Localization of glycoprotein glycosyltransferases in the Golgi apparatus of rat and mouse testis

Golgi fractions prepared from rat testis have been shown to be enriched in the following glycoprotein glycosyltransferases: N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase, 47-fold, galactosyltransferase, 33-fold, and N-acetylglucosaminide fucosyltransferase, 15-fold. Appreciably lower transferase levels were obtained in other subcellular fractions. In the mouse, Golgi fractions were prepared from testis homogenates, testis cell suspensions and partially purified testis germinal cells; these fractions were also enriched in the above glycoprotein glycosyltransferases. Electron microscopic analysis indicated that a major portion of the total transferase activity was located in the Golgi apparatus of both rat and mouse testis although these experiments could not rule out the possible presence of some transferase activity in other organelles.     

Isolation and characterization of a 3-chlorobenzoate degrading pseudomonad

A pseudomonad has been isolated from sewage, which can utilize 3-chlorobenzoic acid as a sole carbon source. In cells grown on benzoate the enzymes of the -ketoadipic acid pathway are present. Considerable enzymic activities for chlorinated substrates were found in benzoate grown cells only for the oxygenation of 3-chlorobenzoate and the dehydrogenation of 3- and 5-chloro-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diol-1-carboxylic acid. 3-Chlorobenzoate grown cells show additional high activities for the turnover of 3- and 4-chlorocatechols and chloromuconic acids.Abbreviations Used DHB (-)-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diol-1-carboxylic acid (derived from the trivial name, dihydrodihydroxybenzoate) - 3- and 5-Cl-DHB correspondingly 3- and 5-chloro-3,5-cyclohexadiene-1,2-diol-1-carboxylic acid     

The influence of rotor speed on the sedimentation behavior in sucrose gradients of high molecular weight DNA's

Anomalous sedimentation behavior has been observed for high molecular weight duplex DNA's in sucrose gradients. The sedimentation rate of DNA's having molecular weights of 10⁸ or higher is influenced by high centrifugal fields. The change in the sucrose sedimentation coefficient due to this effect, S^RPM_suc-S⁰_suc, is equal to 1 × 10^?48M^3.65( The anomalous behavior is not influenced by DNA concentration at sufficiently low concentrations. Because of the smallness of the coefficient this effect has not been previously detected for DNA's the size of T2 or smaller at rotor speeds below 40000 RPM. For example, the relative sedimentation coefficient of T2 DNA at 65 000 RPM is only 9% less than at 10000 RPM. However, the sedimentation profile of heterogeneous high molecular weight [(100 – 350) × 10⁶] E. coli DNA is severely altered even at moderate rotor speeds (37000 RPM). Therefore, it seems advisable to use low rotor speeds when sedimenting high molecular weight DNA's.     

Production of antisera specific to aldosterone: effect of hapten density and of carrier proteins

In order to investigate the influence of hapten density and of carrier proteins on the immunological characteristics of antisera, 4 groups of rabbits were injected with different aldosterone-carboxymethoxime protein conjugates. Six animals immunized with an aldosterone rabbit serum albumin (RSA) conjugate carrying 15 steroid molecules (RSA-2 conjugate) showed markedly higher antibody titers than rabbits injected with a RSA conjugate carrying 8 aldosterone molecules (RSA-1 conjugate). Low antibody titers were found in 8 animals immunized with an aldosterone bovine gamma globulin (BGG) conjugate showing a molar incorporation of 15. In a group of rabbits which was first injected with the RSA-1 conjugate and re-immunized with the RSA-2 conjugate the magnitude of antibody production was not enhanced. No differences in antibody sensitivity or specificity were observed between the 4 groups. It was concluded from these experiments a) that the density of haptenic groups depending on the molar incorporation of haptens and on the molecular weight of the carrier protein had influenced the magnitude of antibody production, b) that hapten density or carrier proteins had no effect on antibody sensitivity or specificity, c) that the magnitude of antibody production cannot be altered by re-immunizing with a more potent antigen.     

The effect of cyclic nucleotides on purine biosynthesis and the induction of PRPP synthetase during lymphocyte activation

The activation of lymphocytes has been used to study the regulation of mammalian gene expression. Concanavalin A (Con A) added to mouse spleen lymphocytes in serum-free medium leads to an increase in the rate of DNA synthesis as great as 1000 fold, commencing 20 hr after its addition. Prior to 20 hr, the rate of purine synthesis increases 10–100 fold as measured by accumulation of the purine intermediate, formyl glycineamide ribonucleotide (FGAR). Addition of dibutyryl cyclic GMP to the lymphocyte suspensions results in a 10 fold increase in the rate of DNA synthesis in the absence of Con A and enhances both purine synthesis and DNA synthesis in its presence. The activity of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase (PRPP synthetase), an enzyme central to purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis, is increased 2–10 fold during the activation. The increase begins to appear 8 hr after Con A addition and requires concomitant protein synthesis. The induced PRPP synthetase activity is stimulated by the presence of cyclic GMP in the enzyme assay. Addition of dibutyryl cyclic AMP to Con A-stimulated lymphocytes inhibits FGAR production, the stimulation of DNA synthesis, and the appearance of cyclic GMP-sensitive PRPP synthetase. These studies suggest that cyclic nucleotides play a significant role in the molecular mechanism of lymphocyte activation, the regulation of purine biosynthesis, and of eucaryotic genetic expression.     

