Appearance of an intra-acrosomal antigen during the terminal step of spermiogenesis in the rat

Summary In a survey of sperm antigens in the rat, a new intra-acrosomal antigen was found using a monoclonal antibody MC41 raised against rat epididymal spermatozoa. The MC41 was immunoglobulin G₁ and recognized spermatozoa from rat, mouse and hamster. Indirect immunofluorescence with MC41 specifically stained the crescent region of the anterior acrosome of the sperm head. Immuno-gold electron microscopy demonstrated that the antigen was localized within the acrosomal matrix. Immunoblot study showed that MC41 recognized a band of approximately 165000 dalton in the extract of rat sperm from the cauda epididymidis. Immunohistochemistry with MC41 demonstrated that the antigen was first detected in approximately step-2 spermatids, and distributed over the entire cytoplasmic region of spermatids from step 2 to early step 19. The head region became strongly stained in late step-19 spermatids and then in mature spermatozoa. Distinct immunostaining was not found in the developing acrosome of spermatids throughout spermiogenesis. These results suggest that the MC41 antigen is a unique intra-acrosomal antigen which is accumulated into the acrosome during the terminal step of spermiogenesis.     

非洲菊盘状花雄蕊发育与舌状花生长着色的对应关系

非洲菊(Gerbern hybrida)头状花序由外轮舌状花和内轮盘状花构成。通过观察内轮盘状花雄蕊花粉囊和花粉粒的形态结构与发育顺序,和测定外轮舌状花花瓣的长度、宽度、花色素苷含量等,对它们之间的对应关系进行了研究。花序外轮舌状花花瓣开始着色时为P3期,此时第1轮盘状花出现成熟花粉粒。研究明确了内轮盘状花花粉粒发育与外轮舌状花生长时期和花色素苷积累的对应关系。     

斜带石斑鱼(♀)×鞍带石斑鱼(♂)杂交子代(青龙斑)消化系统的早期发育

本文研究斜带石斑鱼(Epinephelus coioides)(♀)×鞍带石斑鱼(E.lanceolatus)(♂)杂交子代(青龙斑)仔、稚、幼鱼的消化系统发育,描述了其消化器官发育过程和组织学结构特征,充实青龙斑生物学研究文库,为其发育生物学研究和苗种培育提供技术支撑。青龙斑苗种培育于2012年6~8月期间进行。水温为(30±1)℃,盐度为28±1。利用形态学和连续组织切片技术,对出膜后0~40日龄幼鱼的消化系统进行了观察和研究。消化系统发育可划分为内源性营养、混合营养和外源性营养3个阶段:0至3日龄为内源性营养阶段,初孵仔鱼消化管为一简单的直形管,卵黄囊大,椭圆形,口和肛门尚未与外界相通;口腔中出现鳃弓的雏形,3日龄仔鱼食道由2~3层的复层立方上皮细胞组成,形成较低的褶皱;胃与小肠和食道的分界明显,上皮由单层柱状细胞组成;肠道分化,肛门开通体外,开始摄食;肝细胞团和胰腺细胞团形成。4~5日龄为混合营养阶段,6日龄之后进入外源性营养阶段,卵黄囊已经完全被吸收,前、中、后肠和直肠区分明显,肠黏膜上皮中出现少量的杯状细胞,由肠腔面向深层依次可以分为黏膜层、黏膜下层和浆膜层,肌层不明显。至25日龄,消化系统的结构和功能已经较为完善。38日龄时,胃、幽门盲囊、肠以及直肠各段分界明显,黏膜褶皱高度为前肠中肠后肠;肌层厚度为后肠前肠中肠;消化道和消化腺组织结构与成鱼基本相同。青龙斑的消化系统发育和分化是与其生理功能的逐步完善同步的。     

