Delta-Cytomembranen und lamelläre Cytosomen

Zusammenfassung Im Epithel der Kiemenbüschel von Axolotl (Amblystoma mexicanum) findet sich ein besonderer Typ von cytoplasmatischen Membranen, den wir mit -Cytomembran bezeichnen. -Cytomembranen sind schichtweise in Schleifen oder Spiralen angeordnet und bestehen aus einer 30–45 Å dicken osmiophilen Schicht mit einem 60 Å breiten intermembranösen Intervall. Die -Cytomembranen differenzieren sich im perinucleären Bereich des Cytoplasmas aus einer homogenen, elektronendichten Substanz und stellen die Vorstufen der lamellären Cytosomen dar. Die -Cytomembranen und die lamellären Cytosomen sind aus einem Kohlenhydrat-Protein-Komplex mit möglicher Bindung an Phospholipoide zusammengesetzt. Wir glauben, daß diese besondere Gruppe von submikroskopischen Strukturen wichtige Funktionen für die Synthese der Mucopolysaccharide im allgemeinen und für die Schleimsekretion im speziellen hat.Stipendiat der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Reactions of indoles with nitrogen monoxide: unexpected formation of azo-bis-indoles from 1,2-disubstituted indoles.

1-Methyl-, 1-ethyl-2-phenylindoles react with nitrogen monoxide, forming mainly 3,3(')-azo-bis-indoles, nitrosoindoles together with traces of nitroindoles. 2-Phenylindole, under the same experimental conditions, forms isonitrosoindole in good yields. The formation mechanism of azo-bis-indoles has been demonstrated to occur through 1,2-disubstituted nitrosoindoles by the intermediate formation of a diazonium salt.     

Spontaneous Cell Fusion in Macrophage Cultures Expressing High Levels of the P2Z/P2X7 Receptor

Mouse and human macrophages express a plasma membrane receptor for extracellular ATP named P2Z/P2X₇. This molecule, recently cloned, is endowed with the intriguing property of forming an aqueous pore that allows transmembrane fluxes of hydrophylic molecules of molecular weight below 900. The physiological function of this receptor is unknown. In a previous study we reported experiments suggesting that the P2Z/P2X₇ receptor is involved in the formation of macrophage-derived multinucleated giant cells (MGCs; Falzoni, S., M. Munerati, D. Ferrari, S. Spisani, S. Moretti, and F. Di Virgilio. 1995. J. Clin. Invest. 95:1207– 1216). We have selected several clones of mouse J774 macrophages that are characterized by either high or low expression of the P2Z/P2X₇ receptor and named these clones P2Zhyper or P2Zhypo, respectively. P2Zhyper, but not P2Zhypo, cells grown to confluence in culture spontaneously fuse to form MGCs. As previously shown for human macrophages, fusion is inhibited by the P2Z/P2X₇ blocker oxidized ATP. MGCs die shortly after fusion through a dramatic process of cytoplasmic sepimentation followed by fragmentation. These observations support our previous hypothesis that the P2Z/P2X₇ receptor is involved in macrophage fusion.     

Low-dose dopamine as an activator of renal catecholamine receptors of different classes. I. Studies in water-salt depletion

The renal function in healthy man with salt and water depletion induced by natriuretic treatment was explored during steady hypotonic polyuria. Four 15 min clearance (cl.) periods, before, during and after dopamine (DA) infusion in a subpressor dose were performed. The 12 examined subjects showed different renal hemodynamic responses in the early stage of DA infusion, i.e. hyperemic (4 subjects, subgroup A) or ischemic (8 subjects, subgroup B). A decrease in urinary sodium excretion and increase in tubular sodium reabsorption, in particular at the diluting segment level, were induced by DA in both subgroups, at least in the late stage of infusion. During the control cl. period in subgroup A as compared with B the renal plasma flow was lower and the tubular sodium reabsorption higher, suggesting a relatively higher level of renal adrenergic activity.     

Oxalic acid production and its role in pathogenesis of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Abstract Sunflower plants were inoculated with a virulent isolate of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and with the same isolate nutritionally conditioned to produce small amounts of oxalic acid. The preconditioned isolate behaved as hypovirulent. Tomato plants were inoculated with four S. sclerotiorum isolates of increasing virulence. A close correlation among disease severity, accumulation of oxalic acid, decrease in pH and inhibition of polyphenoloxidase in both infected host tissues was demonstrated. Oxalic acid production as an important factor of virulence in S. sclerotiorum is emphasized and its effect on the phenolic metabolism of the host via inhibition of polyphenoloxidase is suggested.     

