Freezing and transplantation of brain tissue in rats

Summary Neocortical tissue obtained from rat embryos was frozen and stored at –70°C for 6 h prior to transplantation into the cerebellum of neonatal rats. Growth, differentiation, and integration of this tissue within the host brain was comparable to that obtained from freshly dissected and transplanted tissue. It is suggested that freezing to low temperatures does not adversely effect the viability or transplantability of the neural tissue.Supported by N.I.H. research grants Nos NS-08817 and CA-14650.     

Stereotaxic technique for transplantation of neural tissues in the brain of adult rats

Summary A technique of neural transplantation in the brains of adult animals, using stereotaxic apparatus, is described. It facilitates transplantation of neural tissues of small volumes in precisely defined structures of the host brain, and yields a high percentage of successful transplantations.Supported by N.I.H. Research grant No. NS-08817. Suggestions from Drs N. Mangini, M. M. Oblinger and J. Weibers on various aspects of this procedure are gratefully acknowledged.     

Transplantation into the mammalian adult spinal cord

Summary Embryonic cerebral cortical tissue obtained from rat embryos of 15-day gestation was transplanted into the cervical spinal cord of adult rats. The cortical transplants survived, grew, and established connections with the host animal's spinal cord. In other animals, knife lesions were first made in the host's spinal cord, and then embryonic cortical tissue was transplanted into the site of the lesion. The cortical transplants in these animals were observed to become an integral part of the host animal's spinal cord.     

Effects of cysteine and N-acetyl cysteine on GSH content of brain of adult rats

Intraperitoneal injections of cysteine or N-acetyl cysteine induce a depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) in rat brain. The doses required to promote GSH depletion are lower than those reported to cause a disseminate neurodegenerative syndrome. Since physiological GSH concentrations are required to maintain cell membranes, we suggest that consideration of the cysteine-induced GSH depletion is important in attempts to understand the mechanism of cysteine-induced cytotoxicity in brain.     

Delineating multiple functions of VEGF-A in the adult brain

Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (abbreviated throughout this review as VEGF) is mostly known for its angiogenic activity, for its activity as a vascular permeability factor, and for its vascular survival activity [1]. There is a growing body of evidence, however, that VEGF fulfills additional less ‘traditional’ functions in multiple organs, both during development, as well as homeostatic functions in fully developed organs. This review focuses on the multiple roles of VEGF in the adult brain and is less concerned with the roles played by VEGF during brain development, functions described elsewhere in this review series. Most functions of VEGF that are essential for proper brain development are, in fact, dispensable in the adult brain as was clearly demonstrated using a conditional brain-specific VEGF loss-of-function (LOF) approach. Thus, in contrast to VEGF LOF in the developing brain, a process which is detrimental for the growth and survival of blood vessels and leads to massive neuronal apoptosis [2–4], continued signaling by VEGF in the mature brain is no longer required for maintaining already established cerebral vasculature and its inhibition does not cause appreciable vessel regression, hypoxia or apoptosis [4–7]. Yet, VEGF continues to be expressed in the adult brain in a constitutive manner. Moreover, VEGF is expressed in the adult brain in a region-specific manner and in distinctive spatial patterns incompatible with an angiogenic role (see below), strongly suggesting angiogenesis-independent and possibly also perfusion-independent functions. Here we review current knowledge on some of these ‘non-traditional’, often unexpected homeostatic VEGF functions, including those unrelated to its effects on the brain vasculature. These effects could be mediated directly (on non-vascular cells expressing cognate VEGF receptors) or indirectly (via the endothelium). Experimental approaches aimed at distinguishing between these possibilities for each particular VEGF function will be described. This review is only concerned with homeostatic functions of VEGF in the normal, non-injured brain. The reader is referred elsewhere in this series for a review on VEGF actions in response to various forms of brain injury and/or brain pathology.     

On phosphorylation in brain tissue in the chick

Zusammenfassung Der Austausch von P³² zwischen anorganischem Phosphat und ATP war grösser in der Leber als im Gehirn des Hühnchens. Dieser Unterschied in den zwei Geweben ist jedoch nach dem Ausbrüten des Embryos grösser.     