不同发育期贝居腹盾吸虫体内乙酰胆碱酯酶分布特征

乙酰胆碱酯酶(ACh E)被证明存在于多种吸虫体内,但是关于ACh E在吸虫发育过程中的分布变化情况却少有报道。本实验以贝居腹盾吸虫(Aspidogaster conchicola)为研究对象,选取不同发育阶段的虫体,分别采用醋酸洋红染色和乙酰胆碱酯酶组织化学染色方法,对比处于不同发育阶段虫体的正常结构及乙酰胆碱酯酶分布特征,了解乙酰胆碱酯酶在吸虫发育过程中的分布变化规律。结果显示,从河蚌(Anodonta woodiana)体内获得的虫体根据内部器官的发育程度,可以分为4个不同发育阶段,即幼虫阶段Ⅰ、幼虫阶段Ⅱ、成虫阶段Ⅰ、成虫阶段Ⅱ。乙酰胆碱酯酶的分布在不同发育阶段存在着明显差异,幼虫阶段Ⅰ的睾丸及阴茎囊基部最先出现乙酰胆碱酯酶阳性反应,幼虫阶段Ⅱ在子宫末段膨大部位出现阳性反应;成虫阶段Ⅰ的卵黄腺、输卵管出现阳性反应,并且随着虫体的发育上述部位的阳性反应逐渐加强。而该吸虫的附着、消化、排泄器官在发育早期即出现较强的阳性反应,并伴随虫体发育全过程。该吸虫的神经系统在幼虫早期既已具备脑神经节、主要神经干等结构,而完整、复杂的中枢神经结构至成虫阶段才得以清晰显现。结果表明,乙酰胆碱酯酶的分布区域及反应程度随着虫体的发育而出现变化。     

The source of gibberellins in the parthenocarpic development of ovaries on topped pea plants

The role and source of gibberellins (GAs) involved in the development of parthenocarpic fruits of Pisum sativum L. has been investigated. Gibberellins applied to the leaf adjacent to an emasculated ovary induced parthenocarpic fruit development on intact plants. The application of gibberellic acid (GA₃) had to be done within 1 d of anthesis to be fully effective and the response was concentration-dependent. Gibberellin A₁ and GA₃ worked equally well and GA₂₀ was less efficient. [³H]Gibberellin A₁ applied to the leaf accumulated in the ovary and the accumulation was related to the growth response. These experiments show that GA applied to the leaf in high enough concentration is translocated to the ovary. Emasculated ovaries on decapitated pea plants develop without application of growth hormones. When [³H] GA₁ was applied to the leaf adjacent to the ovary a substantial amount of radioactivity accumulated in the growing shoot of intact plants. In decapitated plants, however, this radioactivity was mainly found in the ovary. There it caused growth proportional to the accumulation of CA₁. Application of LAB 150978, an inhibitor of GA biosynthesis, to decapitated plants inhibited parthenocarpic fruit development and this inhibition was counteracted by the application of GA₃ (either to the fruit, or the leaf adjacent to the ovary, or through the lower cut end of the stem). All evidence taken together supports the view that parthenocarpic pea fruit development on topped plants depends on the import of gibberellins or their precursors, probably from the vegetative aerial parts of the plant.Abbreviations FW flesh weight - GA_n gibberellin A_n - HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography     

Plastid changes during the conversion of chloroplasts to chromoplasts in ripening tomatoes

Methods were developed for the isolation of plastids from mature green and ripening tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and purification by sucrose or Percoll density-gradient centrifugation. Assessment of the purity of preparations involved phase-contrast and electron microscopy, assays for marker enzymes and RNA extraction and analysis. Proteins were extracted from isolated plastids at different ripening stages and separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The profiles obtained from chloroplasts and chromoplasts showed many qualitative and quantitative differences. Labelling of proteins with [³⁵S]methionine in vivo showed that there was active protein synthesis throughout ripening, but there was a change in the plastid proteins made as ripening proceeded. The cellular location of synthesis of specific proteins has yet to be established.Abbreviations CS citrate synthase - EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid,-acetate - GAPDH NADP⁺-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase - rRNA ribosomal RNA - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate - SDS-PAGE SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - Tris 2-amino-2(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propanediol     

Developmental patterns of larval growth in the edible spider crab, Maja brachydactyla (Decapoda: Majidae)

