Neue,abgewandelte pseudoguajanolide aus Psilostrophe villosa

Investigation of the North American species Psilostrophe villosa afforded, in addition to known compounds, five new sesquiterpene lactones, which all turn out to be modified pseudoguaianolides, most of them closely related to hymenolide. However, one of the lactones is a new type of nor-pseudoguaianolide. Furthermore a new monoacetylated borneol-β-D-glucoside is present. The chemotaxonomic situation is discussed briefly.     

Selective localization of lymphoblasts prepared from guinea pig intestinal lamina propria

The tissue localization patterns of radiolabeled dividing cells obtained from gut lamina propria (LP), mesenteric (MLN) and peripheral (PLN) lymph nodes, and Peyer's patches (PP) were studied in guinea pigs using an adoptive lymphocyte transfer method. Within 24 hr ¹²⁵I-deoxyuridine-labeled cells from donor LP and MLN, but not PLN, selectively localized in recipient gut and MLN. In contrast, donor PLN lymphoblasts returned to their sites of origin while labeled PP donor cells exhibited no specific tissue localization. These findings suggest that the gut LP, like the MLN, contains a population of cells which, unlike those in the PP and PLN, has the capacity to selectively localize in mucosal tissues. From this and other published work, we conclude that within the LP there is a population of cells at different stages of differentiation with a propensity to populate mucosae.     

Interaction of DNA with a porphyrin ligand: evidence for intercalation.

The porphyrin photosensitizer, meso-Tetra (4-N-methylpyridyl) porphine tetraperchlorate binds to calf thymus DNA by intercalation and by external electrostatic association. This was concluded from the results of measruements involving Scatchard analysis, viscometry, thermal denaturation, and circular dichroism.     

CELL PROLIFERATION IN THE ERYTHROID COMPARTMENT OF GUINEA-PIG BONE MARROW: STUDIES WITH 3H-THYMIDINE

Single and multiple injections of ³H-TdR have been used for measuring the rate of proliferation in morphologically defined cell populations of guinea-pig bone marrow that are committed to erythroid differentiation. The conclusions are based on the analysis of absolute cell numbers in the maturational compartments, the labeling and mitotic indices, labeled mitotic curves, pulse and chase grain counts over dividing and interphase cells, and on the rate of labeling during multiple, repeated injections of ³H-TdR. The average duration of S and the rate of cycling is similar in all maturational compartments of the erythron. The majority of cells progress to the next maturational compartment by the time they divide for the second time. All proerythroblasts and basophilic erythroblasts are in cycle. Polychromatic erythroblasts incapable of incorporating ³H-TdR reach the orthochromatic population in the span of 5–6 hr. The orthochromatic population is renewed every 20–24 hr. The number of divisions between the proerythroblast and orthochromatic erythroblast does not exceed four and some cells may undergo only two divisions during the maturation pathway. Cell input from a progenitor cell population contributes to the maintenance of the erythron. The kinetic behavior of progenitor cells is similar to that of proerythroblasts. By the time of their second division, progenitor cells may reach either the proerythroblast or basophilic erythroblast compartments. The kinetic behavior of basophilic transitional cells corresponds to the predicted behavior of the erythroblast progenitor cell pool. Several of the conclusions are based on the assumption that grain count halving is the result of cell division. In view of the evidence discussed, this assumption in the present studies seems justified.     

Influence of clay minerals on sorption of bacteriolytic enzymes

Myxobacteria presumably produce extracellular bacteriolytic enzymes when they are growing in soil. In order to study their ecological significance, adsorption experiments were performed with lytic enzymes produced byMyxococcus virescens in casitone media. Different soils as well as montmorillonite and kaolinite can rapidly adsorb the bacteriolytic but not the proteolytic enzymes. About 1 gm of montmorillonite per liter of cell-free culture solution is enough for the adsorption of 97% of the bacteriolytic enzymes. The adsorption per unit weight is about 100 times greater on montmorillonite than on kaolinite. About 40% of the adsorbed enzymes can be eluted with solutions of high pH or high ionic strength. The only desorbed bacteriolytic enzyme is the alanyl-∈-N-lysine endopeptidase.     

Follistatin Protein Enhances Satellite Cell Counts in Reinnervated Muscle

Background Muscle recovery following peripheral nerve repair is sup-optimal. Follistatin (FST), a potent muscle stimulant, enhances muscle size and satellite cell counts following reinnervation when administered as recombinant FST DNA via viral vectors. Local administration of recombinant FST protein, if effective, would be more clinically translatable but has yet to be investigated following muscle reinnervation. Objective  The aim of this study is to assess the effect of direct delivery of recombinant FST protein on muscle recovery following muscle reinnervation. Materials and Methods  In total, 72 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent temporary (3 or 6 months) denervation or sham denervation. After reinnervation, rats received FST protein (isoform FS-288) or sham treatment via a subcutaneous osmotic pump delivery system. Outcome measures included muscle force, muscle histomorphology, and FST protein quantification. Results  Follistatin treatment resulted in smaller muscles after 3 months denervation ( p  = 0.019) and reduced force after 3 months sham denervation ( p  < 0.001). Conversely, after 6 months of denervation, FST treatment trended toward increased force output ( p  = 0.066). Follistatin increased satellite cell counts after denervation ( p  < 0.001) but reduced satellite cell counts after sham denervation ( p  = 0.037). Conclusion  Follistatin had mixed effects on muscle weight and force. Direct FST protein delivery enhanced satellite cell counts following reinnervation. The positive effect on the satellite cell population is intriguing and warrants further investigation.     

The mode of action of thidiazuron: auxins,indoleamines, and ion channels in the regeneration of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Echinacea purpurea</Emphasis> L.

The biochemical mechanisms underlying thidiazuron (TDZ)-induced regeneration in plant cells have not been clearly elucidated. Exposure of leaf explants of Echinacea purpurea to a medium containing TDZ results in undifferentiated cell proliferation and differentiated growth as mixed shoot organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. The current studies were undertaken to determine the potential roles of auxin, indoleamines, and ion signaling in the dedifferentiation and redifferentiation of plant cells. E. purpurea leaf explants were found to contain auxin and the related indoleamine neurotransmitters, melatonin, and serotonin. The levels of these endogenous indoleamines were increased by exposure to TDZ associated with the induction of regeneration. The auxin-transport inhibitor 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid and auxin action inhibitor, p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid decreased the TDZ-induced regeneration but increased concentrations of endogenous serotonin and melatonin. As well, inhibitors of calcium and sodium transport significantly reduced TDZ-induced morphogenesis while increasing endogenous indoleamine content. These data indicate that TDZ-induced regeneration is the manifestation of a metabolic cascade that includes an initial signaling event, accumulation, and transport of endogenous plant signals such as auxin and melatonin, a system of secondary messengers, and a concurrent stress response.