CONCENTRIC LAMINATION OF GLIAL PROCESSES IN OLIGODENDROGLIOMAS

Tissues were obtained by open biopsy of a series of human intracranial neoplasms, fixed in Veronal-buffered osmium tetroxide, and embedded in Vestopal-W. In two instances in which specimens were obtained from oligodendrogliomas in regions where the tumor had infiltrated but not entirely destroyed cortical tissues, glial processes were found to be arranged in a highly organized laminar fashion. This feature was not observed in two additional oligodendrogliomas nor in other types of intracerebral neoplasms. Three types of laminar structures were recognized: (a) perikaryal sheaths composed of several layers of overlapping or concentrically orientated glial processes, (b) layers of longitudinally orientated glial processes along the outer aspect of myelinated axons, and (c) small laminated figures composed of several concentrically disposed glial processes. Spirally constituted lamellar systems were not demonstrated. These findings indicate that under certain circumstances glial cells have the capacity to form sheaths and sheath-like structures by concentric lamination of several processes, rather than by spiraling of a single process.     

Über das Fehlen einer Beziehung zwischen dem Kaffeegenuß der Eltern und dem Geschlechtsverhältnis unter ihren Kindern

Ohne ZusammenfassungTeile dieser Arbeit wurden von Fräulein M. Kurth im Rahmen ihrer medizinischen Doktordissertation erarbeitet.Die Untersuchungen der Verfasser zum Mutationsproblem werden durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft gefördert.     

Coated Vesicles in der Umgebung der neuro-muskulären Synapsen

Zusammenfassung In den verschiedenen Zellarten im Gebiet der neuro-muskulären Synapsen des mit OsO₄ fixierten Maus-Diaphragmas werden Mikropinozytose-Vesikel dargestellt, die durch eine besondere Membrandifferenzierung ausgezeichnet sind. Vorkommen, Feinstruktur und Entstehung dieser coated vesicles werden beschrieben. Ihre mögliche Funktion sowie die Bedeutung des Saumes werden in Zusammenhang mit der bereits vorliegenden Literatur diskutiert.

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Summary Coated vesicles were demonstrated in various cell types in the region of the neuro-muscular junctions of the mouse diaphragm fixed with osmium tetroxide. These vesicles are characterized by a membrane which is specially differentiated. The occurrence, fine structure, and formation of these coated vesicles are described; their possible function and the nature of the coat are discussed in the light of existing literature.

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Wir danken dem Schweizerischen Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Nr. 3806) für die Unterstützung dieser Arbeit.     

A Rapid Screening Test for Aflatoxin-synthesizing Aspergilli of the flavus-oryzae Group

A rapid test for the recognition of aflatoxin-synthesizing strains of the Aspergillus flavus–oryzae group is described. For this purpose the strains are cultivated on Czapek–Dox agar enriched with an aqueous extract of groundnuts, and in which sodium nitrate is replaced by ammonium chloride. Toxin production is observed by the production of a bright blue fluorescence in the medium when placed under an ultraviolet lamp.     

Pharmacologic evidence for the requirement of protein kinase C in IFN-induced macrophage Fc gamma receptor and Ia antigen expression.

Previous studies have implicated protein kinase C (PKC) as a mediator in the activation of macrophages by interferons. In order to probe further into the suspected role of protein kinase C in mouse peritoneal macrophage activation, the effects of protein kinase inhibitors in macrophage Fc gamma R and Ia Ag expression were studied. The protein kinase inhibitor, H7, reduced basal levels, and inhibited IFN-alpha-induced expression of Fc gamma R significantly. The concentration of H7 required to inhibit 50% of the Fc gamma R induction was approximately 12 microM, which reflects the previously reported affinity of this compound for PKC in vitro. H7 had only a minimal effect on IFN-gamma-induced Fc gamma R, suggesting different pathways of Fc gamma R induction by the two types of IFN. Ia induction by IFN-gamma was also inhibited by H7, indicating that both types of IFN can utilize PKC to mediate at least part of the signal required for Fc gamma R or Ia expression. HA-1004, a derivative of H7 which possesses high affinity for cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases, but low affinity for PKC, did not alter induction, while H8, a slightly less effective PKC inhibitor than H7, was effective at higher concentrations. Another structurally distinct PKC antagonist, staurosporine, was also effective inhibiting IFN-alpha-induced Fc gamma R and IFN-gamma-induced Ia Ag expression, providing additional evidence that PKC is important. H7 was found to be effective when added as late as several hours after IFN treatment, indicating a prolonged or delayed requirement of PKC for optimal induction of Ia and Fc gamma R by IFN.     

