{"title":"A six-rhabdomere, open rhabdom arrangement in the eye of the chrysanthemum beetle Phytoecia rufiventris: some ecophysiological predictions based on eye anatomy.","authors":"V. Meyer-Rochow, M. Mishra","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.115","url":null,"abstract":"We are describing a rhabdom organization of the eye of the chrysanthemum beetle Phytoecia rufiventris that to date has not been described from any other insect. In cerambycid beetles free rhabdomeres, forming a circular, open rhabdom, surround a central rhabdom made up of the rhabdomeres of one or two cells. In Phytoecia rufiventris the central rhabdomeres are missing throughout the eye and the microvilli of the outer 6 rhabdomeres are regularly oriented in three directions. Following the classification of rhabdom types suggested by Wachmann (1979), we suggest to name the rhabdom arrangement seen in the retina of Phytoecia rufiventris \"Grundmuster 3\". This pattern ought to facilitate polarization sensitivity and movement perception, features that agree with the behavioural repertoire of Phytoecia rufiventris.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130416440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Lee, Y. Shin, Cheolhee Won, Yun-Song Lee, Chung-Gyu Park, S. Ye, M. Chung
{"title":"Simvastatin acts as an inhibitor of interferon gamma-induced cycloxygenase-2 expression in human THP-1 cells, but not in murine RAW264.7 cells.","authors":"C. Lee, Y. Shin, Cheolhee Won, Yun-Song Lee, Chung-Gyu Park, S. Ye, M. Chung","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.107","url":null,"abstract":"Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key inflammatory response molecule, and associated with many immune functions of monocytes/macrophages. Particularly, interferon gamma (IFNgamma)-induced COX-2 expression appears in inflammatory conditions such as viral infection and autoimmune diseases. Recently, statins have been reported to show variable effects on COX-2 expression, and on their cell and species type dependences. Based on the above description, we compared the effect of simvastatin on IFNgamma-induced COX-2 expression in human monocytes versus murine macrophages. In a result, we found that simvastatin suppresses IFNgamma-induced COX-2 expression in human THP-1 monocytes, but rather, potentiates IFNgamma-induced COX-2 expression in murine RAW264.7 macrophages. However, signal transducer and activator of transcription 1/3 (STAT1/3), known as a transcription factor on COX-2 expression, is inactivated by simvastatin in both cells. Our findings showed that simvastatin is likely to suppress IFNgamma-induced COX-2 expression by inhibiting STAT1/3 activation in human THP-1 cells, but not in murine RAW264.7 cells. Thus, we concluded that IFNgamma-induced COX-2 expression is differently regulated by simvastatin depending on species specific mechanism.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"37 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132361612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Venkatachalam, T. Palaniappan, P. Jayapal, S. Neelamegan, S. Rajan, Vijaya Prakash Krishnan Muthiah
{"title":"Novel neurotrophic factor secreted by amniotic epithelial cells.","authors":"S. Venkatachalam, T. Palaniappan, P. Jayapal, S. Neelamegan, S. Rajan, Vijaya Prakash Krishnan Muthiah","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.081","url":null,"abstract":"By virtue of expressions of glial and neural surface markers and capability of neurotransmitter metabolism, amniotic epithelial cells are considered as candidate cell type for transplantation strategies to treat neurological disorders. Previously, we have reported neurotrophism exhibited by human amniotic epithelial cells when transplanted after spinal cord injury in bonnet monkeys. Amniotic epithelial cells were believed to secrete an \"Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)-like\" factor and exact identification was not made. At this juncture, through the present study it was found that, chicken neural retinal cells when grown alone failed to survive and contrarily when either co-cultured with chicken amniotic epithelial cells/cultured in amniotic epithelial cell conditioned medium not only survived but also showed extensive differentiation. Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF-2) plays a critical role in retinal development especially in chicken neural retinal development. However, immunoassay using western blot did not revealed the presence of any already known isoforms of FGF-2 in the medium. It is interesting to note that while factor secreted by amniotic epithelial cells resembles EGF and/or FGF-2 in its biological action, known isoforms of them were not detected. Considering the biological closeness between EGF and FGF-2, results indicate the possibility of a novel isoform of these growth factors secreted by amniotic epithelial cells. Further studies will establish the nature of this novel factor which will enhance the application of this interesting cell type for neural transplantations.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"6 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114220802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
V. Panza, D. Pighin, V. Láinez, R. Pollero, Sara Maldonado
