Sodium conductance in calcium channels of guinea-pig ventricular cells induced by removal of external calcium ions

An inward current characterized by a slow inactivation, was induced when the extracellular Ca^2– concentration was reduced by EGTA. It was suppressed by replacing external Na^– with Tris⁺ or by D-600, increased by epinephrine, and was not affected by TTX. These findings suggest that this current is carried by Na⁺ ions through the Ca channels. The Na current decreased in amplitude as the concentration of external divalent cations was elevated. Blocking the Na current by divalent cations could be approximated by a bimolecular interaction between divalent cation and channel, with a dissociation constant of 1.2 M for Ca²⁺ and 60 M for Mg²⁺. Single channel currents were recorded in the cell-attached configuration. With a pipette solution of pCa=7.5 or pCa>8, the single channel I-V relationship was linear and the slope conductance was 70–75 pS. For 40 mV depolarizations from the resting potential, unitary currents were smaller at pCa=6 than at pCa=7.5. However, single channel events, which were observed after the repolarizing step to the resting potential, were much the same amplitude. The open time histogram was fitted with a single exponential having a time constant of 1.9 ms at around –40 mV (pCa>8, with 5 M Bay K 8644 in the bath solution), which was decreased with increasing the Ca²⁺ concentration in the pipette solution. Noise power spectra of patch currents at pCa=6 revealed a high-frequency component at around 1500 Hz. These results suggest that Ca binding to the sites with a high affinity for Ca²⁺ blocks the Na conductance in Ca channels. Reduction of the unitary current at higher concentrations of Ca²⁺ might be attributed to a rapid block by Ca²⁺.     

Generation of the eosinophil chemotactic factor (ECF) from various cell types by melittin

The peptide melittin, the main constituent of bee venom is a potent stimulus for the generation of an eosinophil chemotactic factor (ECF) from human polymorphonuclear neutrophils, rat mast cells and rat peritoneal cells depleted in mast cells. Optimal EFC induction required a sublytic activation of the cells. With each cell type the kinetics of ECF generation were similar in that after an early rise in activity a steep fall off occurred at later times of incubation suggesting a mechanism of inactivation. The induction of ECF by melittin is increased in the presence of calcium. The polar portion of the melittin molecule (aminoacids 20–26) is responsible for the generation of the chemotactic activity. Other peptides of honey bee venom such as the mast cell degranulating peptide (MCD) or apamine do not initiate ECF release. It appears that melittin leads to ECF induction via the phospholipase A₂-arachidonic acid dependent pathway of cell activation. Our data suggests that the lipid mediator ECF can be obtained from phagocytes and mast cells thus indicating the interdependence of inflammatory reactions.     

Epithelial cell cultures from Botryllus schlosseri palleal buds: accomplishments and challenges

This study focuses on recent improvement in epithelial monolayer cultures originating from whole extirpated Botryllus schlosseri (Urochordata) buds. Buds (n = 2,000) were taken at different (A to D) blastogenic stages. We tested the suitability of 35 combinations of various substrates and media on attachment, cell spread, epithelial growth frequencies and on monolayer lifespans. Under favorable conditions, cultured buds at blastogenic stages B to D (but not stage A) started to attach to the substrates following a 3-day transient period that leads to formation of spheres and attached monolayers. Substrate type is important for the attachment and the development of monolayers. Under various culture conditions, some of stages B and C buds develop (3–20 days) one or more large (1 mm diameter) spheres. Stage D buds develop monolayers (up to 20% of buds) without going through a sphere phase. Neither spheres nor attached monolayers of epithelium were observed in stage A bud cultures. Spheres grew at a rate of 60 m in diameter per day using specific medium types and did not attach unless the appropriate substrate was present. When attached, epithelial monolayers expanded at a rate of 200 m in diameter per day, for 3–15 days, and subsequently detached and died. Sixteen types of media were tested. Medium and substrate combinations were found to determine epithelial lifespan. These results revealed significant improvements in the culture of epithelial monolayers from Botryllus palleal buds. However, an early senescence of the developed epithelial sheets (up to two weeks from onset of appearance) may indicate an internal ageing clock that should be taken into consideration in future approaches.     

