Culture of chick embryo neural retina in serum-free medium : Expression of cholinergic proteins

Dissociated retinal cells from 8-day-old chick embryos were cultivated in serum-containing and in defined serum-free media. Under the latter conditions, and using polylysine as a substrate, the proliferation of glial cells was almost completely prevented, and pure (>90%) neuronal cultures could be maintained for up to 7 days in vitro. The specific but not the total activities of choline acetyltransferase and of the nicotinic and the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor were increased under serum-free culture conditions. Autoradiographic studies with [¹²⁵I]α-bungarotoxin, a selective ligand for nicotinic cholinergic receptors, showed that serum-free culture conditions may constitute a useful tool for identifying biochemically different types of retinal neurons in tissue culture.     

Chemical and biological properties of a protein-rich fraction of bacterial lipopolysaccharides. II. The in vitro rat peritoneal mast cell response.

Lipid A-associated protein (LAP) isolated from preparations of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS, endotoxins) has been demonstrated to initiate the release of amines from rat peritoneal mast cells. The release at low concentrations of LAP requires both cellular energy and calcium, and thus appears to be a true secretory response. At higher concentrations the release is independent of these variables. The time required for maximal response is approximately 10 to 15 min at 37 degrees C. The response appears to be a general property of Escherichia coli LAP preparations since LAP isolated from three serotypes of these organisms all have similar activity. On the basis of heat lability at 100 degrees C, the ability of LAP to initiate mast cell secretion appears to be independent of its ability mitogenically to stimulate murine B lymphocytes.     

The response of oscillating glycolysis to perturbations in the NADH/NAD system: a comparison between experiments and a computer model.

The glycolytic pathway is described by a set of coupled non linear differential equations of first order with respect to time. The individual terms of these equations consist of enzyme velocities assuming a steady state hypothesis for the enzymatic forms. These are specified and the system is solved numerically. Oscillations are explained by interaction of PFK with the adenylate system. The conditions for the occurrence of oscillations are tested in a series of computer runs. The phase relations between intermediates of the model agree with those found in yeast cells. As an application of the model the disturbation of oscillations by the addition of acetaldehyde is simulated. The predictions of the model agree with experimental results.     

Allosteric activation and competitive inhibition of yeast phosphofructokinase by d-fructose.

Purified phosphofructokinase from bakers yeast is activated by D-fructose in low concentrations (up to 1 mM) and inhibited by high concentrations. The stimulatory effect of D-fructose is similar, but smaller than that of AMP. In the presence of AMP (0.4 mM or higher) D-fructose does no longer stimulate, but its inhibitory effect persists (KI = 8 mM). Its dualistic action on phosphofructokinase activity indicates that D-fructose might induce low frequency in glycolytic oscillations by direct interaction with the enzyme.     

Stimulatory effect of soluble supernatant on hydroxylase activity of rat testis microsomes.

Addition of soluble supernatant to testis microsomes results in 42% increase in steroid 17,20-lyase activity and a 65% increase in 17alpha-hydroxylase activity. This stimulatory activity could be partially purified by salt fractionation. The activating factor(s) was not removed by dialysis nor did it appear to be lipid. It was destroyed by trypsin. Differential effects of heat were observed with the hydroxylase and lyase activators. The activation did not affect Km but only increased Vmax. The supernatant could be added to each enzyme to the point of maturation. No binding of steroids by the supernatant could be detected. Corpus luteum and placental supernatant did not stimulate enzymic activity, but supernatant from an adrenal adenoma was active.     

DNA-Mediated gene transfection into primary cultures of adult mouse keratinocytes

Summary An efficient and reproducible technique for the transfection of primary cultures of adult mouse keratinocytes has been developed. The procedure involves culturing the primary adult mouse epidermal cells at 32° C in an enriched media until they reach 70 to 95% confluency, followed by transfection with exogenous DNA in a low potassium environment. Using chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) transient gene expression assays and various strong viral promoter/CAT constructs, the transfection procedure was optimized for media formulation, plasmid DNA concentration, carrier DNA concentration, incubation temperature, incubation period, and cell density. Optimized parameters include the use of 6 μg plasmid DNA and 10 μg pUC19 carrier DNA per 60-mm tissue culture dish. Since primary keratinocytes undergo a well-characterized pattern of differentiation in vitro in response to extracellular calcium concentrations, this transfection procedure should provide a useful model in which to study both tissue- and differentiation-specific gene expression.