不同品种实验兔虹膜酪氨酸酶基因序列和表达量的变化

目的从酪氨酸酶基因序列和表达量两个方面探讨酪氨酸酶与家兔虹膜颜色表型的关系。方法通过PCR扩增和测序检测4个具有不同颜色性状的家兔品种的酪氨酸酶基因外显子序列多态性;通过荧光定量PCR检测酪氨酸酶基因表达水平。结果白化品种日本大耳白兔和獭兔的TYR基因序列在第1118个碱基处都由C突变为A,并导致编码蛋白在373位,即最后一个N-糖基化位点发生由Thr到Lys的突变。白毛黑眼兔和青紫兰兔在第870个碱基处全部发生由A到T的无义突变。在白毛黑眼兔种群的所有个体和獭兔种群的部分个体中都发现TYR基因序列在第91个碱基处发生G到A的突变,导致氨基酸序列第31位处Val到Met的变异。经内参基因GAPDH的校正,TYR基因在白毛黑眼兔和青紫兰兔中表达水平显著高于在日本大耳白兔和獭兔中的表达水平（P〈0.01）。而在白毛黑眼兔和青紫兰兔之间、日本大耳白兔和獭兔之间,TYR基因的表达差异没有显著性。结论家兔TYR基因突变可能大幅度降低TYR基因表达,导致酪氨酸酶功能低下,从而影响虹膜颜色表型。     

Slow increase of Sertoli cell efficiency and daily sperm production causes delayed establishment of full sexual maturity in the rodent Chinchilla lanigera

Puberty in the male Andean rodent Chinchilla lanigera occurred approximately 3 mo after birth, whereas full sexual maturity was established much later. The objective of the present study was to investigate testis function in postpubertal chinchillas, with an emphasis on the estimation of seminiferous epithelium cycle length (n=6) and Sertoli cell (SC) and spermatogenic efficiencies (n=26). Samples of testes were collected between May and November. Each spermatogenic cycle lasted 10.2d and the total duration of spermatogenesis was approximately 46 d. The SC efficiency (spermatids/SC) and the daily sperm production per testis gram increased markedly (P<0.05) from 5 to 17-22 mo of age, whereas the conversion rates of type A1 spermatogonia to preleptone and the number of spermatids per pachytene remained stable (P>0.05) from 5 to 30 mo. Therefore, efficiency of the spermatogenic process increased equally during all phases of spermatogenesis. In conclusion, based on the gradual and striking postpubertal increases for SC and sperm production, we inferred that more undifferentiated spermatogonia and/or spermatogonial stem cells were produced and therefore, that the chinchilla might represent a good experimental model to investigate regulation of this crucial aspect of spermatogenesis.     

Ultrastructural observation of paracrystalline aggregates of microtubules in anterior pituitary cells of the chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger)

Summary Unusual paracrystalline aggregates of microtubules which have not been described in any other mammalian species were observed in cultured anterior pituitary cells of normal chinchillas as well as in situ in the pituitary glands of these animals. These aggregates appeared as regularly arranged tubular structures in the longitudinal plane, and as a checkerboard pattern of closely and regularly packed microtubules when examined in transverse section. Supplementation with vinblastine, colcemide or colchicine in the culture medium did not change these structures morphologically. Each unit of tubules consisted of an outer wall or parellelogram profile and an inner wall composed of a single hexagonal doublet or in a figure 8 form. The outer wall of the parallelogram was 35×28 nm in length for both sides, while the diagonal of the inner wall was 18×28 nm. These paracrystalline aggregates of microtubules in the chinchilla pituitary cells are morphologically distinct from the paracrystalline assembly of cytoplasmic microtubules induced by vinblastine or other alkaloids.The function and significance of these paracrystalline aggregates in anterior pituitary cells of the chinchilla are uncertain.Supported by USPHS Grant HD 11826     

毛丝鼠妊娠与泌乳期的热能代谢

毛丝鼠(Chinchilla lanigera)是一种珍贵的毛皮动物,1975年12月,我国引入试养;虽然能养活和繁殖后代(王培潮等,1979;1980a;1981),而对繁殖时期的代谢强度,尚不清楚,国外亦未见报道。     

Delayed mitochondrial dysfunction in apoptotic hair cells in chinchilla cochleae following exposure to impulse noise

Apoptotic death of hair cells (HCs) in the cochlea has been found following exposure to intense noise. The current study was designed to examine the mitochondrial energetic function of HCs during the course of noise-induced apoptosis. Two aspects of the mitochondrial energetic function, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), were examined in HCs of chinchilla cochleae following exposure to a series of 75 pairs of impulse noises at 155 dB pSPL. The results showed that nuclear condensation and uptake of propidium iodide or trypan blue appeared at 10 min after the noise exposure, indicating a rapid progression of HC apoptosis. However, SDH activity was preserved at this time point. As the time elapsed (1 hr or 24 hrs) after the noise exposure, all newly-generated apoptotic HCs showed strong SDH activity, indicating the preservation of SDH activity during the course of apoptosis. Examination of MMP with rhodamine 123 staining revealed that MMP was sustained in the apoptotic HCs having mild nuclear condensation, even after the occurrence of cell membrane leakage. MMP was reduced with further progression of nuclear condensation. These results suggest the presence of a delayed mitochondrial dysfunction in apoptotic HCs following exposure to intense noise. Research was supported by the Grant NIDCD 1R03 DC006181-01A1.     

