Apparently monogenic inheritance of anencephaly and spina bifida in a kindred

Summary Anencephaly and/or spina bifida has been observed in 5 of 8 children from 2 related families. The fathers of both families were brothers and had married 2 sisters. By further investigation they could be shown to be third degree cousins to their marriage partners. No malformations were known among further relatives. The family pattern suggests autosomal recessive inheritance of anencephalus and/or spina bifida in this family, although it could not be excluded, that genetically determined intrauterine factors were of importance.

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Zusammenfassung In 2 verwandten Familien einer Sippe hatten 5 von 8 Kindern Anencephalie und/oder Meningocele. Die Väter beider Familien waren Brüder, die Mütter Schwestern. Das Studium der Kirchenbücher ergab, daß die Ehepartner außerdem Vettern und Basen dritten Grades waren. Weder den Eltern noch dem Hausarzt waren bei weiteren Verwandten Fehlbildungen ähnlicher oder anderer Art bekannt. Der Stammbaum macht autosomal-recessiven Erbgang der Schulßstörung des Neuralrohres in dieser Familie sehr wahrscheinlich, es kann jedoch nicht mit voller Sicherheit ausgeschlossen werden, daß erblich bedingte intrauterine Faktoren entscheidend waren.

     

Coincidence of endoplasmic reticulum pattern as visualized by FITC-Con A-fluorescence and electron microscopy

FITC-Con A-fluorescence and electron microscopy have been used in parallel for the visualization of rough endoplasmic reticulum in Xenopus laevis tadpole heart primary tissue culture cells. rER distribution pattern as revealed by both methods is compared by superimposition of images of the same cell. Coincidence of rER distribution is established.     

Genotypic differences in age and chronic alcohol exposure effects on somatostatin levels in hippocampus and striatum in mice

Somatostatin contents of striatum, hippocampus, and pons medulla have been followed in two inbred strains of mice (C57B1/6J and Balb/cJ) with aging and long term alcohol exposure (over a 25 month period of intoxication). Marked strain dependent differences in basic levels of somatostatin and genotypic variations in reactivity of this neuropeptide to aging processes and chronic alcohol exposure were demonstrated. The Balb/c strain exhibits a significant age dependent decrease in striatal and hippocampal somatostatin levels whereas the C57B1 mice remain unchanged until the 27 month. Moreover, only the Balb/c strain reacts to chronic alcohol exposure, showing a significant increase in somatostatin levels in those structures affected by the aging process. Such genotypic differences may be involved in man in specific pathologies in aged individuals and in alcohol induced behavioral alterations in alcoholics.