The large edible spider crab Maja brachydactyla Balss, 1922, an overexploited coastal fishery resource in Galicia (NW Spain), is considered as a potential aquaculture candidate. Patterns of its larval growth were studied under controlled laboratory conditions (constant 18 ± 1 °C; 36‰ salinity; photoperiod ca. 12:12 h; lipid-enriched Artemia metanauplii provided as food). From hatching through complete larval development and metamorphosis to the first juvenile crab instar, changes in carapace size, dry weight (DW), ash content, elemental composition (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen; CHN), and proximate biochemical composition (total proteins, lipids, carbohydrates; Pr, L, Ch) were measured in successive stages (zoea I, II, megalopa, crab I). Body size may be described as a linear function of the number of molting cycles, whereas the amounts of DW, CHN, Pr, L, and Ch per individual increased exponentially (3 to 9 fold). The highest growth rates were observed in L, C and H, the lowest in DW, Pr and N. As a consequence of these patterns, the C:N mass ratio as well as the fractions of L, C and H (in % of DW) increased significantly, while those of Pr and N decreased from 26% to 16% of DW. Throughout development, however, Pr remained the principal biochemical component of total DW. Positive correlations between biochemical and CHN data allow for estimates of Pr from N and of L from C values per individual. The patterns of larval growth observed in M. brachydactyla are, in general, similar to those previously described for other brachyuran crabs with a planktotrophic mode of larval development.     

Role of metalloproteinases at the onset of liver development

At the onset of liver development, the hepatic precursor cells, namely, the hepatoblasts, derive from the ventral foregut endoderm and form a bud surrounded by a basement membrane (BM). To initiate liver growth, the hepatoblasts migrate across the BM and invade the neighboring septum transversum mesenchyme. In the present study, carried out in the mouse embryo, we searched for effectors involved in this process and we examined the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). We found expression of a broad range of MMPs, among which MMP-2 was predominantly expressed in the septum transversum and MMP-14 in the hepatoblasts. Using a new liver explant culture system we showed that inhibition of MMP activity represses migration of the hepatoblasts. We conclude that MMPs are required to initiate expansion of the liver during development and that our culture system provides a new model to study hepatoblast migration.     

The Notch pathway in prostate development and cancer

Abstract The Notch family of transmembrane receptors are important mediators of cell fate determination. Accordingly, Notch signaling is intimately involved in the development of numerous tissues. Recent findings have highlighted a critical role for Notch signaling in normal prostate development. Notch signaling is required for embryonic and postnatal prostatic growth and development, for proper cell lineage specification within the prostate, as well as for adult prostate maintenance and regeneration following castration and hormone replacement. Evidence for Notch as a regulator of prostate cancer development, progression, and metastasis has also emerged. This review summarizes our current understanding of the role of Notch pathway elements, including members of the Jagged, Delta-like, hairy/enhancer-of-split, and hairy/enhancer-of-split related with YRPW motif families, in prostate development and tumorigenesis. Data supporting Notch pathway elements as oncogenes and tumor suppressors in prostate tumors, as well as data implicating Notch receptors and ligands as potential markers of normal prostate stem/progenitor cells and prostate cancer stem/initiating cells, are also presented.     

Ectopic expression of soybean GmKNT1 in Arabidopsis results in altered leaf morphology and flower identity

Plant morphology is specified by leaves and flowers, and the shoot apical meristem (SAM) defines the architecture of plant leaves and flowers. Here, we reported the characterization of a soybean KNOX gene GmKNT1, which was highly homologous to Arabidopsis STM. The GmKNT1 was strongly expressed in roots, flowers and developing seeds. Its expression could be induced by IAA, ABA and JA, but inhibited by GA or cytokinin. Staining of the transgenic plants overexpressing GmKNT1-GUS fusion protein revealed that the GmKNT1 was mainly expressed at lobe region, SAM of young leaves, sepal and carpel, not in seed and mature leaves. Scanning electron micros- copy (SEM) disclosed multiple changes in morphology of the epidermal cells and stigma. The transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpress- ing the GmKNT1 showed small and lobed leaves, shortened internodes and small clustered inflorescence. The lobed leaves might result from the function of the meristems located at the boundary of the leaf. Compared with wild type plants, transgenic plants had higher ex- pression of the SAM-related genes including the CUP, WUS, CUC1, KNAT2 and KNAT6. These results indicated that the GmKNT1 could affect multiple aspects of plant growth and development by regulation of downstream genes expression.