青紫蓝兔体内Ghrelin的免疫组化定位

采用免疫组织化学方法研究了Ghrelin在青紫蓝兔(Oryctolagus cuniculus)体内的分布定位。结果显示,Ghrelin免疫阳性细胞分布于下丘脑、大脑皮质、延髓、脊髓、胃、小肠和大肠。下丘脑内的阳性神经元胞体主要分布于弓状核、室旁核、腹内侧核、背内侧核和下丘脑外侧区。胃肠道内的Ghrelin免疫阳性细胞存在两种类型,即"闭合型"细胞和"开放型"细胞。实验结果表明,兔体内Ghrelin的分布与人和其他动物的分布基本相似,但也存在一些差异。     

应用微卫星标DNA记对三个封闭群兔遗传分析

目的检测国内Et本大耳白兔、青紫蓝兔、新西兰白兔的遗传背景及遗传结构,为封闭群兔遗传检测方法建立和标准化提供基础资料。方法应用18个微卫星标记及荧光标记一半自动基因分型技术对三个群体95个个体进行Hardy．Weinberg检测,统计每个位点等位基因频率、杂合度、F值、遗传距离等信息。结果三个种群平均等位基因观测数为3．167、4．556、3．444,平均观测杂合度为0．444、0．5230、0．4976。18个位点平均多态信息含量（PIC）为0．410、0．549、0．470,日本大耳白兔6个位点HWE检验（P〈0．05）,显著偏离Hardy—Weinberg平衡,并在Satl3,INRCCDDV0088位点基因型完全纯和,新西兰白兔和青紫蓝兔分别有2个位点显著偏离Hardy—Weinberg平衡。三个种群遗传距离：青紫蓝兔与新西兰白兔遗传距离最近,为0．124,与日本大耳白兔遗传关系最远,为0．320;新西兰白兔与日本大耳白兔较远,为0：10。结论三个种群有各自不同遗传特征,遗传多样性较高,种群间分化明显。个别位点偏离遗传平衡,推测人工繁育过程中存在一定问题。     

A natural zoonotic giardiasis: Infection of a child via Giardia cysts in pet chinchilla droppings

Here, we report a case of direct zoonotic transmission of giardiasis between a pet chinchilla and a human. Microscopic and molecular examinations of stool samples from a child and samples of chinchilla droppings revealed cysts/DNA of Giardia intestinalis. The transmission from the chinchilla to the child has been confirmed as coprophagous after the 1-year-old toddler ingested pet chinchilla droppings. Molecular analysis of the gdh gene from both hosts classified the G. intestinalis cysts into the assemblage B genetic group, which has been previously shown to be characteristic of both human and chinchilla giardiasis. Both Giardia sub-assemblages BIII and BIV were present in the chinchilla droppings, whereas only the sub-assemblage BIV was isolated from the child's stool sample. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a true zoonotic transmission of giardiasis, supporting the zoonotic potential of assemblage B.     

Correlative immuno-electron-microscopic and immunofluorescent localization of actin in sensory and supporting cells of the inner ear by use of a low-temperature embedding resin

Summary The cochleas from chinchilla inner ears were processed in the cold through Lowicryl K4M, and cured by UV light. Thick (2 m) sections were reacted with primary antibodies raised against actin, and anti-actin antibodies localized by FITC epifluorescence. On thin sections from the same blocks anti-actin antibodies were localized ultrastructurally with secondary antibodies coupled to colloidal gold.In the hair cells, actin was present in the stereocilia and cuticular plate, regions where thin filaments were observed by electron microscopy. Colloidal gold was uniformly distributed over these regions and over the stereocilia rootlets demonstrating that actin was present in this region although previously in permeabilized cells, the rootlet was not decorated with myosin subfragment S-1. Actin was present in the pillar and Deiters supporting cells at the reticular lamina and at the basilar membrane, where a meshwork of thin filaments was seen by electron microscopy. Colloidal gold particles were also localized over the thin processes of the pillar and Deiters cells, and over the region of the Deiters cell which envelops the base of the outer hair cell. In these regions actin co-localized with microtubules along the entire length of the supporting cells.     

The endocrine pancreas of glucagon-and somatostatin-immunized rabbits

An active or passive immunization against hormones and the subsequent neutralization of hormones by circulating antibodies is a valuable tool for the identification of hormonal action. To recognize presumed local (autocrine, paracrine) effects exerted by pancreatic hormones, the endocrine pancreas of rabbits was investigated electron-microscopically after long-term immunization against glucagon or somatostatin. Glucagon immunization resulted in hyperplasia and hypertrophy of glucagon- (A-) cells and in their increased metabolic activities: They showed prominent nucleoli, increased amounts of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi areas, and mitochondria. These changes were paralleled by alterations in secretion granules (increased size, decreased hormonal content), increased numbers of lysosomes (crinophagic bodies), and an increment of the filamentous system. Basically, these findings point to an autocrine regulation of A-cells. Following somatostatin immunization, somatostatin- (D-) cells were hyperplastic but unchanged in their metabolic state. Instead, insulin-(B-) cells and A-cells exhibited equivalents of increased cellular activities (parameters, see above). This stimulation most probably is caused by cancelled paracrine (inhibitory) effects of somatostatin. The changes observed after both immunizations were differently expressed in morphologically heterogeneous islet types (size, angioarchitecture, cellular composition, microtopology of the various cell types). It is concluded, therefore, that the regulation of islets is not uniform. Autocrine and paracrine effects exerted by islet hormones are of different significance in individual islets, or they interfere differently with other regulatory signals.