A unique and essential role for insulin in the phenotypic expression of rat mammary epithelial cells unrelated to its function in cell maintenance

Mammary explants from pregnant rats can be induced in regard to casein synthesis and alpha-lactalbumin activity when cultured in the presence of hydrocortisone, prolactin and levels of insulin approaching physiological concentrations. No detectable induction occurs in the absence of insulin. Although epidermal growth factor and multiplication stimulating activity, in the presence of hydrocortisone, can maintain the initial level of NADH-cytochrome c reductase as well as insulin, neither can substitute effectively for insulin in the induction of the milk proteins. Proinsulin, nerve growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor and fibroblast growth factor are also ineffective substitutes for insulin in this regard. Whereas prolonged tissue exposure to multiplication stimulating activity, hydrocortisone and prolactin does not result in induction of alpha-lactalbumin activity, subsequent addition of insulin leads to prompt response. The results suggest that the ability of insulin to function as a unique, essential factor in the induction of rat milk proteins is independent of its cell-maintenance activity. Thus, in addition to its well established functions in metabolic processes, insulin appears to play a vital role in certain developmental processes.     

Comparison of techniques for the detection of avian infectious bronchitis virus as a contaminant of vaccines

Techniques for detecting various levels of both field and vaccine strains of infectious bronchitis virus in a deliberately contaminated Newcastle disease vaccine were compared using chick embryos, chick kidney cells, chick tracheal organ cultures and chickens with a view to determining the most appropriate method for screening vaccines for freedom from IBV contamination. Techniques examined included detection of abnormalities and deaths in embryos, cytopathic effect in chick kidney cells, ciliostasis in chick tracheal organ cultures and clinical signs and virus isolation in chickens as well as the fluorescent antibody test, negative contrast electron microscopy and serology where appropriate. Results showed that the techniques capable of detecting both strains of infectious bronchitis virus were, in order of sensitivity, the fluorescent antibody test on allantoic cells from infected embryos, ciliostasis and direct electron microscopy of allantoic fluid. One surprising feature was the poor results obtained using chickens. Some detection was achieved with tracheal virus isolation and tracheal organ cultures prepared from inoculated birds and to a lesser extent with histology and clinical signs, but no technique detected the field strain.     

Sexual differentiation of rat liver carbonic anhydrase III

Using radioimmunoassay, the concentration of carbonic anhydrase III in the livers of adult male rats was found to be approx. 30-times greater than that observed in mature females. Castration of male rats led to a marked reduction in liver carbonic anhydrase III concentrations which could be partially restored to control levels by testosterone replacement. Administration of testosterone to ovariectomised female rats induced about a 5-fold increase in liver carbonic anhydrase III concentration. Immunoprecipitation analysis of the products of liver mRNA translation in vitro with antiserum specific for carbonic anhydrase III showed that hormonal control of the levels of carbonic anhydrase III in liver is mediated by changes in the amount of translatable carbonic anhydrase III mRNA. Marked changes in liver carbonic anhydrase III concentrations were also observed in developing and ageing male rats.     

VARIATION IN THE DURATION OF MITOSIS IN THE CRYPTS OF LIEBERKUHN OF THE RAT; A CYTOKINETIC STUDY USING VINCRISTINE

The variation in the duration of mitosis ( t _m) with cell position in the small intestinal crypts of the adult rat has been measured by a stathmokinetic technique using vincristine. The value for the whole crypt column was 0.43 hr, or 26 min. At the bottom of the crypt t _m was in excess of 1 hr, but rapidly decreased and throughout the greater part of the proliferative compartment was between 0.40 and 0.50 hr. At the top of the proliferative compartment an increase in t _m was demonstrated.
If the value of 0.43 hr for the whole crypt column is correct, then one argument for postulating the formation of metabolic DNA during differentiation in the small bowel epithelium of the rat becomes invalid. Variations in t _m within the crypt have been shown to increase the values of cell velocity obtained from cumulative birth rate diagrams. Finally further evidence has been presented for the existence of a slowly dividing subpopulation of cells at the base of the crypt. These cells may be important in crypt repopulation after damage with phase specific anti-tumour drugs.     

Certain organism-substrate relationships affecting the distribution of Uca minax (Crustacea: Decapoda)

The involvement of substrate in the ecology of the fiddler crab Uca minax was investigated by means of both field and laboratory studies. These included determination of the oxygen-holding capacities of five types of substrates on which this organism lives, as well as experiments to determine if there is substrate selection. The effect of population density on burrowing was also studied to determine the optimum number of individuals needed in the selection experiments, and to delineate the mechanisms these organisms use for avoiding dispersion onto less favorable substrates. Results indicate that Uca minax prefers substrates with high organic content, although these were shown to contain the lowest substrate oxygen. This evidence suggests that Uca minax prefers substrates of high energy value, and explains the significance of this species' adaptation in withstanding low oxygen tensions. Population density experiments indicate that at high population densities these crabs reduce intraspecific encounter and competition by burrowing and subsequently covering their burrows. Seasonal monitoring of burrow temperatures indicate the stability of this microenvironment as compared with the surrounding air temperature. These data also demonstrate the significance of the adjacent water in the habitat ecology of Uca minax.     