{"title":"Storage lipids and proteins of Euterpe edulis seeds.","authors":"V. Panza, D. Pighin, V. Láinez, R. Pollero, Sara Maldonado","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.099","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.099","url":null,"abstract":"Comparative studies on fatty acid and protein composition of the endosperm and embryo of palmito (Euterpe edulis Martius) were conducted using gas-liquid chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. On a dry weight basis, the embryo contained extremely lower amounts of lipids and proteins than did the endosperm, which was associated with the scarce lipid and protein bodies previously reported in axis and cotyledon. The fatty acid composition also exhibited differences between both tissues: (I) the fatty acid diversity was greater in embryo than in endosperm; (II) embryo and endosperm contained predominantly linoleic, palmitic, oleic and stearic acids even though the relative values were different for each tissue. As compared to other palm species, the higher fatty acid unsaturation in Euterpe edulis seed could be involved in the previously reported short longevity and recalcitrant behavior during storage. Proteins of both tissues were heterogeneous in molecular mass. Some proteins were tissue-specific, but other were common, among them a highly glycosylated protein which migrated at about 55 kDa. We hypothesize that the latter, also reported in all previously studied palm species, is one of the proteins characterizing the Arecaceae family.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"34 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115526035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Nome, P. Magalhães, E. Oliveira, S. Nome, Graciela Lagune Irma
{"title":"Differences in intracellular localization of corn stunt spiroplasmas in magnesium treated maize.","authors":"C. Nome, P. Magalhães, E. Oliveira, S. Nome, Graciela Lagune Irma","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.133","url":null,"abstract":"Maize plants infected with Spiroplasma kunkelii show symptoms similar to that of plants in a magnesium-deficient soil, and it has been shown that the spiroplasma alters the plants' magnesium absorption. In the current study we compared changes associated to either spiroplasma infection, two soil magnesium levels and their combinations. Plant symptoms were recorded and correlated with transmission electron microscopy observations. Plants grown on a high magnesium treatment showed no macroscopical alterations nor organelle ultrastructural alterations, while plants on a low magnesium treatment showed macroscopical vein yellowing and, ultrastructurally, they had most chloroplasts and mitochondrial membranes altered. Infected plants on a low magnesium treatment had an ageing aspect, ultrastructurally showed chloroplasts and mitochondrial alterations similar to those non-infected and grown on a low magnesium treatment, and spiroplasma cells were found in phloem cells, but outside their cytoplasm. Infected plants on a high magnesium treatment showed similar symptoms and ultrastructural alterations as either non-infected plants on the low magnesium treatment or in infected plants on the low magnesium treatment, but differ from them in that the spiroplasma cells were located inside the cytoplasm. Results suggest that magnesium is involved in the plant-pathogen interaction.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"214 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116757424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Y. Gheisari, M. Soleimani, S. Zeinali, E. Arefian, A. Atashi, M. N. Zarif
{"title":"Isolation of stem cells from adult rat kidneys.","authors":"Y. Gheisari, M. Soleimani, S. Zeinali, E. Arefian, A. Atashi, M. N. Zarif","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.033","url":null,"abstract":"The kidney has an inherent ability for recovery and regeneration following acute damage. However, there has been much contention as to the source of regenerating renal cells. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize these cells. Normal rat kidneys were minced and cells were isolated with collagenase I and were cultured in an expansion medium. Adherent cells were isolated and expanded for more than 120 days in vitro. These cells had the potential of trans-lineage differentiation into neural cells, adipocytes and osteocytes. These cells also expressed Nucleostemin, Cyclin D1, Notch1 and Survivin which are commonly expressed in stem cells. The results of the current work show that the adult kidney contains a population of multipotent stem cells.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125204271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development beyond the gastrula stage and digestive organogenesis in the apple-snail Pomacea canaliculata (Architaenioglossa, Ampullariidae).","authors":"E. Koch, B. Winik, A. Castro-Vazquez","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.049","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.049","url":null,"abstract":"Development of Pomacea canaliculata from the gastrula stage until the first day after hatching is described. Trochophore embryos are developed after gastrulation, showing the prototroch as a crown of ciliated orange-brownish cells. However, no true veliger embryos are formed, since the prototroch does not fully develop into a velum. Afterward, the connection between the fore- and midgut is permeated and the midgut becomes full of the pink-reddish albumen, which is stored into a central archenteron's lake, from where it is accumulated into the large cells forming the midgut wall (\"giant cells\"). Electron microscopy of giant cells in late embryos showed that albumen is engulfed by large endocytic vesicles formed between the irregular microvilli at the top of these cells. By the end of intracapsular development, giant cells become gradually replaced by two new epithelial cell types which are similar to those found in the adult midgut gland: the pre-columnar and the pre-pyramidal cells. Pre-columnar cells have inconspicuous basal nuclei and are crowned by stereocilia, between which small endocytic vesicles are formed. Pre-pyramidal cells have large nuclei with 2-3 nucleoli and show a striking development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The genesis of the three cell lineages (giant, pre-columnar and pre-pyramidal cells) is hypothetically attributed to epithelial streaks that occur at both sides of the midgut since early stages of development.