Growth hormone signal transduction

Growth hormone (GH) promotes animal growth by stimulating bone and cartilage cell proliferation, and influences carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Some of these effects are brought about indirectly via somatomedin induction in hepatocytes, others by acting directly on the target cells. In either case, GH first binds to specific receptors on cells to trigger a sequence of biochemical events culminating in a biological response. Recently much has been learnt about the molecular structure of GH receptor, its binding to ligand, and the ensuing signal transduction events.     

Internalization of polypeptide hormones and receptor recycling

Conclusion The insulin receptor is an integral protein of the plasma membrane of the cell. It is composed of two subunits: an subunit, which binds the hormone, and a subunit which is a tyrosine specific protein kinase capable of undergoing autophosphorylation. These independent subunits are synthesized by way of a higher molecular weight single chain precursor and thus are the product of a single gene^{29, 49, 85} localized to chromosome 19^{29, 91}. Assuming that the insulin receptor is synthesized in the same fashion as other integral membrane glycoproteins, then the nucleus, the rough endoplasmic reticulum, and the Golgi apparatus are involved in its biosynthesis. Further, there must be some form of transport of the mature receptor subunits to the plasma membrane where they are inserted.By contrast, the endocytotic route involves coated pits, coated vesicles, large clear vesicles or endosomes, multivesicular bodies and other lysosomal forms. In addition, it is possible that some other as yet unidentified organelle is involved in recycling (fig. 8). At the present time, with respect to the insulin receptor, the biosynthetic pathway and the endocytotic pathway appear to be separate. Further, it does not appear that either pathway, i. e. synthesis or endocytosis, exerts a regulatory function over the other.     

Juvenile hormone titre and regulation in the cockroachDiploptera punctata

Summary Titres of juvenile hormone (JH) have been determined in both hemolymph and whole body extracts of femaleDiploptera punctata during the first gonotrophic cycle using a method employing gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for qualitative and quantitative analysis. JH III is the sole JH found in both adult and last instarD. punctata. Maximum values of 1500 ng/ml (6M) were observed at the middle of the gonotrophic cycle, when basal oocyte growth rate was greatest. Changes in rates of JH release in vitro by corpora allata paralleled closely the changes in JH titre, suggesting that biosynthesis is a major regulator of titre. JH levels per animal were calculated from observed JH titres, and at certain time points in the gonotrophic cycle JH levels obtained from analysis of whole bodies were significantly greater than those predicted from hemolymph titres. These results suggest the existence of a nonhemolymph JH pool inD. punctata. Decay in JH titre after allatectomy of 5 day females has also been studied. Following a rapid initial decline, the rate of decay slowed appreciably 4 h post-operation. Thus, use of a first-order rate constant to estimate half-life of JH significantly underestimated the longevity of the hormone. The apparent persistence of JH following allatectomy may be due to the existence of a nonhemolymph JH pool.     

Occurrence of 3-epi-22-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone and its phosphoric ester in diapause eggs of the silkworm,Bombyx mori

Ecdysteroids in diapause eggs of the silkworm,Bombyx mori, were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with radioimmunoassay (RIA). A relatively large amount of an unidentified free ecdysteroid and its phosphoric ester (conjugated form) were detected. These two compounds were isolated by a combination of column chromatography on silicic acid, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and HPLC using a reverse-phase (RP) column. The purified compounds were identified as 3-epi-22-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone (22d20E) and 3-epi-22-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone 2-phosphate (22d20E2P) by means of mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. to our knowledge, this is the first report of 22d20E and 22d20E2P.     

不同药物对心理应激猕猴的抗应激作用

本文以心理应激猕猴为动物模型,比较研究了猕猴应激前后外周血中ＡＣＴＨ、皮质醇、胰岛素以及游离Ｔ３,Ｔ４的变化,并对安定、心得安等药物的抗应激效应进行了初步的探讨．实验结果表明,在应激前后,ＡＣＴＨ、皮质醇呈显著性差异（Ｐ＜０．０５和Ｐ＜０．０１）,胰岛素呈上升趋势．安定可使应激动物的ＡＣＴＨ、皮质醇的水平明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０５）,但是,对ＦＴ３,ＦＴ４的影响不明显．心得安对各种激素无明显影响．     

THYESS法结合QSAR分析对环境内分泌干扰性物质的筛检研究

利用THYESS法对几种典型的环境内分泌干扰物质的毒理活性进行了定量筛检，并进一步结合量子化学对被检物质作了QSAR分析．结果表明，用THYESS法筛检出的环境内分泌干扰物质存在着良好的毒活性．反应剂量关系．这种测定方法再结合量子化学的QSAR分析，有望成为获得大量环境样品中EDCs毒害数据的一种良好方法．     

植物体细胞胚胎发生的理论研究

把体细胞胚胎发生现象看作开展生物学理论研究的良好模型，介绍了运用细胞生物学和分子生物学的原理与技术进行研究的成果，特别是体细胞胚胎发生相关基因的研究进展。     

环境激素作用机制的研究

环境激素是一类外源性的内分泌干扰物 ,它对人类及生物体的生殖健康构成严重威胁。对环境激素的研究已成为全世界共同的课题。结合环境激素的概念、分类 ,以及对人类和动物生殖机能的影响 ,着重探讨了环境激素作用的机理