促进胚胎干细胞来源造血干/祖细胞移植后细胞免疫功能恢复

目的:体外诱导胚胎干细胞分化为造血干/祖细胞过程中, 增加成熟T淋巴细胞的含量, 以促进其重建致死量照射小鼠的造血功能后免疫功能的早期重建。方法:胚胎干细胞在含甲基纤维素的培养基中自由分化形成胚胎体, 分化第6d添加造血生长因子, 同时添加胸腺肽, 流式细胞仪检测分化细胞中CD₃₄⁺的造血干/祖细胞和CD⁺₃的成熟T淋巴细胞含量, 最后将分化细胞注射入致死量照射小鼠体内, 观察60d, 以移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)发病率作为T淋巴细胞免疫功能的指标, 用PCR检测Sry反映移植细胞在宿主体内的存活。结果:分化第13d, 未加胸腺肽, CD⁺₃的成熟T淋巴细胞含量仅10.52%, 重建造血后无GVHD发生;添加胸腺肽, CD⁺₃的成熟T淋巴细胞含量升高达22.93%, 重建造血后GVHD发病率100%。结论:胚胎干细胞体外分化为造血干/祖细胞过程中, 添加胸腺肽, 能增加CD⁺₃的成熟T淋巴细胞含量, 体内重建造血后细胞免疫功能恢复较快。     

大鼠嗅球和鼻腔嗅粘膜成鞘细胞的形态学研究

目的：观察大鼠嗅神经成鞘细胞在嗅球和嗅粘膜的分布及其形态学结构特征，研究其与中枢神经再生的关系。方法：Luxol固蓝染色、Mallory染色和NGFRp75免疫组织化学染色结合透射电镜观察。结果：在嗅球纤维层的成鞘细胞随神经纤维呈纵向排列，在嗅小球层的成鞘细胞则围绕着嗅小球环行排列。在嗅粘膜的成鞘细胞位于柱状上皮深方，沿基底膜分布。成鞘细胞的胞体为细长梭形，有较长的突起，细胞核呈圆形或椭圆形。在嗅小球周围或嗅粘膜内的成鞘细胞呈NGFRp75免疫反应阳性。在电镜下，嗅球成鞘细胞的纵断面上可见其胞体呈长梭形，细胞核为不规则形，核仁清晰。在胞体的周围有大量的平行神经纤维纵向排列，在放大的横断面上，可见在1个成鞘细胞的细胞核周围有数根神经纤维被胞质包裹在一起。结论：嗅成鞘细胞是一种特殊的胶质细胞，分布于嗅球的纤维层、嗅小球层和嗅粘膜内。嗅神经成鞘细胞的胞体细长，有较长突起，其轴系膜紧密包裹成束的无髓神经纤维。     

Intracellular calcium changes in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in response to fluid flow

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSM) are normally exposed to transmural fluid flow shear stresses, and after vascular injury, blood flow shear stresses are imposed upon them. Since Ca²⁺ is a ubiquitous intracellular signaling molecule, we examined the effects of fluid flow on intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration in rat aortic smooth muscle cells to assess VSM responsiveness to shear stress. Cells loaded with fura 2 were exposed to steady flow shear stress levels of 0.5–10.0 dyn/cm² in a parallel-plate flow chamber. The percentage of cells displaying a rise in cytosolic Ca²⁺ ion concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) increased in response to increasing flow, but there was no effect of flow on the ([Ca²⁺]_i) amplitude of responding cells. Addition of Gd³⁺ (10 M) or thapsigargin (50 nM) significantly reduced the percentage of cells responding and the response amplitude, suggesting that influx of Ca²⁺ through ion channels and release from intracellular stores contribute to the rise in ([Ca²⁺]_i) in response to flow. The addition of nifedipine (1 or 10 M) or ryanodine (10 M) also significantly reduced the response amplitude, further defining the role of ion channels and intracellular stores in the Ca²⁺ response. © 2002 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC2002: 8716Uv, 8719Uv, 8716Dg, 8719Ff     

Intracerebroventricular infusion of neuropeptide Y up-regulates synthesis and accumulation of luteinizing hormone but not follicle stimulating hormone in the pituitary cells of prepubertal female lambs

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a putative neuroregulator of the reproductive axis in the central nervous system. In this study we evaluated the effects of central infusion of exogenous NPY on the secretory activity of pituitary gonadotrophic cells in prepubertal lambs. Immature female Merino sheep (n=12) were infused of Ringer solution (control) or 50 microg of NPY to the third ventricle for 5 min and then slaughtered 3 h later. Immunoreactive luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) cells were localised by immunohistochemistry using antibody raised against LHbeta and FSHbeta. Messenger RNA analyses were performed by in situ hybridisation using sense and antisense riboprobes produced from beta subunits of LH and FSH cDNA clones. The results were generated by computer image analysis to determine the area fraction occupied by immunoreactive and/or hybridising cells and optical density for immunostaining and hybridisation signal. LH in the blood plasma was determined by radioimmunoassay. It was found, that in the lambs infused with NPY the area fraction and optical density for immunoreactive LH cells and mRNA LHbeta-expressing cells increased significantly (P<0.001), compared to the vehicle-infused animals. The concentration of LH in the blood plasma did not differ between control and treated groups. The NPY infusions had no effect on the immunoreactivity of FSH cells or on expression of mRNA for FSHbeta. In conclusion we suggest that NPY may be an important component of mechanisms stimulating the synthesis and storage but not the release of LH in the pituitary gonadotrophs from prepubertal female sheep. In addition, this effect is specific for LH, no such effect was apparent on FSH.     