The Cd technique identifies a specific structure related to centromeric function

Summary The evidence that the Cd technique identifies the kinetochore was based on the finding that inactive centromeres are C-positive but Cd-negative. The identity between Cd-positivity and centromere function is now confirmed by the reverse procedure: a stable abnormal chromosome is consistently C-negative but Cd-positive at its single centromeric constriction. This demonstrates that the Cd dots are not a relic of C-banding but identify the active centromere.     

Effects of purine cyclic nucleotides on the growth of neonatal rat hepatocytes in primary tissue culture

cGMP and db-cGMP administered for 20–24 h to neonatal rat hepatocytes in primary culture stimulated their DNA synthesis and proliferation only at concentrations higher than the physiological one, whereas at concentrations equal to or lower than the physiological concentration they were ineffective or inhibitory for both activities. Induction of DNA synthesis to be effected by cGMP required 15 h of treatment, preceded, however, by inhibition of the same process between the 6th and the 14th hour of exposure. In contrast, cAMP and db-cAMP stimulated the flow of cultivated hepatocytes into the S and M stages of their mitotic cycle when administered at very wide concentration range, including the physiological for cAMP and the sub-physiological for db-cAMP. cAMP was effective after 12–14 h of treatment. Equimolar mixtures of cGMP with cAMP and of db-cGMP with db-cAMP also stimulated the proliferative activity of primary hepatocytes, but only at very low doses, which induced a first peak of DNA synthesis between the 2nd and the 6th hour of treatment and a second peak at about the 18th hour. These actions of the cyclic compounds, employed singly or in equimolar combination, were shown to be specific, since they could not be reproduced by their main metabolites. The present results strengthen the view that cAMP plays a pre-eminent role in the positive regulation of hepatocyte proliferation. Contrary to the postulate of the dualistic doctrine, cGMP by itself is not proliferogenic in the physiological range; in fact, cGMP acts as an ancillary, possibly dispensable, compound whose physiological role may be to help, in cooperation with cAMP, liver cells to cross the G1/S boundary of their growth-division cycle.     

A cytochemical approach to the wound repair mechanism inUdotea petiolata (Siphonales)

Summary When injured, the thalli of the coenocytic algaUdotea petiolata undergo a rapid sealing process mainly due to the extrusion of two successive plugs. In the first, external and transitory plug, sulphated polysaccharides are the predominant components. In the second, permanent and internal plug, roundish bodies having a complex polysaccharidic composition are embedded in a fibrillar matrix of still unknown nature. The sulphated sugars were identified and located by means of Alcian Blue staining and X-ray microanalysis. A periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate technique proved useful especially in the study of the roundish bodies and in the compositional and structural comparison of the siphon wall with the wound wall. Phosphotungstic acid at low pH was used to evidentiate an extensive plasma membrane activity in the repairing cytoplasm.Supported by a grant of C.N.R.     

MICROHETEROGENEITY OF BRAIN CYTOPLASMIC AND SYNAPTOPLASMIC ACTINS

Abstract— Actin present in whole rat brain cytoplasm and in synaptosomes was purified by DNase I affinity chromatography. By use of two-dimensional gels and one-dimensional isoelectric focusing gels, brain actin was shown to be composed of two isomeric forms. By comparison with muscle actins, brain actins were identified as the β and γ isomers. Muscle type α actin is not present in brain. Synaptosomal protein with high affinity for DNase I is primarily composed of β and γ actin, however, two minor synaptosomal proteins, S₁ and S₂, with similar DNase I affinity were also isolated. S₁1 and S₂ have the same apparent molecular weight as whole brain actin, are more acidic than the major actin forms and are distinct from a actin. Relative to β and γ actin, the content of S₁ and S₂ is 3-fOld greater in synaptosomes when compared to similar non-synaptosomal species. The results demonstrate heterogeneity of brain actins and compartmentalization of brain proteins with high affinity for DNase I at the synapse. It was also shown that tubulin has selective affinity for the DNase I-actin complex.     

Schistosoma mansoni: peritoneal plasmacytogenesis and polypoid transformation of mesenteric milky spots in infected mice.

We have studied inflammatory reactions in the mesenteric tissue of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Perivascular tissue contained diffuse infiltrates of macrophages, eosinophilic granulocytes and lymphocytes. Angiogenesis in the perivascular adipose tissue was associated with superficial plasmacytogenic foci. Polypoid structures were occasionally formed adjacent to inflammatory foci in the adipose tissue, organized around loops of capillaries, with terminal formation of a glomerular capillary network embedded in connective tissue, covered by plasmacytes. We conclude that these structures are specialized milky spots dedicated to active plasmacytogenesis and antibody secretion into the peritoneal cavity of schistosome-infected mice.