Developmental changes in the secondary xylem ofAcer rubrum induced by various auxins and 2,3,5-tri-iodobenzoic acid

Summary TIBA has been applied laterally to actively growing stems of uprightAcer rubrum seedlings. The frequency of initiation of tracheary elements is reduced and a complete ring of tension wood is developed in the stem locally below the TIBA application site. Rings of tension wood were never formed above the TIBA treatment site. In regard to anatomy, lignin distribution and peroxidase activity, the tension wood fibers formed as a result of TIBA treatment are identical to those which can be induced by bending.In the region of the stem above the site of TIBA application there is a particularly strong alteration in the development of tracheary elements.Application of IAA, NAA, or 2,4-D to the TIBA treatment site suppresses the capacity of TIBA to induce the development of tension wood and at the same time generally increases the frequency of initiation of tracheary elements.The effect of auxin alone on theAcer rubrum system has been studied. The secondary xylem formed during treatment with auxins (especially 2,4-D and NAA) at the stated concentrations is generally characterized by large groups of tracheary elements with a conspicuous angular outline in transverse section.The evidence suggests that auxins are involved in the regulatory systems which bring about the orderly development of the secondary xylem in arborescent angiosperms.This material was included in a doctoral thesis submitted by P. R.Morey to the graduate school of Yale University, New Haven.     

THE FINE STRUCTURE OF DIFFERENTIATING XYLEM ELEMENTS

Differentiating xylem elements of Avena coleoptiles have been examined by light and electron microscopy. Fixation in 2 per cent phosphate-buffered osmium tetroxide and in 6 per cent glutaraldehyde, followed by 2 per cent osmium tetroxide, revealed details of the cell wall and cytoplasmic fine structure. The localized secondary wall thickening identified the xylem elements and indicated their state of differentiation. These differentiating xylem elements have dense cytoplasmic contents in which the dictyosomes and elements of rough endoplasmic reticulum are especially numerous. Vesicles are associated with the dictyosomes and are found throughout the cytoplasm. In many cases, these vesicles have electron-opaque contents. "Microtubules" are abundant in the peripheral cytoplasm and are always associated with the secondary wall thickenings. These microtubules are oriented in a direction parallel to the microfibrillar direction of the thickenings. Other tubules are frequently found between the cell wall and the plasma membrane. Our results support the view that the morphological association of the "microtubules" with developing cell wall thickenings may have a functional significance, especially with respect to the orientation of the microfibrils. Dictyosomes and endoplasmic reticulum may have a function in some way connected with the synthetic mechanism of cell wall deposition.     

Effects of cytochalasin D on the distribution of actin and ACTH-induced steroidogenesis in cultured embryonic adrenal gland cells from the Pekin duck (Anas platyrhynchos)

Cultured steroidogenic cells derived from the adrenal glands of duck embryos were used to study changes in the distribution of actin associated with the corticotropic responsiveness. Actin-containing components were identified by rhodamine-phalloidin staining. The actin in most of the unstimulated cells occurred as stress fibers that either ran parallel throughout the cell or were present as domains of parallel fibers at angles to one another. When incubated in Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing 1–24 ACTH, the cells released approximately equal amounts of corticosterone and aldosterone. Incubation of the cells in buffer containing cytochalasin D caused the cells to lose their stress fibers, and the actin became distributed at the periphery in what appeared to be fragments of stress fibers and clumps of fibrous material in the central cytoplasm. Although cytochalasin D did not affect the basal output of corticosterone and aldosterone, the 1–24 ACTH-induced rates of both hormones were suppressed significantly. After the cells had been washed in unadulterated buffer, the normal distribution of actin stress fibers was restored and the cells responded normally when incubated in buffer containing 1–24 ACTH. These results suggest that the actin components of the cytoskeleton are important determinants of corticotropin-induced steroidogenic responsiveness.     