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"62 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125609353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Germinating seeds of the mung bean, Vigna radiata (Fabaceae), as a model for the preliminary evaluation of cytotoxic effects of drugs.","authors":"Vijay L Kumar, A. Singhal","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.019","url":null,"abstract":"Cytotoxic properties of plant extracts and drugs being developed for cancer treatment are usually evaluated by a variety of in vivo and in vitro tests carried out in animal or plant based models. In the present study we have evaluated the possibility of using the germinating mung beans (Vigna radiata), for rapid and inexpensive screening of drugs exhibiting cytotoxic properties. Mung beans were allowed to germinate either in tap water or in different drug solutions, and parameters like percent germination, increase in radicle length, change in seedling weight and mitotic index of apical root meristems were determined at two time intervals coinciding with the time at which the radicle length in control group was 1.0 to 1.5 cm (time 0, T0) and 48 h later (T48). Methanol extract of Calotropis procera latex as well as drugs like podophyllotoxin, cyclophosphamide, cyproheptadine and aspirin produced a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on seed germination, seed weight gain, radicle growth and mitotic index in the radicle meristems. The inhibitory effect of some of the drugs tested was associated with reduction in water imbibition. Some of the drugs at higher concentrations allowed seed germination to take place but produced radicle decay and seedling weight loss. Our study shows that germinating V radiata beans could be used as a convenient model for the preliminary screening of drugs exhibiting cytotoxic properties.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124908870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Rodríguez, H. Tsujigiwa, M. Gunduz, B. Cengiz, N. Nagai, R. Tamamura, S. Borkosky, T. Takagi, M. Inoue, H. Nagatsuka
{"title":"Influence of the microenvironment on gene and protein expression of odontogenic-like and osteogenic-like cells.","authors":"A. Rodríguez, H. Tsujigiwa, M. Gunduz, B. Cengiz, N. Nagai, R. Tamamura, S. Borkosky, T. Takagi, M. Inoue, H. Nagatsuka","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.039","url":null,"abstract":"Progenitor cells play an important biological role in tooth and bone formation, and previous analyses during bone and dentine induction have indicated that they may be a good alternative for tissue engineering. Thus, to clarify the influence of the microenvironment on protein and gene expression, MDPC-23 cells (mouse dental papilla cell line) and KUSA/A1 cells (bone marrow stromal cell line) were used, both in vitro cell culture and in intra-abdominal diffusion chambers implanted in 4-week-old male immunodefficient mice (SCID mice). Our results indicate that KUSA/A1 cells differentiated into osteoblast-like cells and induced bone tissue inside the chamber, whereas, MDPC-23 showed odontoblast-like characteristics but with a low ability to induce dentin formation. This study shows that MDPC-23 cells are especial cells, which possess morphological and functional characteristics of odontoblast-like cells expressing dentin sialophosphoprotein in vivo. In contrast, dentin sialophosphoprotein gene and protein expression was not detected in both cell lines in vitro. The intra-abdominal diffusion chamber appears as an interesting experimental model for studying phenotypic expression of dental pulp cells in vivo.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121325055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cytogenetical and ultrastructural effects of copper on root meristem cells of Allium sativum L.","authors":"Donghua Liu, Wusheng Jiang, Qingmin Meng, J. Zou, Jiegang Gu, Muai Zeng","doi":"10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.32604/BIOCELL.2009.33.025","url":null,"abstract":"Different copper concentrations, as well as different exposure times, were applied to investigate both cytogenetical and ultrastructural alterations in garlic (Allium sativum L.) meristem cells. Results showed that the mitotic index decreased progressively when either copper concentration or exposure time increased. C-mitosis, anaphase bridges, chromosome stickiness and broken nuclei were observed in the copper treated root tip cells. Some particulates containing the argyrophilic NOR-associated proteins were distributed in the nucleus of the root-tip cells and the amount of this particulate material progressively increased with increasing exposure time. Finally, the nucleolar material was extruded from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. Also, increased dictyosome vesicles in number, formation of cytoplasmic vesicles containing electron dense granules, altered mitochondrial shape, disruption of nuclear membranes, condensation of chromatin material, disintegration of organelles were observed. The mechanisms of detoxification and tolerance of copper are briefly discussed.","PeriodicalId":342778,"journal":{"name":"Biocell : official journal of the Sociedades Latinoamericanas de Microscopia Electronica ... et. al","volume":"51 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133306055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}