The centrifugal horizontal cells in the lobula plate of the blowfly, Phaenicia sericata

Intracellular recordings combined with iontophoretic injection of Procion Yellow M4RAN were used to study the anatomy and physiology of the centrifugal horizontal cells (CH-cells) in the lobula plate of the blowfly, Phaenicia sericata.Anatomy: The CH-cells comprise a set of two homolateral, giant visual interneurones (DCH, VCH) at the rostral surface of each lobula plate. Their extensive arborizations in the lobula plate possess bulbous swellings (boutons terminaux). The arborization of one cell (DCH) covers the dorsal, and the arborization of the other cell (VCH) the ventral half of the lobula plate. Their axons run jointly with those of the horizontal cells through the chiasma internum and the optic peduncle. Their protocerebral arborization possesses spines; they form a dense network together with the axonal arborization of the horizontal cells, a second type of giant homolateral cell most sensitive to horizontal motion. The protocerebral arborization of the CH-cells gives rise to a cell body fibre which traverses the protocerebrum dorsally to the oesophageal canal. The cell body lies on the contralateral side laterally and slightly dorsally to the oesophageal canal in the frontal cell body layer.Physiology: The CH-cells respond with graded potentials to rotatory movements of their surround. Cells in the right lobula plate respond with excitation (excitatory postsynaptic potentials, membrane depolarization) to clockwise motion (contralateral regressive, ipsilateral progressive), and with inhibition (inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, membrane hyperpolarization) to counterclockwise motion in either or both receptive fields; CH-cells respond to motion presented to the ipsilateral and/or contralateral eye. Cells of the left lobula plate respond correspondingly to the reverse directions of motion. Vertical pattern motion and stationary patterns are ineffective.The heterolateral H1-neurone elicits excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the DCH-cell; these postsynaptic potentials are tightly correlated 1:1 to the preceding H1-action potentíal. The delay between the peak of the action potential and the beginning of the DCH-postsynaptic potential is 1.15 msec, agreeing very well with the value reported previously for the blowfly, Calliphora (Hausen, 1976a). The synaptic input and output connections of the CH-cells are discussed.     

Ligation of highly modified bacteriophage DNA

After digestion by TaqI or nicking by DNAase I, five highly modified bacteriophage DNAs were tested as substrates for T4 DNA ligase. The DNAs used were from phages T4, XP12, PBS1, SP82, and SP15, which contain as a major base either glucosylated 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, uracil, 5-hydroxymethyluracil, or phosphoglucuronated, glucosylated 5-(4′,5′-dihydroxypentyl)uracil, respectively. The relative ability of cohesive-ended TaqI fragments of these DNAs and of normal, λ DNA to be ligated was as follows: $\text{λ}\text{DNA}\text{=}\text{XP}\text{12}\text{DNA}\text{>}\text{SP}\text{82}\text{DNA}\text{?}\text{nonglucosylated}\text{T}\text{4}\text{DNA}\text{>}\text{T}\text{4}\text{DNA}\text{=}\text{PBS}\text{1}\text{DNA}\text{?}\text{SP}\text{15}\text{DNA}$. TaqI-T4 DNA fragments were also inefficiently ligated by Escherichia coli DNA ligase. However, annealing-independent ligation of DNAase I-nicked T4, PBS1, and λ DNAs was equally efficient. We conclude that the poor ligation of TaqI fragments of T4 and PBS1 DNAs was due to the hydroxymethylation (and glucosylation) of cytosine residues at T4's cohesive ends and the substitution of uracil residues for thymine residues adjacent to PBS1's cohesive ends destabilizing the annealing of the restriction fragments. Only SP15 DNA with its negatively charged, modified base was unable to serve as a substrate for T4 DNA ligase in an annealing-independent reaction; therefore, its modification directly interfered with enzyme binding or catalysis.     