Cytochemical localization of adenosine triphosphatase in the phloem of Pisum sativum and its relation to the function of transfer cells

The cytochemical localization of ATPase in differentiating and mature phloem cells of Pisum sativum L. has been studied using a lead precipitation technique. Phloem transfer cells at early stages of differentiation exhibit strong enzyme activity in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and some reaction product is deposited on the vacuolar and plasma membranes. As the phloem transfer cells mature and develop their characteristic wall structures, strong enzyme activity can be observed in association with the plasma membranes and nuclear envelopes. Mature phloem transfer cells with elaborate cell-wall ingrowths show ATPase activity evenly distributed on plasma-membrane surfaces. Differentiating sieve elements show little or no enzyme activity. When sieve elements are fully mature they have reaction product in the parietal and stacked cisternae of the ER. There is no ATPase activity associated with P-protein at any stage of sieve-element differentiation or with the sieve-element plasma membranes. It is suggested that the intensive ATPase activity on the plasma membranes of the transfer cells is evidence for a transport system involved in the active movement of photosynthetic products through these cells.Key to labeling in the figures ER endoplasmic reticulum - P parenchyma cell - PP P-protein - SE sieve element - SPP sieve-plate pore - TC transfer cell     

Structural changes occurring in interrenal tissue of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos) following adenohypophysectomy and treatment in vivo and in vitro with corticotropin

Adrenal glands from ACTH-treated intact ducks and chronically adenohypophysectomized ducks showed clear zonation into a subcapsular zone (SCZ) and an inner zone (IZ). Adenohypophysectomy caused ultrastructural changes in the IZ but not in the SCZ cells. These included increases in lipid droplets, changes in mitochondrial cristae from tubular to shelf-like, and changes in the shape of the nuclei from spherical to crenated. These changes were reversed by treatment with ACTH. Also, cells of the IZ, but not the SCZ, of adrenals from intact birds given ACTH showed more SER, more dense bodies, fewer lipid droplets and more prominent Golgi complexes. IZ cells incubated in buffer containing no ACTH developed mitochondria with shelf-like cristae and numerous opaque granules in the matrix. Exposure to buffer containing ACTH caused the mitochondrial cristae to become tubular and the matrix granules either decreased in number or disappeared. The granules could be extracted by incubating sections with chelating agents. The mitochondria in SCZ cells did not respond structurally to the presence of ACTH in the incubation medium but the matrix granules, like those in IZ cells, responded to the presence of chelating agents.     

Conserved intron positions in ancient protein modules

Background  

The timing of the origin of introns is of crucial importance for an understanding of early genome architecture. The Exon theory of genes proposed a role for introns in the formation of multi-exon proteins by exon shuffling and predicts the presence of conserved splice sites in ancient genes. In this study, large-scale analysis of potential conserved splice sites was performed using an intron-exon database (ExInt) derived from GenBank.     

Changes in the adrenal steroidogenic responsiveness of the mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) during early post-natal development

1. Plasma concentrations of corticosterone (B), aldosterone (Aldo) and deoxycorticosterone (DOC) were measured in mallard ducklings immediately before and after exposure to acute immobilization stress. 2. Except for transient declines in B and DOC between the 4th and 14th days after hatching, the resting concentration of each hormone did not change significantly during post-natal development. 3. The stress-induced in Aldo was maximal at hatching while maximal increases in B and DOC did not occur until one day later. 4. Thereafter the magnitude of the stress-induced increases in the concentrations of all of the hormones decreased steadily and on the 21st and 28th days after hatching only B increased significantly in response to stress.     

Sepsis progression and outcome: a dynamical model

Background  

Sepsis (bloodstream infection) is the leading cause of death in non-surgical intensive care units. It is diagnosed in 750,000 US patients per annum, and has high mortality. Current understanding of sepsis is predominately observational and correlational, with only a partial and incomplete understanding of the physiological dynamics underlying the syndrome. There exists a need for dynamical models of sepsis progression, based upon basic physiologic principles, which could eventually guide hourly treatment decisions.