at D70, D94, D106, D113 and D1-D6, respectively, after birth. In the medulla, the volume was 4.0 mm3, 6.3 mm3, 6.9 mm3, 9.6 mm3 and 20.6 mm3 at the same stages. This evolution was due to predominant longitudinal stretching between D94 and D106, then thickening, as shown by the relative variations of the height and the surface. The growth of the cortex corresponded to hyperplasia associated with hypertrophy after D110. In the medulla, hyperplasia predominated until D110; this was followed by hypertrophic phase. Twelve fetuses hypophysectomized at D44 or at D55 were recovered at D94, D106 and D112 at least 50 days after surgery. Hypophysectomy did not affect medullar development (volume and number of cells) but inhibited very significantly the growth of the cortical zone, particularly that of the fasciculata.     

Calcium, asparagine and cAMP are required for ornithine decarboxylase activation in intact Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Asparagine specifically activated ornithine decarboxylase activity 5–7 fold by 7–8 h in confluent cultures maintained with a salts/glucose medium. When dibutyryl cAMP was added with asparagine, a 40–50 fold stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity was produced. Ornithine decarboxylase activation in the salts/glucose medium was not sensitive to actinomycin D. Omission of Ca⁺⁺ and Mg⁺⁺ from the medium abolished the ability of asparagine and/or dibutyryl cAMP to stimulate enzyme activity. Calcium was essential for the asparagine and dibutyryl cAMP mediated stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity.     

A rapid and direct method for the quantitative determination of tryptophan in the intact protein

1. A method is given for the quantitative determination of free tryptophan or tryptophan in the intact protein by treating with ninhydrin in a mixture of formic acid and hydrochloric acid (reagent b), for 10min at 100 degrees C. Glycyltryptophan was used as a standard for the determination of tryptophan in the intact protein. The extinction at 390nm was linear in the range 0.05-0.5mumol for free tryptophan (in7120) and 0.05-0.30mumol for glycyltryptophan (in15400). 2. Free tryptophan in the presence of protein may be determined by treating with ninhydrin in a mixture of acetic acid and 0.6m-phosphoric acid (reagent a) for 10min at 100 degrees C, the extinction being linear for tryptophan in the range 0.05-0.9mumol. N-Terminal tryptophan peptides also give the typical yellow product on treatment with reagent a. 3. Tryptophan content of several pure intact proteins when treated with the above method gave values in good agreement with those reported by others. A mean tryptophan content of 11.25 (s.e.m. +/-0.08) mumol/100mg of protein was found in rat brain during development from 1 to 82 days after birth.     

A rapid technique for the histological examination of large ovarian follicles

A rapid technique for counting and classifying large ovarian follicles of domestic animals is described. Using a cryostat, 250-micrograms thick sections were cut from the frozen ovary; an image of the surface of each ovarian section was recorded on videotape. By replaying the videotape, the largest profile of each follicle larger than 1 mm in diameter was readily identified and measured. The presence or absence of atresia was determined by applying standard histological methods to fragments of individual follicles taken from the frozen sections. The results obtained are similar to those found using previous methods and demand only one-quarter of the time.     

Strategies for the purification of P-glycoprotein from multidrug-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cells.

P-glycoprotein, a hydrophobic 170-kDa integral protein overexpressed in the plasma membrane of multidrug-resistant cells, is proposed to function as an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump. Plasma membrane preparations highly enriched in P-glycoprotein were isolated from multidrug-resistant cells by discontinuous sucrose gradient and Ca2+ precipitation methods. Several strategies were used for P-glycoprotein purification, with the goal being to achieve both good yields and purity, while keeping experimental manipulation to a minimum. P-glycoprotein was solubilized from the plasma membrane using 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate. Immunoaffinity chromatography using C219 monoclonal antibody produced low yields of moderately pure protein. Sequential lectin affinity chromatography on RCA-120 followed by lentil lectin resulted in a P-glycoprotein preparation that showed a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A fraction of P-glycoprotein did not bind to RCA-120, most likely as a result of heterogeneous glycosylation. A combination of chromatography on RCA-120 followed by immunoaffinity chromatography on C219 resulted in low yields of very pure P-glycoprotein.     

Recovery of large preantral follicles from buffalo ovary: effect of season and corpus luteum

Preantral follicle can be considered as an alternative source of oocyte for in vitro production of embryos. The objective of the present study was to standardize a procedure for the isolation of large preantral follicles (>150-500 microm) from buffalo ovaries and to determine the effect of season and the presence of corpus luteum on the recovery rate of the large preantral follicles. A combined enzymatic cum mechanical approach was adopted to recover the large preantral follicles. In the first experiment, the ovarian cortical pieces were suspended in trypsin (1000-1500 BAEE units for milligrams of solid) and incubated at various temperatures for different periods, i.e. (1) trypsin (1%), 37 degrees C for 10 min; (2) trypsin (1%), 37 degrees C for 10 min + 4 degrees C for 3 h; (3) trypsin (0.5%), 37 degrees C for 20 min; (4) trypsin (0.25%), 37 degrees C for 20 min. Although there was no significant difference (P>0.05) among the different protocols, the first protocol yielded more follicles (3.2, 2.6, 1.8 and 1.5 per ovary, respectively). Hence, the first protocol was selected and used in the second and third experiments. In the second experiment, the effect of season, i.e. peak breeding season (October-March) versus low breeding season (April-September) was evaluated on the recovery rate of the large preantral follicles. The recovery rate of large preantral follicles from the ovaries during the peak breeding season was significantly (P<0.05) greater (9.92+/-0.85 per ovary) than that of the low breeding season (4.95+/-0.27 per ovary). In the third experiment, effect of the presence of corpus luteum on the recovery rate of large preantral follicles was studied. There was a significantly (P<0.05) higher yield of large preantral follicles from the ovaries with corpus luteum (8.05+/-0.88 per ovary) than for the ovaries without corpus luteum (4.57+/-0.43 per ovary). This study confirms that the large preantral follicles can be isolated from buffalo ovaries using a combination of enzymatic cum mechanical methods and that more large preantral follicles can be recovered during the peak breeding season and from the ovaries having corpus luteum.