Haploinsufficient Bmp4 ocular phenotypes include anterior segment dysgenesis with elevated intraocular pressure

Background  

Glaucoma is a common disease but its molecular etiology is poorly understood. It involves retinal ganglion cell death and optic nerve damage that is often associated with elevated intraocular pressure. Identifying genes that modify glaucoma associated phenotypes is likely to provide insights to mechanisms of glaucoma. We previously reported glaucoma in DBA/2J mice caused by recessive alleles at two loci, isa and ipd, that cause iris stromal atrophy and iris pigment dispersion, respectively. A approach for identifying modifier genes is to study the effects of specific mutations in different mouse strains. When the phenotypic effect of a mutation is modified upon its introduction into a new strain, crosses between the parental strains can be used to identify modifier genes. The purpose of this study was to determine if the effects of the DBA/2J derived isa and ipd loci are modified in strain AKXD-28/Ty.     

Mesure du volume total et du pourcentage du sang chez le triton crete (Triturus cristatus carnifex Laur.) Dosage par dilution radio-Isotopique

Zusammenfassung Durch die Methode der radium-isotopischen Verdünnung haben die Autoren das Totalvolumen und den Prozentsatz des Blutes von Triturus cristatus carnifex Laur. gemessen. Die Befunde ergaben, daß eine lineare Beziehung zwischen dem Prozentsatz des Blutes und dem Gewicht des Körpers in den Grenzen der untersuchten Gewichte vorhanden ist.Der Prozentsatz des Blutes nimmt nämlich ab, während das Körpergewicht in entsprechender Weise zunimmt.Außerdem haben die Autoren festgestellt, daß eine lineare Beziehung zwischen dem Körpergewicht und dem Logarithmus des Totalvolumens des Blutes vorhanden ist.

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Recherche conduite et publiée avec une contribution de «l'Impresa di Endocrinologia» du «Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Gruppo di Endocrinologia comparata)».     

FRET and FRAP imaging: Approaches to characterise tau and stathmin interactions with microtubules in cells

Microtubules (MTs) are involved in many crucial processes such as cell morphogenesis, mitosis and motility. These dynamic structures resulting from the complex assembly of tubulin are tightly regulated by stabilising MT‐associated proteins (MAPs) such as tau and destabilising proteins, notably stathmin. Because of their key role, these MAPs and their interactions have been extensively studied using biochemical and biophysical approaches, particularly in vitro. Nevertheless, numerous questions remain unanswered and the mechanisms of interaction between MT and these proteins are still unclear in cells. Techniques coupling cell imaging and fluorescence methods, such as Förster resonance energy transfer and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, are excellent tools to study these interactions in situ. After describing these methods, we will present emblematic data from the literature and unpublished experimental results from our laboratory concerning the interactions between MTs, tau and stathmin in cells.     

Développement d’un endomicroscope non linéaire pour l’observation in vivo in situ de la matrice extracellulaire des tissus pulmonaires

A first review of the InVivo-ONL project is presented. The aim of the project is to develop a non-linear endomicroscopic system dedicated in first intention to in vivo imaging of the lung extracellular matrix.     

Preliminary taphonomic approach to “Lo Hueco” palaeontological site (Upper Cretaceous,Cuenca, Spain)

“Lo Hueco” encloses an extraordinary upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian fossil assemblage, composed mainly of vertebrates but also plants and invertebrates, and concentrated in a sandy channel structure (C), two grey marly mudstone levels (G1 and G2) and the lower part of a red marly mudstone level (R2). Regarding biostratinomy, the C structure (interpreted as a distributary sandy channel) contains numerous highly altered and randomly distributed macrofossils. The G1 level (the proximal part of a flooded muddy plain) preserves several totally or partially articulated specimens, mainly sauropods, with low degree of scattering and preferred orientation with respect to C. The G2 level (the distal part of a flooded muddy plain) and the lower part of the R2 level (the dried part of a muddy plain) contain numerous rarely articulated and randomly scattered macrofossils. Concerning fossil diagenesis, macroscopically, most bones present a first infilling of gypsum in spongy cavities, a ferruginous crust over outer surfaces and a second precipitation of gypsum over outer surfaces and eventually crossing the ferruginous crust and the first infilling of gypsum. Microscopically, most bones from the C structure and the G1 level additionally show radial microcracks in secondary osteons and ferruginous rings in Haversian channels. Given their particular geological and taphonomic characteristics, the C structure, the G1 and G2 levels and the lower part of the R2 level constitute four distinct taphofacies or bonebeds.     

Ricerche istochimiche e biochimiche su alcuni enzimi del Nefrone del Tritone crestato (Triturus cristatus carnifex Laur.) in seguito ad ipofisectomia

Zusammenfassung Es wurde eine vergleichende bio- und histochemische Prüfung des Einflusses der Hypophysektomie auf die Aktivität der alkalischen unspezifischen Nieren-Phosphatase und der Lipase von Triturus cristatus carnifex Laur, angestellt. Außerdem haben die Autoren die Wirkung der Hypophysektomie auf die Aktivität der sauren unspezifischen Phosphatase, der Glucose-6-Phosphatase, der Adenosin-Triphosphatase und der Succino-Dehydrogenase untersucht, aber nur histochemisch. Zur histologischen Kontrolle wurden Gehirn- und Schilddrüsen-Präparate angefertigt.Die Ergebnisse der biochemischen Bestimmungen wurden statistisch überprüft.Die biochemischen und histochemischen Befunde ergaben, daß: 1. die Aktivität der alkalischen Phosphatase nach der Hypophysektomie abnimmt. Der Unterschied zwischen der Aktivität bei Kontroll- und hypophysektomisierten Tieren (nach Student-t berechnet) ist statistisch signifikant für P=0,02.2. Die lipolytische Aktivität nach der Hypophysektomie zunimmt. Der Unterschied zwischen der Aktivität bei Kontroll- und hypophysektomisierten Tieren (nach Student-t berechnet) ist statistisch signifikant für P=0,02.Nach der Hypophysektomie wurde histochemisch festgestellt, daß sich die saure Phosphatase und die Glucose-6-Phosphatase ähnlich verhalten wie die alkalische Phosphatase, während die Aktivität der Adenosin-Triphosphatase und die der Succino-Dehydrogenase sich nicht zu verändern scheinen.Auf Grund der dargestellten Ergebnisse glauben die Verfasser annehmen zu dürfen, daß bei Triturus cristatus carnifex die Aktivität der alkalischen Nieren-Phosphatase, und wahrscheinlich auch die der sauren Phosphatase, von der Nebenniere geregelt werden.Der Regulierungsmechanismus der anderen Enzyme (Lipase, Glucose-6-Phosphatase, Adenosin-Triphosphatase und Succino-Dehydrogenase) ist hingegen nicht klar erkenntlich.

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Le operazioni e le ricerche istochimiche e istologiche sono dovute ad A. Peyrot; l'impostazione della premessa e delle conclusioni e le ricerche biochimiche sono dovute ad E. Ferreri. L'analisi statistica dei risultati delle prove biochimiche e la stesura definitiva del lavoro sono state elaborate insieme.