Peroxisome-desmosome complexes in mouse hepatic cells

Summary In addition to mitochondrion-desmosome complexes, peroxisome-desmosome complexes were present in mouse hepatocytes. The latter complexes consisted of a desmosome which was flanked on one or both sides by a peroxisome. Occasional desmosomes were confronted on one side by a peroxisome and on the other by a mitochondrion. It is suggested that the association between organelles and desmosomes is fortuitous, and that no functional significance can be inferred from this association.This work was supported in part by grants from the Heart Association of Northeastern Ohio, Inc., by grant 3C179 from the Cleveland Foundation, by American Cancer Society Institutional Grant In-57-H, and by grant 5 SO1 FR05335-09 from the National Institutes of Health. The expert technical assistance of Merry A. Hetrick and Jeanne Luschin is acknowledged.     

Les supports morphologiques de l'intégration dans la colonie de Veretillum cynomorium Pall. (Cnidaria,Penntularia)

The morphological supports of integration, including the nervous system, are to be found.After a morphological observation, ecto and endoderms and their intercellular junctions are presented.The regionally different mesogleal synaptic nerve nets are surrounded by ecto and endodermal nervous structures.The presence of behavioural activity centers is also discussed.

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Liste des abréviations des figures AS autozoïde sectionné - AU autozoïde - CAL canal longitudinal - CAV cavité gastrique - CC corps compact - CGL cellule globuleuse myo-épitheliale MESlame mésentériale MF microfilament - CGR cellule granuleuse myo-épithéliale - CLC cloison commune à deux autozoïdes - CLR cloison radiale - CLT cloison transversale - CM corps myélinique - CME cellule mesenchymateuse - CNE cellule nerveuse ectodermique - CNEN cellule nerveuse endodermique - CNM cellule nerveuse mésogléenne - COL colonne - CSP cellule spumeuse - CSPH cellule sphéruleuse - CU cellule urticante - D dépot de matériel intercellulaire (zonula adhaerens) - DS desmosome septé - ECT ectoderme - EE empilement d'ergastoplasme rappelant un corps de Nissl - FF fibres fasciculées h structure - G glycogène - GA granule aréolé - IC inclusion crênelée - M mitochondrie - MB membrane basale - ME mésoglée - MES lame mésentériale - MF microfilament - MT figure interprétée on terme de microtubule - MV microvilli - N noyau - E neurite - NO nodosité - P pédoncule - PC paroi des canaux - PE perforation - R rachis - SF siphonozoïde fendu - SIPH siphonozoïde - SM sipment musculaire d'une cellule myoépithéliale - T travé ous-siphonozoïdale - TME travée mésogléenne - VC vésicule claire - VME vésicule mésenchymateuse - ZI zône intermédiaire - I synapse polarisée - 2 synapse réciproque - 3 figure ressemblant à un desmosome septé - 4 contact par apposition Cc travail correspond à la première partie d'une thèse de Doctorat d'Etat, consacrée aux «Structures et aux mécanismes de l'intégration dans la colonie de Veretillum cynomoriurra» — Il a été effectué au sein de l'Equipe de Recherche Associée au C.N.R.S., n°183 (Directeur Al. Pavans de Ceccatty) avec le concours du Laboratoire Arago à Banyuls sur Mer (France) et la collaboration technique de Madame J. Villeneuve.     

ALTERATIONS IN THE CYTOLOGIC DETAIL OF INTESTINAL SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF CONTRACTION

The fine structure of the longitudinal layer of the tunica muscularis of the mouse jejunum was studied in various stages of mechanically stimulated contraction. The relaxed cell is long and narrow with smooth cytoplasmic and nuclear contours. As contraction progresses, the cell becomes ellipsoid and its borders exhibit invaginations at the points of myofilamentous attachment to the plasma membrane and vesicle-containing projections of the intervening membrane. These changes are interpreted as representing the deforming forces applied by the myofilaments to the plasma membrane. The nucleus of the contracted cell is shortened and widened, with convolution of its limiting membranes. This alteration, as well as progressive changes in the alignment of cytoplasmic organelles, is thought to be due to forces exerted on the internal structure of the cell by the contractile elements. The myofilaments form a network of oriented bundles during contraction. Aggregates of filaments of two different diameters are noted. The two sizes of filaments intermingle only in small areas of increased density. These dense areas increase in length and number during contraction. A model of the functional organization of the cell is proposed.     

Behavioral treatment of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly

Fifteen hypertensive patients were recruited from a geriatric medicine clinic for a research project designed to evaluate a Behavioral Stepped-Care treatment program of high blood pressure (HBP). All patients met the selection criteria of the Isolated Systolic Hypertension (ISH) in the Elderly (SHEP) clinical trial. During baseline, subjects recorded BP at home 9 times/day (3 times each, shortly after awakening, during the middle of the day, and within an hour of retiring) for 1 month and mailed that data to us daily. In addition, they came to the clinic weekly and had their BP recorded by a nurse. During treatment 1, systolic (SBP) feedback, they were trained to lower SBP at home using their sphygmomanometers. They also continued to monitor BP and to obtain weekly professional BP readings. During treatment 2 (relaxation), they were trained to relax; they followed the self-administration and data-collection protocol as in treatment 1. Each treatment phase lasted 3 months. Average monthly self-determined BP fell significantly from 166.4/85.8 (SBP/DBP) mm Hg during baseline to 153.3/81.2 by the end of the relaxation phase; average monthly professionally measured BP fell significantly, from 164.7/87.1 to 156.9/81.5. These findings show that a nurse-supervised, patient-administered behavioral treatment program of ISH can yield sustained, significant falls in BP.Ms. Pearce and Dr. Burton were supported in part by the Johns Hopkins Academic Nursing Home Award, PO, AG04402, from the National Institute on Aging. This material was presented in part at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, November 1988, San Francisco.     

Short- and Long-Term Alterations of Gene Expression in Limbic Structures by Repeated Electroconvulsive-Induced Seizures

Rats were submitted to a series of 10 daily electroconvulsive shocks (ECS). A first group of animals was killed 1 day after the last seizure and a second group 30 days later. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) activity was measured using an in vitro assay in the nucleus caudatus, anterior cortex, amygdala, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, and locus ceruleus. The mRNA corresponding to this enzyme (TH-mRNA) was evaluated using a cDNA probe at the cellular level in the ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra, and locus ceruleus. Met-enkephalin (MET)-immunoreactivity and the mRNA coding for the preproenkephalin (PPE-mRNA) were assayed in striatum and the central nucleus of the amygdala. The day after the last ECS an increase of TH activity was observed in the ventral tegmental area, locus ceruleus, and substantia nigra in parallel with a similar increase in the amygdala and striatum; in the anterior cortex TH activity remained unchanged. TH-mRNA was increased in the locus ceruleus, evidencing the presence in this structure of a genomic activation. The amounts of MET and PPE-mRNA were unaffected in the striatum but increased in the amygdala. Thirty days after the last ECS we observed a decrease of TH activity in the amygdala and of TH-mRNA amount in the ventral tegmental area. In the locus ceruleus TH-mRNA remained higher in treated animals than in controls whereas TH activity returned to control levels. These results demonstrate that a series of ECS induces an initial increase of the activity of mesoamygdaloid catecholaminergic neurons followed by a sustained decrease through alterations of TH gene expression which could mediate the clinical effect of the treatment.