Cholinesterase in larvae of the ascidian,Ciona intestinalis,developing from fragments cut from centrifuged eggs

Development Genes and Evolution - UnfertilizedCiona eggs were centrifuged, stratifying their mitochondria and some other cytoplasmic components. Each centrifuged egg had a mitochondria-free,...     

The action of local anaesthetics on lipolysis and on adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate content in isolated rat fat-cells

1. Local anaesthetics inhibited hormone-stimulated lipolysis in isolated rat fat-cells. The most potent anaesthetic was dibucaine, which inhibited adrenaline-stimulated lipolysis by 50% at a concentration of 0.16mm. 2. The amount of inhibition produced by a given concentration of anaesthetic was very similar with adrenaline, theophylline and dibutyryl cyclic AMP, at submaximal and maximal concentrations. 3. The inhibitory effect of dibucaine on lipolysis was apparent within 5 min and was constant over 1h. 4. Dibucaine inhibited basal, adrenaline-stimulated and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake at concentrations 6-10-fold higher than those inhibiting lipolysis. 5. The effects of dibucaine on lipolysis and glucose uptake were reversed after removal of anaesthetic and washing of cells. 6. Dibucaine further elevated the concentration of cyclic AMP in the presence of adrenaline or adrenaline plus theophylline. 7. Dibucaine had no effect on ATP content at concentrations causing 80% inhibition of lipolysis, but lowered ATP content at higher concentrations. 8. The relative potency of different local anaesthetics as inhibitors of hormone-stimulated lipolysis paralleled their potency as inhibitors of ion movements in other systems. 9. The possibility is discussed that Ca(2+) ions are involved in the regulation of lipolysis, and that local anaesthetics inhibit lipolysis by interfering with Ca(2+) translocation.     

Nitrite oxidase and nitrate reductase in Nitrobacter agilis

Nitrite oxidase and nitrate reductase in Nitrobacter agilis were shown to be separate enzymes. The best separation of the two systems was achieved by ammonium sulphate fractionation. The effects of various compounds, including antimycin A, 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide and chlorate, also clearly distinguish between the two enzyme reactions. The relationship between the two opposing reactions in Nitrobacter is discussed.     

A nitrite reductase with cytochrome oxidase activity from Micrococcus denitrificans

The formation of nitrite reductase and cytochrome c in Micrococcus denitrificans was repressed by O₂. The purified nitrite reductase utilized reduced forms of cytochrome c, phenazine methosulphate, benzyl viologen and methyl viologen, respectively, as electron donors. The enzyme was inhibited by KCN, NaN₃ and NH₂OH each at 1 mM, whereas CO and bathocuproin, diethyl dithiocarbamate, o-phenanthroline and ,'-dipyridyl at 1 mM concentrations were relatively ineffective. The purified enzyme contains cytochromes, probably of the c and a₂ types, in one complex. A K_m of 46 μM for NO₂⁻ and a pH optimum of 6.7 were recorded for the enzyme. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be around 130000, and its anodic mobility was 6.8·10⁻⁶ cm²·sec⁻¹·V⁻¹ at pH 4.55.

The most highly purified nitrite reductase still exhibited cytochrome c oxidase activity with a K_m of 27 μM for O₂. This activity was also inhibited by KCN, NaN₃ and NH₂OH and by NO₂⁻.

A constitutive cytochrome oxidase associated with membranes was also isolated from cells grown anaerobically with NO₂⁻. It was inhibited by smaller amounts of KCN, NaN₃ and NH₂OH than the cytochrome oxidase activity of the nitrite reductase enzyme and also differed in having a pH optimum of about 8 and a K_m for O₂ of less than 0.1 μM. Spectroscopically, cytochromes b and c were found to be associated with the constitutive oxidase in the particulate preparation. Its activity was also inhibited by NO₂⁻.

The physiological role of the cytochrome oxidase activity associated with the purified nitrite reductase is likely to be of secondary importance for the following reasons: (a) it accounts for less than 10% of total cytochrome c oxidase activity of cell extracts; (b) the constitutive cytochrome c oxidase has a smaller K_m for O₂ and would therefore be expected to function more efficiently especially at low concentrations of O₂.