微核技术研究进展

微核试验作为检测染色体损伤最常用而有效的细胞遗传学检测方法之一,经济、简便、快速,在敏感性、特异性和准确性方面,与经典的染色体畸变分析方法基本相当。主要综述国内外微核检测技术的最新研究进展,尤其是微核的自动化检测技术。其中流式细胞仪自动化检测和激光扫描细胞仪自动化检测,以及微核试验高内涵筛选方法由于其特有的优势,应用和发展前景广阔。     

Confocal fluorescence microscopy of plant cells

Summary The confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) has become a vital instrument for the examination of subcellular structure, especially in fluorescently stained cells. Because of its ability to markedly reduce out-of-focus flare, when compared to the conventional wide-field fluorescence microscope, the CLSM provides a substantial improvement in resolution along the z axis and permits optical sectioning of cells. These developments have been particularly helpful for the investigation of plant cells and tissues, which because of their shape, size, and optical properties have been difficult to analyze at high resolution by conventional means. We review the contribution that the CLSM has made to the study of plant cells. We first consider the principle of operation of the CLSM, including a discussion of image processing, and of lasers and appropriate fluorescent dyes. We then summarize several studies of both fixed and live plant cells in which the instrument has provided new or much clearer information about cellular substructure than has been possible heretofore. Attention is given to the visualization of different components, including especially the cytoskeleton, endomembranes, nuclear components, and relevant ions, and their changes in relationship to physiological and developmental processes. We conclude with an effort to anticipate advances in technology that will improve and extend the performance of the CLSM. In addition to the usual bibliography, we provide internet addresses for information about the CLSM.     

稻小秆蝇触角感受器的超微结构研究

采用扫描电子显微镜对稻小秆蝇触角感受器进行了观察和研究,结果表明,稻小秆蝇触角上共存在5种感受器,分别为毛形感受器、刚毛型感受器、柱形感受器、锥形感受器蒲姆氏鬃。对各种触角感受器的形态、分布特点进行了描述,并对其功能进行了一定的探讨。     

Zn对细胞保护作用机理的研究

应用扫描质子微探针和同步辐射ｘ荧光分析技术测定了细胞中元素的分布和组成,为确定Zn是细胞结构成分提供了直接的实验依据.用上述核技术结合有关生化指标,分析测定了正常和损伤细胞（脂质过氧化损伤）中Fe,Zn和丙二醛、SH基含量变化的相互关系.实验结果表明,当细胞发生脂质过氧化损伤时,Fe含量和丙二醛含量同步增高,而Zn含量和SH基量则降低.给细胞补充Zn后,提高了细胞质膜中的Zn含量,SH基量也随之增加,同时丙二醛量降低.提示Zn保护细胞完整性的作用机理之一是控制脂质过氧化作用.Zn可保护膜蛋白的SH基,减少和阻止被Fe所催化的过氧化反应.     

局灶性脑缺血再灌损伤时神经细胞内Ca~(2+)时空动态变化的实验研究

本文用插线法制作局灶性脑缺血／再灌损伤模型,利用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜观察活体脑片细胞内Ｃａ２＋的分布及动态变化,结果表明：（１）缺血／再灌时间不同,梗塞面积不同,缺血４小时梗塞面积占同侧半球的１６．３％,缺血４小时再灌２０小时梗塞面积增加到２５．９％,缺血２４小时梗塞面积占同侧半球的６０．４％。（２）本文首次观察到在缺血４小时纹状体区域的Ｃａ２＋变化明显高于皮层,并且再灌后皮层及纹状体区域Ｃａ２＋的含量明显增加     

用共聚焦激光扫描显微镜观测GFP标记的内生固氮菌Klebsiella oxytoca SA2侵染水稻根

用高效绿色荧光蛋白（green fluorescent protein,GFP）突变体EGFPmut2的基因标记内生固氮菌－－产酸克雷伯氏菌（Klebsiella axytoca (Fluegge)Lautrop）SA2,用标记菌接种限菌培养条件下生长的水稻（Oryza sativa L.）幼苗,在接种后1、2、4 、8、12、16和21d,用共聚焦激光扫描显微镜对水稻鲜根进行光学切片,显示了标记菌从水稻根成熟区表面向根内入侵的过程。定殖在根表面的标记菌主要从侧根伸出的位置侵入侧根皮层,从邻近发生侧根的位置进入内皮层和维管柱。SA2还能从初生根成熟区无侧根伸出的位置侵入皮层向维管柱迁移。SA2入侵水稻根引发了水稻根局部的过敏反应以阻滞细菌地下海主侵,表现为侵入根内的细菌周围的根细胞细胞壁变厚,在蓝光下发出很强的黄绿荧光。     

