Uraniosomes produced in cultured rabbit kidney cells by uranyl acetate

Cultured rabbit kidney cells were exposed to uranyl acetate. This produced single-membrane-bound presumably lysosomal bodies (called 'uraniosomes') containing electron-dense crystals in the cultured cells. Similar crystalline deposits were seen in extracellular locations also. All uraniosomes and extracellular uranium deposits analyzed by electron-probe x-ray analysis were found to contain uranium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. Traces of sulphur were detected in some but not all uraniosomes and extracellular uranium deposits.     

Distribution of lipid synthesizing enzymes, 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase,and myelin proteins in rat forebrain subfractions during development

The distribution of UDP-galactose: ceramide galactosyltransferase (CGalT) was studied in subcellular fractions of rat forebrain during development using zonal centrifugation on linear gradients. Specialized subfractions: SN 1, a microsomal fraction, SN 4, a myelin-related fraction, and purified myelin were also used for this study. For comparison, two microsomal lipid synthesizing enzymes, a myelin-specific enzyme, 2,3-cyclic nucleotide 3-phosphodiesterase and myelin proteins were measured in the same subfractions. UDP-glucose: ceramide glucosyltransferase and cerebroside sulfotransferase were confined to microsomes. CGalT was ferase and cerebroside sulfotransferase were confined to microsomes. CGalT was localized in microsomes, but also in myelin and myelin-related fractions. The developmental change in distribution of CGalT in adult animals toward myelin containing fractions could indicate that the replacement of galactosylceramide in compact myelin could be carried out in close proximity to compact myelin (mesaxon, paranodal loops) rather than in the distant oligodendrocyte perikaryon.     

Hepatocytes from newborn and weanling rats in monolayer culture: Isolation by perfusion,fibronectin-mediated adhesion,spreading, and functional activities

Summary The two-step collagenase perfusion method originally developed for the high yield isolation of parenchymal cells from adult rat livers has been adapted to rats of 1 day, 1 week, and 3 weeks of age. The use of this method to isolate hepatocytes from five or six rats of the respective ages demonstrated its reliability in terms of cell yield, percentage of single cells, and cell viability. In all cases, hepatocytes attach with high efficiency to fibronectin precoated dishes using serum-free culture medium. The dynamics of spreading is faster for newborn hepatocytes than adult ones. The functional integrity of these parenchymal liver cells was assessed by their capacity to secrete albumin and α-fetoprotein in serum-free medium and to express lactate dehydrogenase activity over a 24-hr period in primary culture. Part of this work was presented at the 30th Annual Meeting of the Tissue Culture Association, Seattle, June, 1979.     

Distribution and metabolism of adrenocorticotropin in the rat.

The time course of plasma bioactive adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) concentrations measured following two rapid injections of the hormone at doses of 7.5 and 22.5 mU/100 g, iv, and one infusion over a period of 80 min at a rate of 1.3 mU/min per 100 g, to male Sprague-Dawley rats whose endogenous release of ACTH had been blocked, leads to the conclusion that the hormone is distributed in two compartments. Indeed, the rapid fall of plasma ACTH concentrations in the early minutes following either the injections or the stop of the infusion is followed by a much slower phase. There is no significant difference between the measurements and the two-compartment model outputs. The model represents, on the average, the mean values of the measurements plus or minus 1 standard error for the single injections and plus or minus 1.2 standard error for the infusion.     

Mating-Type Effect on CIS Mutations Leading to Constitutivity of Ornithine Transaminase in Diploid Cells of SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE

Cis-acting regulatory mutations have been isolated that affect L-ornithine transaminase (OTAse), an enzyme catalyzing the second step of arginine breakdown in yeast. These mutations lead to constitutive synthesis of OTAse at various levels. Two different types of mutations have been recovered, both of which are tightly linked to the structural gene (cargB) for this enzyme. One type behaves as a classical operator-constitutive mutation similar to the cargB+O---1 mutation previously described (DUBOIS et al. 1978). The second type is peculiar in two respects: the higher level of constitutive OTAse synthesis and the expression of constitutivity in diploid cells. These mutations are designated cargB+Oh. They behave as usual operator-constitutive mutations in diploid strains homozygous for mating type (a/a or alpha/alpha), but the constitutivity is strongly reduced in a/alpha diploid cells.     

