Experimental testing of the role of cytoskeleton in the solution by neurons of problems facing the brain

Investigation of the influence of cAMP on neuronal electric activity suggests that nerve cells can solve problems using an intraneuronal calculating medium based on the cytoskeleton. When a new problem is posed, this structure has to be disassembled and assembled by the neuronal molecular computer according to the program recorded in DNA. If DNA lacks an appropriate program, the cytoskeleton will not be assembled. In our experiments, fishes which were rotated simultaneously around two mutually perpendicular axes lost their swimming ability, and some dramatic changes were observed in the cytoskeleton of their Mauthner neurons. These changes disappeared after a long-term rest: the cytoskeleton was restored simultaneously with the ability for normal swimming.     

Engraftment and differentiation of embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells in the cochlear nerve trunk: growth of processes into the organ of Corti

Hearing loss in mammals is irreversible because cochlear neurons and hair cells do not regenerate. To determine whether we could replace neurons lost to primary neuronal degeneration, we injected EYFP-expressing embryonic stem cell-derived mouse neural progenitor cells into the cochlear nerve trunk in immunosuppressed animals 1 week after destroying the cochlear nerve (spiral ganglion) cells while leaving hair cells intact by ouabain application to the round window at the base of the cochlea in gerbils. At 3 days post transplantation, small grafts were seen that expressed endogenous EYFP and could be immunolabeled for neuron-specific markers. Twelve days after transplantation, the grafts had neurons that extended processes from the nerve core toward the denervated organ of Corti. By 64-98 days, the grafts had sent out abundant processes that occupied a significant portion of the space formerly occupied by the cochlear nerve. The neurites grew in fasciculating bundles projecting through Rosenthal's canal, the former site of spiral ganglion cells, into the osseous spiral lamina and ultimately into the organ of Corti, where they contacted hair cells. Neuronal counts showed a significant increase in neuronal processes near the sensory epithelium, compared to animals that were denervated without subsequent stem cell transplantation. The regeneration of these neurons shows that neurons differentiated from stem cells have the capacity to grow to a specific target in an animal model of neuronal degeneration.     

Immediate and Delayed Cochlear Neuropathy after Noise Exposure in Pubescent Mice

Moderate acoustic overexposure in adult rodents is known to cause acute loss of synapses on sensory inner hair cells (IHCs) and delayed degeneration of the auditory nerve, despite the completely reversible temporary threshold shift (TTS) and morphologically intact hair cells. Our objective was to determine whether a cochlear synaptopathy followed by neuropathy occurs after noise exposure in pubescence, and to define neuropathic versus non-neuropathic noise levels for pubescent mice. While exposing 6 week old CBA/CaJ mice to 8-16 kHz bandpass noise for 2 hrs, we defined 97 dB sound pressure level (SPL) as the threshold for this particular type of neuropathic exposure associated with TTS, and 94 dB SPL as the highest non-neuropathic noise level associated with TTS. Exposure to 100 dB SPL caused permanent threshold shift although exposure of 16 week old mice to the same noise is reported to cause only TTS. Amplitude of wave I of the auditory brainstem response, which reflects the summed activity of the cochlear nerve, was complemented by synaptic ribbon counts in IHCs using confocal microscopy, and by stereological counts of peripheral axons and cell bodies of the cochlear nerve from 24 hours to 16 months post exposure. Mice exposed to neuropathic noise demonstrated immediate cochlear synaptopathy by 24 hours post exposure, and delayed neurodegeneration characterized by axonal retraction at 8 months, and spiral ganglion cell loss at 8-16 months post exposure. Although the damage was initially limited to the cochlear base, it progressed to also involve the cochlear apex by 8 months post exposure. Our data demonstrate a fine line between neuropathic and non-neuropathic noise levels associated with TTS in the pubescent cochlea.     

Extracellular matrix vesicles in rat bone after parathyroidectomy

Summary The enzymatic activity of bone matrix vesicles from parathyroidectomized rats was determined and compared to the activity of vesicles from sham operated and normal animals. The vesicles were isolated from the alveolar bone by collagenase digestion and differential centrifugation and further purified on a discontinuous sucrose density gradient. The amount of extractable protein and the activity of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and ATPase in the vesicle fractions thus obtained did not differ significantly from the values characteristic of preparations from control rats. It may therefore be suggested that parathyroid hormone depletion and the associated hypocalcemia have no significant effect on the occurrence and phosphatase activity of bone matrix vesicles.     

Mutagenicity of islandicin and chrysophanol in the Salmonella/microsome system.

Chrysophanol and islandicin, two anthraquinones which are structurally related to emodin, were found to be frame-shift mutagens for Salmonella typhimurium strain TA 1537 after metabolic activation.     

Input and output channels of quantum biocomputers]

It is proposed that "Quantum Molecular" computer of a neuron consists of the cell cytoskeleton serving as calculating media and input ionic channel sending a hypersound signal to observe these media. The sound spreads through the media travelling along microtubules and microfilaments and switching between those via molecular bridges which serve as elementary switches. The whole system works like a wave guiding net connecting input ionic channels (which generate different sound signals) and output ionic channels (which are controlled by the processed sound signals). Thus the output of such systems depends on the input (controlled by synaptic activity) and on the construction and state of these calculating media. We think that the sound waves spreading through different calculating media solve different physical problems. The construction of the calculating part of the cytoskeleton, according to the hypothesis, is different in different neurons. It is defined by special protein which is produced by DNA, RNA and protein molecular word processor (during brain development and, may be, education). We comment on how the existence of an extremal computer produces an impact on physics and mathematics exemplified by the optimality principle as substitution of physical relativity principle for a complex problem.     

The Escherichia coli adenylate cyclase complex. Stimulation by potassium and phosphate

In Escherichia coli, adenylate cyclase activity in toluene-treated cells can be inhibited by glucose while the activity in a broken cell preparation cannot. Adenylate cyclase activity in the permeabilized but not in broken cells is stimulated somewhat specifically and additively by potassium and phosphate. Kinetic studies show sigmoid substrate-velocity curves for the toluene-treated cells but hyperbolic curves for the broken cells. The stimulatory effects of potassium and phosphate on adenylate cyclase activity in tolulene-treated cells are associated with increases in the Vmax and Km for ATP. While the enzyme activity in toluene-treated cells shows a preference for magnesium over manganese, the reverse is observed in broken cells. Stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in toluene-treated cells requires the presence of the proteins of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS). The PTS proteins can be phosphorylated in a P-enolpyruvate-dependent reaction. The stimulatory effects of ions will not occur if the PTS proteins are not phosphorylated. Since potassium phosphate stimulates both adenylate cyclase and PTS activities in toluene-treated cells, it is proposed that the effect of potassium phosphate on adenylate cyclase activity is mediated through an effect on the PTS. A model for dual regulation by glucose of adenylate cyclase activity is proposed. This model involves regulation of both the condition of the PTS proteins as well as the cellular concentration of phosphate.     

A symmetric two locus model with viability and fertility selection

A two locus deterministic population genetic model is analysed. One locus is under viability selection, the other under fertility selection with both forms of selection completely symmetric. It is shown that linkage equilibrium may occur at two different equilibrium points. For a two-locus polymorphism to be stable, it is necessary that the viability locus be overdominant but not necessary that the fertility locus, considered separately, be able to support a stable polymorphism. The overlaps in stability are not as complex as under two locus symmetric fertilities, but considerably more complex than with symmetric viabilities. Extensions of the analysis for the central linkage equilibrium point with multiple viability and fertility loci are indicated.Research supported in part by NIH grants GM 28106 and GM 10452