Studies on the induction and expression of T-cell-mediated immunity. XIII. Membrane-associated antigens of cytotoxic T lymphocytes involved in cytotoxicity

An xenogeneic rat anti-mouse T-cell serum, designated RAT*, has been shown to block the cytolytic activity of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) at a postbinding step. RAT* serum or the IgG fraction was extensively absorbed with the target cell, P815, a DBA mastocytoma, and used with or without further absorption to immunoprecipitate specific molecules from radiolabeled membrane extracts of CTL derived from either in vivo-allosensitized mice or from cytotoxic clones maintained in in vitro cultures. Cell surface sialic acid residues were labeled by oxidation with sodium periodate (NaIO4) and reduction with tritiated sodium borohydride ([3H]NaBH4). Alternatively, cell surface proteins were labeled with 125I by lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination. Nonidet P-40 (NP-40)-solubilized radiolabeled membranes were then immunoprecipitated with RAT* serum and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Three membrane-associated molecules of 95,000, 140,000 and 180,000 Mr were found by such analysis. The sensitivity of these three molecules to trypsinization and their susceptibility to labeling with [3H]NaBH4 suggested that they are glycoproteins. Moreover, when RAT* serum or the IgG fraction was absorbed with various cell types, its ability to immunoprecipitate the three molecules correlated with its ability to block cytolysis. Adsorption of RAT* serum with CTL, but not with nonimmune thymocytes, significantly reduced the ability of RAT* serum to inhibit cytotoxicity and to immunoprecipitate the 95k, 140k, and 180k molecules. Thus, these findings suggest that one or more of these cell surface molecules of CTL may be involved in the cytolytic process.     

Modulation of endogenous prostaglandins by thymosin-α1 in lymphocytes

The effects of thymosin-α₁ on the stimulation of specific release of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) from splenic lymphocytes and thymocytes were studied. Experiments were also performed to study in parallel the absolute levels of thymosin-α₁ in the blood and the induction of serum FTS activity and of azathioprine sensitivity of spleen cells from adult thymectomized (ATx) mice. A significant difference in the release of PGE₂ between normal splenocytes and splenocytes from ATx mice was observed. Thymosin-α₁ at certain concentrations was able to stimulate PGE₂ release from lymphocytes of ATx mice while inhibiting release in lymphocytes of normal mice. Also, thymocytes were stimulated to release PGE₂ after incubation with α₁ in a manner similar to that seen in spleen cells of ATx mice. Approximately the same concentration of α₁ was found to also correct the low azathioprine sensitivity of splenocytes from ATx mice. Determinations of FTS-like activity in the blood and the pharmacokinetics of α₁ after administration of this synthetic molecule show a clear dissociation. A maximum peak of α₁ activity was obtained after 1 hr, while maximal FTS-like activity was observed after 24 hr. The inhibition of the induction by α₁ of FTS-like activity and of Thy 1.2 antigen by indomethacin suggests that the action of α₁ requires prostaglandin biosynthesis.     

Lymphocyte transformation to connective tissue antigens in adult and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and a nonarthritic control population