Chromosome neighborhood composition determines translocation outcomes after exposure to high-dose radiation in primary cells

Radiation exposure is an occupational hazard for military personnel, some health care professionals, airport security screeners, and medical patients, with some individuals at risk for acute, high-dose exposures. Therefore, the biological effects of radiation, especially the potential for chromosome damage, are major occupational and health concerns. However, the biophysical mechanisms of chromosome instability subsequent to radiation-induced DNA damage are poorly understood. It is clear that interphase chromosomes occupy discrete structural and functional subnuclear domains, termed chromosome territories (CT), which may be organized into ‘neighborhoods’ comprising groups of specific CTs. We directly evaluated the relationship between chromosome positioning, neighborhood composition, and translocation partner choice in primary lymphocytes, using a cell-based system in which we could induce multiple, concentrated DNA breaks via high-dose irradiation. We critically evaluated mis-rejoining profiles and tested whether breaks occurring nearby were more likely to fuse than breaks occurring at a distance. We show that CT neighborhoods comprise heterologous chromosomes, within which inter-CT distances directly relate to translocation partner choice. These findings demonstrate that interphase chromosome arrangement is a principal factor in genomic instability outcomes in primary lymphocytes, providing a structural context for understanding the biological effects of radiation exposure, and the molecular etiology of tumor-specific translocation patterns.     

Differential release of mast cell mediators and the pathogenesis of inflammation

Summary:  Mast cells are well known for their involvement in allergic and anaphylactic reactions, during which immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor (FcɛRI) aggregation leads to exocytosis of the content of secretory granules (1000 nm), commonly known as degranulation, and secretion of multiple mediators. Recent findings implicate mast cells also in inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, where mast cells appear to be intact by light microscopy. Mast cells can be activated by bacterial or viral antigens, cytokines, growth factors, and hormones, leading to differential release of distinct mediators without degranulation. This process appears to involve de novo synthesis of mediators, such as interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor, with release through secretory vesicles (50 nm), similar to those in synaptic transmission. Moreover, the signal transduction steps necessary for this process appear to be largely distinct from those known in FcɛRI-dependent degranulation. How these differential mast cell responses are controlled is still unresolved. No clinically available pharmacological agents can inhibit either degranulation or mast cell mediator release. Understanding this process could help develop mast cell inhibitors of selective mediator release with novel therapeutic applications.     

双相气道正压无创机械通气上呼吸道影像分析

目的应用多层螺旋CT对患者不同通气状态下上呼吸道放射性成像,证实在全身麻醉无自主呼吸的条件下,双相气道正压(bi-level positive airway pressure,BiPAP)无创机械通气能克服上呼吸道阻力,实施有效的机械通气。方法选择拟实施全身麻醉的择期手术患者10例,分别对患者清醒自主呼吸、麻醉诱导后自主呼吸停止、BiPAP无创通气时头颈部正位和侧位作螺旋CT扫描。监测扫描过程的无创血压(NIBP)、脉搏氧饱和度(SpO2)、心率(HR)、自主呼吸频率(RR)。测量上呼吸道各软组织区(软腭后区RP、舌根后区RG、会厌区EPG)的最窄气道横截面左右径、前后径线长度及相应横截面积。结果头部正位麻醉诱导后各软组织区的最窄横截面左右径、前后径线长度及相应横截面积均比清醒时缩小(P<0.05),BiPAP通气时各截面径线和面积与清醒期比较差异仍有统计学意义(P<0.05,P<0.01)。头部侧位BiPAP通气时各径线和截面积与清醒时比较,差异无统计学意义。EPG区和RG区在BiPAP通气期的侧位截面积明显比正位时增大(P<0.05,P<0.01)。诱导期正、侧位SpO2均明显下降(P<0.01);头部正位BiPAP通气时与诱导期的SpO2比较虽有改善,但差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);头部侧位BiPAP通气时SpO2较诱导期明显升高(P<0.01),基本恢复到清醒期水平(P>0.05)。结论麻醉诱导后上呼吸道的通气面积明显减少,气道通畅度下降;头颈部侧位时上呼吸道各软组织区最狭窄处的通气截面积比正位时显著改善,以会厌区最明显。无明显上呼吸道梗阻性病史的成年患者全身麻醉时,头部侧位BiPAP无创通气能克服上呼吸道阻力,实施有效的机械通气,保证通气和氧合正常。