Immunologic and clinical improvement of progressive coccidioidomycosis following administration of transfer factor

Three patients with progressive coccidioidomycosis were given preparations of transfer factor (TF). Adverse reactions to TF were minimal. Following TF administration two of these patients had prolonged clinical remissions in their coccidioidal disease. Cellular immune responses were sequentially evaluated by coccidioidininduced delayed-type skin tests, lymphocyte blast transformation and macrophage inhibition factor production (MIF). These three patients each exhibited different cellular immune patterns before and after TF administration. Two patients converted their coccidioidin skin tests, and one converted lymphocyte transformation response to coccidioidin. Also, TF apparently favorably affected the MIF response in all three patients.     

Importance of thymus-derived lymphocytes in cell-mediated immunity to infection

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from ten human neonates and ten adults were studied. Many more medium and large cells were identified in neonates, and the ultrastructure of the medium-sized lymphocytes resembled guinea pig transitional cells. There were 20 times more nucleoside-incorporating lymphocytes in the newborn samples, and a neonatal high-labeling cell was identified.     

Excrétion de phosphatase acide par les cellules mucipares de la branchie de Mytilus edulis L.

Résumé Dans toutes les cellules mucipares de la branchie de Mytilus edulis L., quelques grains de secretion montrent une activité phosphatasique acide, décelée par la méthode cytochimique de Gomori appliquée au microscope électronique. A la proximité de ces grains se trouvent des dictyosomes golgiens où une activité phosphatasique se décèle dans les parties latérales des cisternes et dans les vésicules qui en émanent. Au moment de l'excrétion, tous les grains de sécrétion confluent et la phosphatase acide active est incluse dans l'amas de mucus expulsé dans la cavité palléale. Le rôle digestif de ces amas — et non purement mécanique — peut ainsi être considéré comme hautement probable. De telles manifestations enzymatiques sont totalement absentes dans le tapis muqueux ainsi que dans les cellules qui le constituent.

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Excretion of acidic phosphatase by the goblet-cells of the gill of Mytilus edulis L.An electron microscopic study

Summary Acidic phosphatase activity detected by the Gomori method applied to E.M., has been found in a few secretion granules of each goblet cell of the gill of Mytilus edulis L. In the close proximity of those granules golgian dictyosomes always occur, with acidic phosphatase activity in the lateral parts of the cisternae and in the vesicles arising from the latter. When the mucus is extruded, active and non active secretion granules are mixed and thus, acidic phosphatase activity is regularly found in the mucous tufts extruded into the palleal cavity. Therefore the digestive role — and not merely mechanic — of the mucous tufts may be considered as highly probable. Conversely, the secretion granules from which arises the continuous mucous cover of the epithelium and this cover also, are entirely devoid of any acidic phosphatase activity.

     

Elektronenmikroskopische Zytomorphologie der männlichen Brustdrüse

Zusammenfassung Im Vergleich zu lichtmikroskopischen Untersuchungen an der Mamma virilis wird anhand von 2 operativ entfernten Brustdrüsen eines 57 und 63 Jahre alten Mannes die elektronenmikroskopisch erfaßbare Zytomorphologie beschrieben. Die Befunde werden den physiologischen Wachstumsimpulsen dieses Organs gegenübergestellt und Fragen der Zelldifferenzierung, der Desquamation und apokrinen Sekretion beantwortet. Elektronenmikroskopisch werden am Drüsenepithel Basalzellen, größere Zellen der oberflächlichen Zellreihen und Myoepithelzellen unterschieden. Diese Zellen entsprechen den Gangepithelien der weiblichen Brustdrüse und besitzen intracytoplasmatische Filamente. Diese stellen ein häufiges Differenzierungsprodukt des Zytoplasmas dar. Mechanismen einer Sekretion waren nicht nachweisbar. In die Drüsenlichtung werden pseudopodienartig vorgewölbte Zytoplasmateile abgeschnürt (Extrasionsvorgang). — Superfiziale Zellen werden desquamiert, wobei die Zytolyse in den marginalen Zytoplasmaschichten erfolgt. Kern und Teile des Zytoplasmas gelangen in die Drüsenlichtung. — Die Befunde zeigen die von Lebensalter und Proliferationsreiz abhängigen Vorgänge eines permanenten Zellersatzes in der männlichen Brustdrüse an.

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Ultrastructure of the mammary gland of the human male

Summary The ultrastructure of two mammary glands obtained operatively from a 57-year old and a 63-year old man was compared to the structure observed in the light microscope, and related to stimuli controlling growth of the gland, cellular differentiation and desquamation, and apocrine secretion. The glandular epithelium, which is analogous to that of the female mammary gland, is differentiated into basic cells, large superficial cells, and myoepithelial cells. The cells have intracytoplasmic filaments, that may be a sign of differentiation. Mechanisms for secretion were not observed, although pseudopodia-like parts of the cytoplasm are extruded into the glandular lumen. Superficial cells are desquamated, followed by cytolysis of their margins. These findings illustrate the replacement of cells due to age and altered stimuli.

Frl. St. Walter, lt. Assistentin des elektronenmikroskopischen Labors, danken wir für Präparationen und Photoarbeiten.