Pyruvate kinase activity in brain,liver and brown adipose tissue and the effect of cortisone in suckling rats

Zusammenfassung Die Pyruvatkinaseaktivität wurde im Gehirn und in den Muskeln von Ratten während der Entwicklung bestimmt. Die Aktivität war in Feten höher als in säugenden Jungen und stieg dann wieder an. Kortisonacetat (5 mg · 100 g/Tag, 3 Tage) erhöht die Pyruvatkinaseaktivität am 10. Tag im braunen Fettgewebe und erniedrigt sie in der Leber. Eine hohe Fettdiät, vom 14. Tag an gefüttert, hat denselben Effekt am 30. Tag. Das Muskel- und Gehirnenzym kann man durch hohe Fettdiät oder Kortison nicht verändern.     

Mechanism of neurogenesis in adult avian brain

Adult neurogenesis in birds offers unique opportunities to study basic questions addressing the birth, migration and differentiation of neurons. Neurons in adult canaries originate from discrete proliferative regions on the walls of the lateral ventricles. They migrate away from their site of birth, initially at high rates, along the processes of radical cells. The rates of dispersal diminish as the young neurons invade regions devoid of radial fibers, probably under the guidance of other cues. The discrete sites of birth in the ventricular zone generate neurons that end up differentiating throughout the telencephalon. New neurons may become interneurons or projection neurons; the latter connect two song control nuclei between neostriatum and archistriatum. Radial cells, that in mammals disappear as neurogenesis comes to an end, persist in the adult avian brain. The presence of radial cells may be key to adult neurogenesis. Not only do they serve as guides for initial dispersal, they also divide and may be the progenitors of new neurons.     

Mechanism of neurogenesis in adult avian brain

Summary Adult neurogenesis in birds offers unique opportunities to study basic questions addressing the birth, migration and differentiation of neurons. Neurons in adult canaries originate from discrete proliferative regions on the walls of the lateral ventricles. They migrate away from their site of birth, initially at high rates, along the processes of radial cells. The rates of dispersal diminish as the young neurons invade regions devoid of radial fibers, probably under the guidance of other cues. The discrete sites of birth in the ventricular zone generate neurons that end up differentiating throughout the telencephelon. New neurons may become interneurons or projection neurons; the latter connect two song control nuclei between neostriatum and archistriatum. Radial cells, that in mammals disappear as neurogenesis comes to an end, persist in the adult avian brain. The presence of radial cells may be key to adult neurogenesis. Not only do they serve as guides for initial dispersal, they also divide and may be the progenitors of new neurons.     

Compensatory hypertrophy of the leydig cells in hemiorchidectomized adult rats

Summary Hemiorchidectomy in adult rats results in hypertrophy of the Leydig cells in the remaining testis. The other parts of the testis appear to be unaffected. Supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council (project 12X-05935) and the Harald Jeansson and Magn Bergvall Foundations.     

Ultrastructural features of pituicytes in the neural lobe of adult rats

Riassunto Nella presente nota sono sinteticamente analizzati i caratteri ultrastrutturali dei pituiciti e, in particolare, i rapporti dei pituiciti stessi con le fibre neuro-secretorie spesso realizzantisi a livello dei prolungamenti pituicitari periferici, le zone di contatto interpituicitario ricche di complessi giunzionali e l'esistenza nel lobo neurale di cellule poco differenziate che potrebbero rappresentare i precursori dei pituiciti maturi.     

Protein synthesis in the brain of rats thyroidectomized at birth

Zusammenfassung Im Rattenversuch wurde die Möglichkeit, dass eine Störung in der Proteinsynthese für die geistige Retardierung beim Kretinismus verantwortlich sei, untersucht. Ein Beweis dafür, dass die Funktion neuronaler Polysome durch Thyroidektomie bei der Geburt geschädigt wird, wurde nicht erbracht.     

Neurone number in the myenteric plexus in new-born and adult rats

Riassunto Nel plesso di Auerbach dell'intestino tenue il numero di cellule nervose, colorate con una tecnica istochimica e contate su larghe lamine della parete, è risultato più di 7 volte minore per unità di superficie nel ratto adulto rispetto al neonato. Poichè nello stesso tempo si verifica un aumento di circa 28 volte della superficie totale dell'intestino, si può presumere che il numero complessivo delle cellule nervose del plesso di Auerbach nell'intestino tenue aumenti di circa 4 volte durante l'accrescimento post-natale.

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This work has been supported by the Italian Council for Scientific Research (CNR).