Transformation of peripheral blood lymphocytes after exposure to connective tissue antigens was measured in patients with adult (n = 35) and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (n = 34), osteoarthritis (n = 21), ankylosing spondylitis (n = 15), and systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 26) and in control subjects (n = 36). The connective tissue antigens included homologous cartilage-type proteoglycan, cyanogen bromide-derived peptides of type I, II, and III collagens, and type I and II helical collagens. Lymphocyte transformation was not detected in the osteoarthritic and control groups, with one exception. Sensitization to at least one connective tissue antigen was detected in approximately one-third of the rheumatoid arthritic and lupus patients and in one-quarter of the juvenile rheumatoid patients. In ankylosing spondylitis, positive responses occurred to proteoglycan in 20% of patients tested but never to collagens or peptides. Sensitivity to proteoglycan was detected only in ankylosing spondylitis except for one patient with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and both forms of rheumatoid arthritis, lymphocyte transformation was usually more frequently detected to peptides than to the helical collagens. In adult rheumatoid arthritis, type II peptides elicited an elevated number of responses (14%) as did type I (9%) and III (8%) peptides to lesser degrees. Responses to type I (4%) and II (4%) helical collagens were infrequent. Rheumatoid arthritic patients usually exhibited sensitivity to only one antigen and lymphocyte transformation was often detected when the arthritis was improving. In juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lymphocyte transformation was detected to peptides of type I (16%), II (9%), and III (29%) collagens and to helical type I (12%) and II (8%) collagens. In systemic lupus erythematosus, sensitization was detected to peptides of type I (13%), II (20%), and III (14%) collagens and to helical type I collagen (18%) but not type II collagen. Simultaneous sensitivity to several antigens often occurred in both systemic lupus erythematosus and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Examination of individual patients in all three rheumatic disease groups revealed that immune sensitivity developed to collagen peptides rather than to the helical molecules, particularly in the case of type II collagen. Thus, some patients with inflammatory arthritis exhibit immune responses to connective tissue components which are, as a group, characteristic for each type of arthritis. These responses, which were not obviously associated with disease activity, may develop as a result of inflammation or trauma which destroys connective tissue and exposes molecules, in either a native or degraded state, to cells of the immune system. Expression of sensitivity to these tissue antigens may contribute to the chronicity of the inflammatory arthritides.     

Presence of mast cell precursors in the yolk sac of mice

Concentration of mast-cell precursors in hematopoietic tissues of mouse embryos was evaluated by a limiting dilution method. Cells from yolk sacs, livers, and bodies of (WB x C57BL/6)F1 (hereafter called WBB6F1)- +/+ embryos were injected directly into the skin of adult WBB6F1-W/Wv mice which were genetically depleted of tissue mast cells. Concentration of mast-cell precursors was calculated from the proportion of injection sites at which mast cells did not appear. Since the concentration of mast-cell precursors in the yolk sac was about 30 times as great as that of embryonic body at Day 9.5 of the pregnancy, the mast-cell precursors seemed to be generated within the yolk sac. The concentration in the yolk sac reached the maximum level at Day 11, and then dropped markedly at Day 13. In contrast, mast-cell precursors increased from Day 11 to Day 15 in the fetal liver. As a result, the concentration of 11-day yolk sacs was comparable to that of 15-day fetal liver. Although intravenous injection of 15-day fetal liver cells (2 x 10(6)) rescued the general mast-cell depletion of WBB6F1-W/Wv mice, the intravenous injection of the same number of 11-day yolk sac cells did not rescue it. In contrast with fetal livers, yolk sacs scarcely contained hematopoietic stem cells which were measured by spleen colony formation. Therefore, the mast-cell precursors of the yolk sac may not originate from such stem cells.     

The effect of vitamin A on limb regeneration in Rana temporaria

Previous experiments in which vitamin A has been administered to developing or regenerating limbs have shown that different limb axes are affected. In regenerating axolotl limbs, serial reduplications in the proximodistal axis are produced. In the developing chick limb bud, mirror-imaged reduplications in the anteroposterior axis are produced. Results reported here on Rana temporaria limb buds reveal that vitamin A causes both effects to occur. That is, limbs are both serially reduplicated in the proximodistal axis and mirror imaged in the anteroposterior axis. Time and concentration effects are explored and the significance of these results for our current understanding of axial organisation in limbs is discussed.     

Behavior of lactating rats in a dual-chambered maternity cage

Videotape sampling of behavior in a dual-chambered apparatus indicates that the continuous monitoring of the amount of time a mother spends in the cage with its litter can be taken as a valid reflection of maternal behavior. Nursing is the principal behavior of lactating females while in the compartment with their litters; lying still, consummatory behavior, and activity occur with greater frequency in the cage away from the litter. Both the time that mothers spend with their litters and nursing behavior displayed a 24-hr rhythm with crest values occurring during the period of light.