Poly- and Monoclonal Antibodies Against Recombinant Rat Brain Calbindin D-28K Were Produced to Map Its Selective Distribution in the Central Nervous System

Many processes in the CNS depend on calcium. The calcium signal is transduced into an intracellular response via Ca2(+)-binding proteins, including calbindin D-28K. In many laboratories, polyclonal antibodies against chicken intestinal calbindin D-28K have been used to study its localization in the brain (normal and degenerated) of various species, including humans, but some of these antisera cross-reacted with other proteins, including calretinin. We purified recombinant rat brain calbindin D-28K to raise antisera in rabbits and purified a recombinant rat-chicken calbindin D-28K hybrid protein to immunize mice for the generation of monoclonal antibodies. These antisera were highly specific for calbindin D-28K, as demonstrated by two-dimensional Western blotting analysis. Immunohistochemical analyses combined with in situ hybridization studies demonstrated that calbindin D-28K in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum is independent of vitamin D. The antibodies described here will be important tools for studying the regulation of expression of calbindin D-28K and its biological function in the brain and in the PNS.     

How does inactivation change timing of replication in the human X chromosome?

Summary The kinetics of replication of the inactive (late replicating) X chromosome (LRX) were studied in karyotypically normal lymphocytes and human amniotic fluid cells. Both cell types were successively pulse labeled with 1-h or 1/2-h thymidine pulses in an otherwise BrdU-substituted S phase after partial synchronization of the cultures at G₁/S. For the first time with this technique, the entire sequence of replication was analyzed for the LRX from the beginning to the end of the S phase, with special reference to mid S (R-band to G-band transition replication). The inactive X is the last chromosome of the metaphase to start replication, with a delay of 1 or 2h, after which time a thymidine pulse results in R-type patterns. In mid S, the inactive X is the first chromosome to switch to G-type replication (without overlapping of both types and without any detectable replication pause). Until the end of S, a thymidine pulse results in G-type patterns. To rule out artifacts that might arise by the synchronization of cultures in these experiments, controls were carried out with BrdU pulses and the BrdU antibody technique without synchronization. In the course of replication, no fundamental difference was seen between the two different cell types examined. In contrast to studies using continuos labeling, this study did not reveal an interindividual difference of replication kinetics in the LRXs of the seven individuals studied; thus it is concluded that the inactive X chromosome shows only one characteristic course of replication.     

The physical separation of Lps and Ifa loci in BXH recombinant inbred mice

Several reports in the literature suggest that many of the phenotypic defects of LPS-hyporesponsive C3H/HeJ mice may be attributed to decreased IFN production by their macrophages. The physical proximity on chromosome 4 of the gene which encodes sensitivity to LPS (Lps) and the structural gene cluster which encodes IFN-alpha (Ifa), suggests the possibility that the Lps gene, whose product is unknown, may actually be a part of the Ifa gene cluster. The C57BL/6J and C3H/HeJ mouse strains carry distinct alleles at both the LPs and the Ifa loci. In this study, we have analyzed these parental strains, as well as 12 recombinant inbred strains derived from these parental strains (e.g., BXH strains), for inheritance of these distinct alleles. The results show the segregation of these two loci: in 5 of 12 BXH RI strains, the IFN-alpha restriction fragment length polymorphism characteristic of one parental strain was discordant with the predicted LPS response phenotype. Therefore, we conclude that the Lps and the Ifa genes are physically distinct despite the apparent cause and effect relationship which is observed phenotypically.