Immunomorphological analysis of G2-chalone localization during the process of rat epidermis histogenesis

The appearance of G2-chalone in the cytoplasm of the intermediate cell layer and partly in the periderm of 17-day-old rat embryo epidermis has been demonstrated by the indirect method of Coons using a monospecific antiserum. G2-chalone was absent from the basal cell layer of 17--21-day-old embryos and of the newborn rats. It was found in all the epidermal layers in 2--5-day-old postnatal rats, while in 6--9-day-old animals it was primarily detected in the cytoplasm of spinous and basal cells. Thus the localization of epidermal G2-chalone typical for defined tissue becomes stabilized at the end of epidermis histogenesis.     

The ultrastructure and argentophilic properties of the nucleolus organizer and centromeric regions of the chromosomes in early mouse embryogenesis

The Ag-staining of metaphase chromosomes in one-cell mouse embryos shows that the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) are Ag-negative, whereas centromeric regions (CRs) are Ag-positive. Starting from 8-16-cell embryos, NORs stained by AgNO3 constantly, CRs remaining argentophobic. On the ultrathin sections of multicell embryos, Ag(+)-NORs differ from the chromosomal arms: they consist of loosely filaments about 6-8 nm in diameter, characterized by a low electron density. On the contrary, at one-cell stage Ag(-)-NORs are not morphologically identified: chromosomal bodies consist of uniform DNP-fibrils about 20 nm in diameter. These data permit to suppose that extended rDNA may form supranucleosomal and nucleosomal DNP-fibrils in the absence of Ag-proteins. The Ag(+)- and Ag(-)-CRs contain 10-20 nm DNP-fibrils mainly, although their density at multicell stages is higher than in one-cell mouse embryos.     

The transformation of the mammalian genome and the teratogenic activity of chloridin

Susceptibility to the effect of teratogen chloridine of three generations produced from transgenic rats with human growth hormone gene was investigated. The offsprings were shown to reveal elevated teratogenic injury as compared with intact animals.     

The first cycle of DNA replication in mouse embryogenesis studied by microinjections of 3H-thymidine into the cytoplasm of fertilized ova

H-thymidine was injected into cytoplasm of the eggs taken at different intervals after fertilization and the eggs were fixed immediately thereafter. DNA synthesis was shown to begin in pronuclei when they are still in the marginal zones of cytoplasm, immediately after their formation. S-phase lasts 5-6 h in every pronucleus and is terminated at 1-2 h before the first cleavage division when the pronuclei are closely approached and located in the center of cytoplasm. At the end of S-phase late replicating heterochromatic regions are distinctly localized near the nuclear envelope and in pronuclei. Male and female pronuclei display asynchrony in the course of S-phase and differences in 3H-thymidine incorporation into chromatin. Structural features of the first cell cycle in mouse embryogenesis are discussed.     

Comparative effects of trichothecene mycotoxins on bovine platelet function: Acetyl T-2 toxin,a more potent inhibitor than T-2 toxin

The effects of the trichothecene mycotoxins (acetyl T-2 toxin, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, palmityl T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 tetraol) on bovine platelet function were examined in homologous plasma stimulated with platelet activating factor (PAF). The mycotoxins inhibited platelet function with the following order of potency: acetyl T-2 toxin > palmityl T-2 toxin = DAS > HT-2 toxin = T-2 toxin. While T-2 tetraol was completely ineffective as an inhibitor, DON exhibited minimal inhibitory activity at concentrations above 10×10^?4M. The stability of the platelet aggregates formed was significantly reduced in all mycotoxin treated platelets compared to that of the untreated PAF controls. It is suggested that the increased sensitivity of PAF stimulated bovine platelets to the more lipophilic mycotoxins may be related to their more efficient partitioning into the platelet membrane compared to the more hydrophilic compounds.     

Cytological research on the argentophilic nucleolus-organizer regions of the metaphase chromosomes in parthenogenetic mouse embryos]

Silver staining technique visualizing argentophilic nucleolus organizer regions (Ag-NORs) was used for studying parthenogenetic mouse embryos produced by artificial activation of oocytes in Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-free medium. Ag-NOR-containing chromosomes were detected in metaphases of parthenogenetic embryos during six successive cleavage divisions starting with the two-cell stage. The frequency of metaphases with varying AG-NOR number in diploid parthenogenones was similar to that in the control (fertilized) embryos. Average number of metaphase Ag-NOR chromosomes (calculated per diploid chromosome set) in haploid parthenogenones exceeded that in the control; in some cases all NORs were stained by silver. This is evidence that latent ribosomal cistrons in some chromosomes can be activated.     

Radioautographic and cytofluorimetric analysis of DNA synthesis during the pre-implantation period of rat and mouse embryonic development]

The patterns of DNA synthesis and kinetics of cell population in the rat and mouse embryos were studied by means of 3H-thymidine autoradiography and cytofluorimetry. The rat and mouse embryos during the period of cleavage consist of a heterogenous population of blastomeres. At all the stages under study, all phases of the cell cycle occur in the blastomeres: G1, S, G2 and mitosis. The embryonic cells were distributed into groups containing 2c, 3c, 4c and more DNA. The ratio of cell number in these groups differed in the mouse and rat embryos. The mouse embryos are characterized by the appearance of a considerable amount of polyploid cells in S phase at the morula stage. The stage and species specific quantitative and qualitative patterns were established for DNA synthesis and kinetics of the cell population of blastomeres.     

The differentiation characteristics of neural derivatives in rat teratomas

Peculiarities of differentiation in teratomas obtained by transplantation of 9- and 11-day-old Wistar rat embryos under testicle capsule of adult rats. The main portion of the teratoma is represented by neural derivatives, i.e. by neural tissue foci with pyramidal, stellate and fusiform neural cells, glial cells, and a developed capillary net. Nervous fibers and ganglia-like structures have also been revealed. At the same time, cytoarchitectonics of cerebral cortex does not form in neural areas.