Ammoniten mit Kieferapparat und Radula aus Lias-Geschieben

Jaws and radula have been found in two adult microconch specimens of the Liassic ammonite speciesEleganticeras elegantulum (Young & Bird, 1828) from glacial drift boulders near Hamburg. They are more similar to those of recent dibranchiates than ofNautilus, the radula having seven longitudinal rows of teeth instead of thirteen in recentNautilus. Since bothOwens classification of the cephalopods into Dibranchiata and Tetrabranchiata according to the number of gills (which cannot be observed in fossil cephalopods) andSchwarz’ division into Ecto- and Endocochlia according to the (assumed) relative position of body and shell are rather unfortunate, the radula is suggested as a sound basis of classification. It is acceptable to paleo- as well as to neozoologists. As yet, the known evidence is sufficient for a twofold division only: Class Cephalopoda Subclass Lateradulata: Nautiloidea Subclass Angusteradulata: Ammonoidea Coleoidea     

Zytologische Beobachtungen an der hyperplastischen Nebennierenrinde des Menschen

Summary Clinical observations and the light and electron microscopic appearance of the adrenal cortex are described in a case of Cushing's disease associated with adrenocortical hyperplasia and a basophilic adenoma of the pituitary gland. The electron microscopic investigation concentrates upon the occurrence of osmiophil material in the different cytoplasmic compartments of the cell type rich in organelles and relatively poor in paraplasmic inclusions. It seems that the observation of osmiophil material in the perinuclear space, the mitochondrial matrix, Golgi vacuoles, and cytoplasmic vesicles has been made possible by a rather long fixation in Wohlfarth-Bottermann's chromium-osmium fixative. Mitochondria and related particles (named X-Einschlüsse) may contain a light center with a few dense filaments and masses resembling those described by other authors as being of deoxyribonucleic acid nature. Relatively large Golgi complexes are found, sometimes in close topographic relation with a centriole. A large population of osmiophil bodies (lipid droplets, pigment granules, microbodies) is described. Apart from these findings the cytoplasmic organization in the tissue studied is similar to that of the adrenal cortex as described in other mammals. The observations are discussed with respect to hypotheses about lipid droplet formation and to the possibility of artifacts due to preparation procedures.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. med. W. Bargmann zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet. — Herrn Prof. Dr. E. Uehlinger, Direktor des Pathologischen Instituts der Universität Zürich, danken wir für die Überlassung des Materials und für die freundlicherweise zur Verfügung gestellte pathologisch-anatomische Diagnose, dem Schweizerischen Nationalfonds für die Unterstützung und Frau Jäger, Mlle. Challamel und Herrn Krieger für die Ausführung der histologischen und photographischen Arbeiten.     

Buchbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

In Vivo Substitution of Choline for Sodium Evokes a Selective Osmoinsensitive Increase of Extracellular Taurine in the Rat Hippocampus

Recent investigations have demonstrated that taurine and phosphoethanolamine (PEA) are the amino acids most sensitive to microdialysis-perfusion with reduced concentrations of NaCl. The aim of the present work was to assess the importance of Na+ deficiency in evoking this response. Further, the previously described selectivity of replacement of Cl- with acetate with respect to amino acid release was reinvestigated. The hippocampus of urethane-anesthetized rats was dialyzed with Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer, and amino acid concentrations of the perfusate were determined. Choline chloride was then stepwise substituted for NaCl, and, in some cases, mannitol (122 mM) was included in low sodium-containing media. In other experiments, NaCl was replaced with sodium acetate. The dialysate levels of taurine increased selectively in response to Na+ substitution. The elevation of taurine was linearly related to the increase in choline chloride, and maximal levels amounted to 335% of basal levels. The increase in extracellular taurine was not inhibited by perfusion with medium made hyperosmotic with mannitol. Replacement of Cl- with acetate stimulated the release of taurine to 652% of resting levels. In addition, PEA levels increased to 250% of control concentration. Other amino acids were unaffected by Cl- substitution. The results show that taurine transport is considerably more sensitive to Na+ depletion than glutamate transport, which also is known to be Na+ dependent. The taurine increase evoked by low Na+ is not caused by cellular swelling as it was unaffected by hyperosmolar medium. Finally, substitution of acetate for Cl- causes a specific elevation of extracellular taurine and PEA, possibly as a result of cytotoxic edema.     

Crystallographic data for soybean hydrophobic protein

The soybean hydrophobic protein belongs to a family of proteins that contains a number of storage and phospholipid binding proteins. Its function is not known, but its overall hydrophobic nature is typical of many membrane proteins of similar size. The molecular weight is 8.3 x 10(3), and it crystallizes in the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with a = 52.01 A, b = 43.50 A and c = 28.80 A. The crystals diffract to 1.8 A resolution, and are thus suitable for X-ray structural studies.