Morpho-functional characterization of cultured pigment cells fromRana esculenta L. Liver |
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Authors: | Giuseppe Pintucci Mariano M Manzionna Immacolata Maida Monica Boffi Domenico Boffoli Anna Gallone Rosa Cicero |
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Institution: | (1) Istituto di Pediatria Clinica e Preventiva, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy;(2) Istituto di Biologia Generale, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia, Policlinico, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124 Bari, Italy |
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Abstract: | Summary A simple method to isolate and culture liver pigment cells fromRana esculenta L. is described which utilizes a pronase digestion of perfused liver, followed by sedimentation on a Ficoll gradient. A first
characterization of isolated and cultured cells is also reported. They show both positivity for nonspecific esterases, and
phagocytosis ability, like the cells of phagocytic lineage. Furthermore, after stimulation with a phorbol ester, these cells
generate superoxide anions. At phase contrast microscope, liver pigment cells present variability in size, morphology, and
in their content of dark-brown granules. Inasmuch as a cell extract obtained from cultured cells exhibits a specific protein
band with dopa-oxidase activity, when run on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, liver pigment cells fromRana esculenta L. should not be considered as melanophages, but as cells that can actively synthesize melanin. The method presented here
seems to be useful to more directly investigate this extra-cutaneous melanin-containing cell system and to clarify its physiologic
relevance.
This research was partly supported by grant of Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione, Ricerca Scientifica. |
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Keywords: | cell culture pigment cells amphibian Kupffer cells extracutaneous melanogenesis dopa-oxidase activity |
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