A somitic Wnt16/Notch pathway specifies haematopoietic stem cells

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a self-renewing population of cells that continuously replenish all blood and immune cells during the lifetime of an individual. HSCs are used clinically to treat a wide array of diseases, including acute leukaemias and congenital blood disorders, but obtaining suitable numbers of cells and finding immune-compatible donors remain serious problems. These difficulties have led to an interest in the conversion of embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells into HSCs, which is not possible using current methodologies. To accomplish this goal, it is critical to understand the native mechanisms involved in the specification of HSCs during embryonic development. Here we demonstrate in zebrafish that Wnt16 controls a novel genetic regulatory network required for HSC specification. Non-canonical signalling by Wnt16 is required for somitic expression of the Notch ligands deltaC (dlc) and deltaD (dld), and these ligands are, in turn, required for the establishment of definitive haematopoiesis. Notch signalling downstream of Dlc and Dld is earlier than, and distinct from, known cell-autonomous requirements for Notch, strongly suggesting that novel Notch-dependent relay signal(s) induce the first HSCs in parallel to other established pathways. Our results demonstrate that somite-specific gene expression is required for the production of haemogenic endothelium.     

TRPV3 is a calcium-permeable temperature-sensitive cation channel

Transient receptor potential (TRP) proteins are cation-selective channels that function in processes as diverse as sensation and vasoregulation. Mammalian TRP channels that are gated by heat and capsaicin (>43 degrees C; TRPV1 (ref. 1)), noxious heat (>52 degrees C; TRPV2 (ref. 2)), and cooling (< 22 degrees C; TRPM8 (refs 3, 4)) have been cloned; however, little is known about the molecular determinants of temperature sensing in the range between approximately 22 degrees C and 40 degrees C. Here we have identified a member of the vanilloid channel family, human TRPV3 (hTRPV3) that is expressed in skin, tongue, dorsal root ganglion, trigeminal ganglion, spinal cord and brain. Increasing temperature from 22 degrees C to 40 degrees C in mammalian cells transfected with hTRPV3 elevated intracellular calcium by activating a nonselective cationic conductance. As in published recordings from sensory neurons, the current was steeply dependent on temperature, sensitized with repeated heating, and displayed a marked hysteresis on heating and cooling. On the basis of these properties, we propose that hTRPV3 is thermosensitive in the physiological range of temperatures between TRPM8 and TRPV1.     

A model for interfacial activation in lipases from the structure of a fungal lipase-inhibitor complex

Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes which break down triacylglycerides into free fatty acids and glycerols. They have been classified as serine hydrolases owing to their inhibition by diethyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate. Lipase activity is greatly increased at the lipid-water interface, a phenomenon known as interfacial activation. X-ray analysis has revealed the atomic structures of two triacylglycerol lipases, unrelated in sequence: the human pancreatic lipase (hPL)4, and an enzyme isolated from the fungus Rhizomucor (formerly Mucor) miehei (RmL). In both enzymes the active centres contain structurally analogous Asp-His-Ser triads (characteristic of serine proteinases), which are buried completely beneath a short helical segment, or 'lid'. Here we present the crystal structure (at 3 A resolution) of a complex of R. miehei lipase with n-hexylphosphonate ethyl ester in which the enzyme's active site is exposed by the movement of the helical lid. This movement also increases the nonpolarity of the surface surrounding the catalytic site. We propose that the structure of the enzyme in this complex is equivalent to the activated state generated by the oil-water interface.     

A new species of Phrynobatrachus (Amphibia: Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) from the Northern Mountains of Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Using integrative approaches, a new large-bodied species of Phrynobatrachus is described from a series of 48 specimens from the montane forests of the West Usambara and North Pare Mountains of Tanzania. The most distinguishing morphological feature separating Phrynobatrachus ambanguluensis sp. nov from similar species is the markedly overhanging and pointed upper jaw and snout. Mitochondrial 16S rRNA indicates that the new species differs from all other species with published sequence data by a minimum distance of 4.75% and is sister to P. krefftii, with which it has been confused in the past. The new species is known from two forest reserves and is of high conservation concern given these areas are highly impacted by anthropogenic change.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E0C82A87-47A5-426B-978D-96D27FA7A3B7     

Realization of a novel Ag/SnO2 electrical contact material with microscopic fiber-like structure

According to the principle that fibre-like arrangement of reinforcing SnO2 particles paralleling to the direction of current is propitious to the electrical and mechanical performance of the electrical contact materials (ECM), we proposed and reported a novel precursor route used to prepare Ag/SnO2 ECM with fibre-like arrangement of reinforcing nanoparticles. The mechanism for the formation of fibre-like arrangement of reinforcing nanoparticles in Ag/SnO2 ECM was also discussed. The as-prepared samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), optical microscope (OM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), MHV2000 microhardness test, and double bridge tester. The analysis showed that the as-prepared Ag/SnO2 ECM with fiber-like arrangement of reinforcing nanoparticles exhibits a high elongation of 24%, a particularly low electrical resistivity of 2.08 μΩ.cm, low arcing energy and low contact resistivity, and thus has considerable technical, economical and environmental benefits.     

Effect of estrogen administration on the induction of the plasma prolactin afternoon surge and on anterior pituitary prolactin concentration extracted at different pHs

Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were injected with various doses of polyestradiol phosphate (PEP); the anterior pituitary (AP) prolactin (PRL) concentration and the plasma afternoon surge of PRL were observed 1 week later by radioimmunoassay. AP PRL was extracted using carbonate and phosphate buffers at either pH 7.6 or 10.6. The AP concentration of PRL was greater when the AP was extracted with buffers at pH 10.6 and the phosphate buffer was the most efficient. The concentration of PRL in the AP more closely reflected the magnitude of the estrogen-induced afternoon surge when the AP was extracted at pH 10.6 and this was especially so when the higher levels of estrogen were administered.     

移植前AS-30D肝癌细胞状态决定其移植后在大白鼠体内的生长周期

在SpragueDawley(SD)大鼠身上测定AS 30D肝癌细胞系转移前的状态。不同来源的细胞 :a)体内 ,来自其他移植的大白鼠 ,b)体外 ,来自培养的细胞 ,和c)冷冻贮存 ,来自液氮储存罐 ,被分别移植入 5周的雌性SD大鼠体内 (数目分别为 5、3、5 )。每只鼠腹腔注射 0 5mL细胞混悬液 ,包含 1 5× 10 6个细胞。结果显示 ,从细胞移植的液体体积 ,细胞浓度 ,总细胞数 ,细胞生存能力和每日食物以及水的消费量等质量参数来看 ,每组白鼠之间没有明显不同。但是 ,如果用其他的细胞代替体内细胞移植到大白鼠的腹腔 ,细胞潜伏期将延长一半或 5d。所以 ,移植前…