Zur Elektronenmikroskopie der Kerneinschlüsse im menschlichen Nebenhodenepithel

Zusammenfassung Es werden verschiedene Typen von Einschlußkörperchen im Karyoplasma der Epithelzellen des menschlichen Nebenhodenepithels beschrieben. Die verschieden strukturierten Kerninklusionen werden als eine Differenzierungsreihe aufgefaßt. Sie beginnt mit kleinen rundlichen Körperchen aus feinfädigem Material und führt über die Ausbildung von Anhäufungen dichter homogener Kugeln zu großen Vakuolen wechselnden Inhaltes.

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Summary Different types of inclusion bodies are described in the karyoplasm of the epithelial cells of the human epididymis. The structural differences between these inclusions are interpreted as being indicative of consecutive stages in the process of their formation. Thus small, spherical bodies consisting of a fine fibrous material are believed to be the initial stages in the formation of the inclusion bodies whereas the dense, homogenous globules are thought to represent a later stage. Large vacuoles containing different materials are regarded as the final stage in this process of differentiation.

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Herrn Professor Dr. W. Bargmann zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Buchbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Zur Heredität des Strabismus concomitans

697 children with concomitant strabism, all patients who were seen in the Ophthalmalogical university hospital and outpatient service of the Charité, Berlin, during a certain period, have been examined together with their parents and siblings. In a second series, 3398 12-years old school children (born 1953) from three urban districts of Berlin were examined at the occasion of a vaccination term, and 179 children with strabism were ascertained. Probands as well as their parents and siblings were examined thoroughly according to the criteria of strabism diagnostics. Incidence of squinting among siblings was increased markedly when compared with the population frequency, but did not reach the expectations under rthe assumption of a single, monomeric mode of inheritance. Admixture of phenocopies or new mutants could be excluded. Twin investigations (12 monocygotic and 27 dicygotic pairs) showed a manifestation rate of 94,1% in monocygotic pairs, corresponding to a 3 1/2 times higher concordance in monocygotic as compared with dicygotic twins. From the results discussed, a multifactorial genetic system in combination with a threshold effect seems to be the most likely genetic interpretation. An analysis of pedigrees shows that slight sensoric as well as motoric anomalies might combine in different and continuously varying quantities, contributing to the syndrom of concomitant strabism.     

Respiratory neuronal activity during apnea and other breathing patterns induced by laryngeal stimulation

Respiration cycles through three distinct phases (inspiration, postinspiration, and expiration) each having corresponding medullary cells that are excited during one phase and inhibited during the other two. Laryngeal stimulation is known to induce apnea in newborn animals, but the cellular mechanisms underlying this effect are not known. Intracellular recording of ventral respiratory group neurons was accomplished in intact anesthetized, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated piglets. Apnea was induced by insufflation of the larynx with ammonia-saturated air, smoke, or water. Laryngeal insufflation induced phrenic nerve apnea, stimulation of postinspiratory neurons, and stable membrane potentials in inspiratory and expiratory cells consistent with postinspiratory inhibition. Usually the membrane potential of each neuronal type cycled through an expiratory level before onset of the first recovery breath. Variants of the apnea response, probably reflecting the aspiration reflex or sniffing, sneezing, coughing, and swallowing, were also observed. These latter patterns showed oscillation between inspiration and postinspiration without an apparent intervening stage II expiratory phase. However, stage II expiratory activity always preceded onset of the first ramp inspiration after such a pattern. These findings suggest that activation of postinspiratory mechanisms causes profound alterations in the respiratory pattern and that stage II expiration importantly modulates recovery of ramp inspiratory activity. The mechanism of this latter effect may be inhibition of early inspiratory neurons with consequent postinhibitory rebound.     

Vanadate-stimulated oxidation of NAD(P)H

Vanadate stimulates the oxidation of NAD(P)H by biological membranes because such membranes contain NAD(P)H oxidases which are capable of reducing dioxygen to O₂⁻ and because vanadate catalyzes the oxidation of NAD(P)H by O₂⁻, by a free radical chain mechanism. Dihydropyridines, such as reduced nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMNH), which are not substrates for membrane-associated NAD(P)H oxidases, are not oxidized by membranes plus vanadate unless NAD(P)H is present to serve as a source of O₂⁻. When [NMNH] greatly exceeds [NAD(P)H], in such reaction mixtures, one can observe the oxidation of many molecules of NMNH per NAD(P)H consumed. This reflects the chain length of the free radical chain mechanism. We have discussed the mechanism and significance of this process and have tried to clarify the pertinent but confusing literature.     

Behavioral adaptations for raiding in the slave-making ant,Polyergus breviceps

We studied recruitment behavior of the slavemaking ant Polyergus breviceps,which typically raids colonies of Formica gnava.The first test series demonstrated the importance of social context, by showing that recruitment was high during raiding, but virtually absent during preraid circling and during the return trip after a slave raid. The second test series showed that Formicapupae (alone or together with adults) must be present for workers of Polyegrusto recruit nestmates. The third test series demonstrated that panic alarm by raided Formicais caused by a pheromone, and we suggest that adults of Formicamay be the source of this secretion. Finally, the fourth test series showed that formic acid is lethal to adults of Formicabut has almost no adverse effect on Polyergus.This relative immunity by Polyergusmay enable them to remain organized while entering nests of Formicaduring slave raids.     

Monoclonal Antibodies for Detection and Serotyping of Cucumber Mosaic Virus

Two monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were selected from a panel of MAbs for use in the direct DAS (double antibody sandwich)-ELISA. Two different test procedures were developed: an ELISA with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies (mixed ELISA) for the routine detection of CMV and a MAb-ELISA with two MAbs directed against different epitopes for the specific detection of the N serotype which is prevalent in GDR. The conventional two-step incubation of plates precoated with IgG was compared with simultaneous incubation of test sample and labelled antibody (one-step incubation). The mixed ELISA proved to be more sensitive than the direct DAS-ELISA with polyclonal antisera in detecting CMV in crude sap of infected plants. On the other hand, the MAb-ELISA could be used for serotyping of CMV isolates which is important in epidemiological investigations and in resistance breeding. Both the two-step and the one-step procedures gave similar results with some advantages of the latter procedure. One-step incubation is not only time-saving but seems to be also more sensitive with regard to the detection limit. However, care must be taken to circumvent the hook-effect occurring at high virus concentrations.