A new fluorometric method for determination of picomoles of inorganic phosphorus. Application to the renal tubular fluid

A new method for the determination of inorganic phosphorus (Pi) in 4 nl of renal tubular fluid is described. Phosphate is converted to hexadimolybdatophosphate, which is reacted with thiamine to produce a highly fluorescent thiochrome. The reaction is stable and reproducible. Problems of interference are minimal. Microdeterminations of Pi in the proximal tubules and glomerular filtrates of the rat yielded results similar to those published in the literature.     

Presence de Chitinozoaires dans les calcaires siluro-devoniens de la Sierra Negra (Pyrenees centrales espagnoles)

A stratigraphical and paleontological study of the Silurian in the Benasque area of the high Pyrenees has made it possible to assign an Upper Pridolian age to certain limestones which occur near the top of a thick and monotonous serie of black shales. These limestones yeiled some remarkably well preserved chitinozoa together with some conodonts, orthocerases and pelecypods.     

Adrenocortical responses to ACTH (author's transl)]

To characterize by a mathematical model the dynamics of adrenocortical responses to ACTH, the concentration of plasma corticosterone was measured following a series of injections and perfusions of ACTH to dexamethasone-treated male rats. A similar slope was observed during the rise of plasma corticosterone following graded pulse inputs, and the steady-state corticosterone secretion rate was shown to increase proportionally to the perfusion rate of ACTH up to saturation corresponding to maximal secretion. The data will be used, concurrently with our model of the dynamics of plasma cortiscosterone, for the identification of a mathematical model of the adrenocortical response to ACTH.     

CHARACTERIZATION AND PROTEIN ANALYSIS OF MYELIN SUBFRACTIONS IN RAT BRAIN: DEVELOPMENTAL AND REGIONAL COMPARISONS

—Myelin preparations from the whole brains of 16-day-old rats and from cortical regions and brainstem, respectively, of 40-day-old rats were separated into light, medium and heavy subfractions on a discontinuous sucrose gradient by a procedure previously used for whole adult rat brain (Matthieu, et al., 1973). The total dry weight of myelin recovered from the 16-day-old rats was only 2·4mg/g fresh brain in comparison to 20 mg from adult brains. In 16-day-old rat brains, the percentage of the total myelin protein in the light fraction was higher than that found in adult brains; the percentage in the medium fraction was only one-third that in adults; while the percentage in the heavy fraction was about the same at both ages. The heavy fraction from the 16-day-old rats contained less basic protein and proteolipid than the light fraction, and the levels of the 2′3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphohydrolase (CNP) and glycoprotein were less than half those in the light and medium fractions. Double labelling experiments with radioactive fucose indicated that the major labelled glycoprotein in the heavy and medium fractions had a slightly higher apparent mol. wt than that in the light fraction. Electron microscopy showed much readily identifiable, compact myelin in the light and medium fractions from the 16-day-old rats, whereas the heavy fraction contained more single membranous structures and much less multilamellar myelin. The yield of myelin/g fresh wt from brainstem of 40-day-old rats was 4-fold higher than from cortical regions, and the percentage recovered in the light fraction was greater in the brainstem. In both regions basic proteins decreased from the light to the heavy fraction, whereas high mol. wt proteins, the glycoprotein and CNP increased. The biochemical and morphological results suggest that in both 16-day-old and young adult rats the light fraction is enriched multilamellar, compact myelin. In contrast, the heavy fraction at both ages is enriched in loose, uncompacted myelin and myelin-related membranes, although the heavy fraction from 16-day-old rats also may be substantially contaminated with membranes which are unrelated to myelin.