Spectral sensitivity of photoreceptors mediating phase-shifts of circadian rhythms in retinally degenerate CBA/J (rd/rd) and normal CBA/N (+/+) mice

Light-dark cycles are the most important time cue for the circadian system to entrain the endogenous circadian clock to the environmental 24 h cycle. Although photic entrainment of circadian rhythms is mediated by the eye in mammals, photoreceptors implicated in circadian photoreception remain unknown. In our previous study, retinally degenerate CBA/J (rd/rd) mice were found to have lower circadian photo-sensitivity for phase-shifting the locomotor activity rhythms than normal CBA/N(+/+) mice. In the present study, the spectral sensitivity for phase-shifting the rhythms was examined in order to characterize the photopigments involved in circadian photoreception of these mice. The spectral sensitivity of CBA/J-rd/rd mice clearly fitted to the Dartnall nomogram for a retinal₁-based pigment with a maximum at 480 nm, while the best fitted nomogram had a maximum at 500 nm in CBA/N- +/+ mice. These results suggest that circadian photopigments involved in CBA/J-rd/rd and CBA/N- +/+ mice may be different.     

Effect of CRF injected into the median eminence on GH secretion in female rats under different steroid status

To evaluate whether the median eminence (ME) is a site of action of CRF (corticotropin releasing factor) on GH secretion and to determine the possible role of estradiol and progesterone in modifying theses secretion, we injected CRF (0.25, 0.75, 1, and 1.5 nmol of peptide dissolved in 1 μl of water) directly into the ME in three experimental groups of rats: Long-term ovariectomized (OVX); OVX primed by estradiol (OVX±E) and OVX primed by estradiol plus progesterone (OVX±EP). Blood was collected to determine GH (30, 60, 90, and 120 min postinjection) Serum T₃, T₄, and glucose levels were measured in OVX±E rats 30 min postinjection. CRF at all doses studied significantly decreased serum GH levels in the three experimental groups. Serum T₃, T₄, and glucose levels were unchanged after CRF administration. The results suggest that: CRF inhibits “per se” GH secretion, at least in part, by a central action in the ME. The inhibitory effect of CRF on GH is independent of the estrogen/progesterone status of the animal. CRF at ME levels may participate in a variety of stress-related responses, including growth inhibition, through GH suppression.     

Utilization of Iron Sources and Its Possible Roles in the Pathogenesis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an important enteropathogen in Japan, Taiwan and other coastal regions. The influence of the regulation of iron on the pathogenesis of this pathogen has not been well characterized. The growth of pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of V. parahaemolyticus on iron-limited agar plates was stimulated by ferritin, lactoferrin and transferrin at 30 μM , and also by hemin, hemoglobin and ferric ammonium citrate at 100 μM . Spontaneous iron-utilizing mutant strains (mutants) were derived from a clinical strain, ST550. Compared with the parent strain, lowered virulence was demonstrated for these mutants, as assayed by adult mouse and suckling mouse models. The in vivo growth and enterotoxigenicity of these mutants were also lower in the suckling mice. Adherence of the mutants to excised mouse intestine was lower as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy. The iron-regulated outer membrane protein profile also changed in selected mutants. These results indicate that iron-regulated outer membrane proteins and other unknown factors associated with iron utilization may have profound influences, besides iron acquisition, on the pathogenesis of V. parahaemolyticus.     

Application of radiotelemetry to the survey of acorn dispersal byApodemus mice

We examined the applicability of radiotelemetry to studies of acorn dispersal byApodemus mice and compared its efficiency with the of this spool-and-line method. Installation of a transmitter (2.2 g) onto acorns did not interfere with the transporting and feeding behavior of the mice. We were able to detect all transmitter-installed acorns and follow the daily changes in the sites in which they were hoarded, while we missed 59% of the spool-tied acorns due to mice breaking the threads. Mice carried transmitter-installed acorns farther than spool-tied ones. The radiotelemetry method is superior to the spool-and-line method and useful for the study of hoarding behavior in rodents.     

Cytoplasmic granule formation in mouse pancreatic acinar cells. Evidence for formation of immature granules (condensing vacuoles) by aggregation and fusion of progranules of unit size,and for reductions in membrane surface area and immature granule volume during granule maturation

We used a computer-assisted morphometry approach to analyze quantitatively the process of cytoplasmic granule formation in mouse pancreatic acinar cells stimulated with pilocarpine to induce secretion. Our findings suggest that each condensing vacuole/immature granule of pancreatic acinar cells is formed by the progressive aggregation of 106 to 128 unit progranules of narrowly fixed volume, define a range of 7.7 to 9.2 for the factor of volume condensation between the largest immature granules and the mature unit granule, and predict that the formation of a single mature unit granule by the aggregation and fusion of unit progranules involves a net reduction of at least 95% in the amount of membrane surface area associated with these structures.     

Systemic amyloidosis in transgenic mice carrying the human mutant transthyretin (Met 30) gene

To analyze the pathologic processes of amyloid deposition in type I familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), mice were made transgenic by introducing the human mutant transthyretin (TTR) gene(MT-hMet 30). An inbred strain of mouse, C57 BL/6, was chosen. Transgenic mice were killed using ether anesthesia at 3-mo intervals up to 24 mo after birth. In these transgenic mice, amyloid deposition started in the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and kidneys and extended to various other organs and tissues with advancing age. The pattern of amyloid deposition was similar to that observed in human autopsy cases of FAP, except for its absence in the choroid plexus and in the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems. We extracted the amyloid fibrils from kidneys of these mice with a human mutant TTR gene and analyzed them immunochemically and electronmicroscopically. Deposited amyloid was shown to be composed of human mutant TTR and mouse serum amyloid P component. Amyloid fibril from transgenic mice was morphologically and immunohistochemically similar to that of human FAP. The most striking pathologic feature of the transgenic mice was the absence of amyloid deposition in the peripheral and autonomic nervous tissues. Thus, other intrinsic factors may be involved in amyloid deposition in the nervous tissues of human FAP.     

Reproductive activity of ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata) in a Madagascar rain forest

Mating activity was observed during four breeding seasons in two groups of black and white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata) living in lowland rain forest on Nosy Mangabe island, Madagascar. The onset of the May-July breeding season was signalled by behavioral changes in adult males. Males made forays outside their usual home ranges, were more aggressive to other males, and performed appetitive and other sex-specific behaviors more frequently. Females showed receptive and proceptive behaviors during a 1-2 day behavioral estrus. Ruffed lemurs mated monogamously, polyandrously, and polygynously. These observations do not support previous assertions that they live only in monogamous families. Limited evidence suggests females exercised mate choice and may have preferred familiar males. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.