The impact of commercially available purinergic ligands on purinergic signalling research

Pannexin1 is a prime candidate to represent an ATP release channel. The pannexin1 channel can be activated by extracellular ATP through purinergic receptors P2X7 or P2Y. Recent studies have shown that the Pannexin1 channel is inhibited by its own permeant ion, ATP, and also by P2X7 receptor agonists and antagonists. However, the dose dependence of this inhibition indicated that significant inhibition was prominent at ATP concentrations higher than required for activation of purinergic receptors, including P2X7 and P2Y2. The inhibitory effect of ATP is largely decreased when R75 in the first extracellular loop of Pannexin1 is mutated to alanine, indicating that ATP regulates this channel presumably through binding. To further investigate the structural property of the putative ATP binding site, we performed alanine-scanning mutagenesis of the extracellular loops of pannexin1. Mutations on W74, S237, S240, I247 and L266 in the extracellular loops 1 and 2 severely impaired the inhibitory effect of BzATP, indicating that they might be the essential amino acids in the putative binding site. Mutations on R75, S82, S93, L94, D241, S249, P259 and I267 moderately (≥50%) decreased BzATP sensitivity, suggesting their supporting roles in the binding. Mutations of other residues did not change the BzATP potency compared to wild-type except for some nonfunctional mutants. These data demonstrate that several amino acid residues on the extracellular loops of Pannexin1 mediate ATP sensitivity. Cells expressing mutant Panx1W74A exhibited an enhanced release of ATP, consistent with the removal of a negative feedback loop controlling ATP release.     

Implications of biofuel policy‐driven land cover change for rainfall erosivity and soil erosion in the United States

Large‐scale conversion of traditional agricultural cropping systems to biofuel cropping systems is predicted to have significant impact on the hydrologic cycle. Changes in the hydrologic cycle lead to changes in rainfall and its erosive power, and consequently soil erosion that will have onsite impacts on soil quality and crop productivity, and offsite impacts on water quality and quantity. We examine regional change in rainfall erosivity and soil erosion resulting from biofuel policy‐induced land use/land cover (LULC) change. Regional climate is simulated under current and biofuel LULC scenarios for the period 1979–2004 using the Weather Research Forecast (WRF) model coupled to the NOAH land surface model. The magnitude of change in rainfall erosivity under the biofuel scenario is 1.5–3 times higher than the change in total annual rainfall. Over most of the conterminous United States (~56%), the magnitude of the change in erosivity is between ?2.5% and +2.5%. A decrease in erosivity of magnitude 2.5–10% is predicted over 23% of the area, whereas an increase of the same magnitude is predicted over 14% of the area. Corresponding to the changes in rainfall erosivity and crop cover, a decrease in soil loss is predicted over 60% of the area under the biofuel scenario. In Kansas and Oklahoma, the states in which a large fraction of land area is planted with switchgrass under the biofuel scenario, soil loss is estimated to decrease 12% relative to the baseline. This reduction in soil loss is due more to changes in the crop cover factor than changes in rainfall or rainfall erosivity. This indicates that the changes in LULC, due to future cellulosic biofuel feedstock production, can have significant implications for regional soil and water resources in the United States and we recommend detailed investigation of the trade‐offs between land use and management options.     

EFFECTS OF DISTURBANCE ON EPIPHYTIC COMMUNITY ARCHITECTURE1

Microdistributional patterns of attached algal communities on Cladophora and glass slides were compared under varying disturbance regimes in the Upper Mississippi River, using light and scanning electron microscopy. Localized physical disturbance, induced by boat traffic and wind-generated wave action in the main channel, inhibited development of complex attached algal communities and maintained an adnate flora with two-dimensional architecture. In contrast, communities protected from disturbance developed a more complex, three-dimensional architecture. A high degree of architectural similarity was observed between communities on Cladophora and glass substrates exposed to similar levels of disturbance. Communities exposed to severe disturbance resembled ones in early stages of colonization and development, whereas less disturbed communities were similar to ones in advanced stages of development. These results demonstrated that turbulence strongly influences the community structure of periphyton on both micro and macro scale levels.