Colcemid effects on homologue pairing and crossing over during fetal mouse oogenesis

Colcemid was administered to gestational day 13 female mice to test effects on homologue pairing, synapsis and recombination of fetal oogenesis. Pairing abnormalities were detected in pachytene oocytes by light and electron microscopy examination of bivalents and synaptonemal complexes. Reduction of total chiasmata per treated diplotene oocyte (22.74) compared to controls (31.07) was found.     

Colcemid effects on homologue pairing and crossing over during fetal mouse oogenesis

Summary Colcemid was administered to gestational day 13 female mice to test effects on homologue pairing, synapsis and recombination of fetal oogenesis. Pairing abnormalities were detected in pachytene oocytes by light and electron microscopy examination of bivalents and synaptonemal complexes. Reduction of total chiasmata per treated diplotene oocyte (22.74) compared to controls (31.07) was found.     

The fate of intramitochondrial paracrystalline inclusion bodies in germ line cells of water frogs (Amphibia, Anura)

Numerous intramitochondrial paracrystalline inclusion bodies (ICIB) were observed in the germinal plasm of a mid-blastula, and in primordial germ cells (PGCs) after their migration to the germinal ridges, in Rana ridibunda, R. lessonae and R. esculenta. In oogonia the number of ICIB decreases rapidly. Single ICIB are observed in the germ cells up to the leptotene stage; they have never been observed in pachytene oocytes. In diplotene oocytes that have reached a diameter of about 100 microns ICIB are visible again, and their number increases concomitantly with oocyte growth.     

The fate of intramitochondrial paracrystalline inclusion bodies in germ line cells of water frogs (Amphibia,Anura)

Summary Numerous intramitochondrial pararystalline inclusion bodies (ICIB) were observed in the germinal plasm of a mid-blastula, and in primordial germ cells (PGCs) after their migration to the germinal ridges, inRana ridibunda, R. lessonae andR. esculenta. In oogonia the number of ICIB decreases rapidly. Single ICIB are observed in the germ cells up to the leptotene stage; they have never been observed in pachytene oocytes. In diplotene oocytes that have reached a diameter of about 100 m ICIB are visible again, and their number increases concomitantly with oocyte growth.     

Additional chromosome duplication in female meiotic prophase ofSipyloidea sipylus Westwood (Insecta,Phasmida), and its absence in male meiosis

Summary In the parthenogenetic stick insectSipyloidea sipylus, an additional chromosome duplication takes place in the primary oocytes immediately after pachytene. After duplication, the chromosomes again appear in a pachytene configuration, and oogenesis proceeds with twice the somatic number of chromosomes. Additional duplication does not occur during prophase of primary spermatocytes.     

Centromeric heterochromatin in the karyotype of the male Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

Summary The chromosomes of a male Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) have been studied by C-banding and H³ thymidine labelling. It is suggested that heterochromatin may have accumulated on the 14th pair of autosomes before its translocation to the Y-chromosome.     

Effect of nonprotein thiols on protein synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes

The ability of nonprotein thiols to modulate rates of protein synthesis was investigated in isolated rat hepatocytes. Addition of cysteine stimulates protein labelling by [¹⁴C] Leucine. Glutahione depletion, induced by in vivod administration of L-buthionine sulfoximine and diethylmaleate, did not alter the effect of cysteine, although it decreased the rate of protein synthesis by 32%. The effect of cysteine on protein synthesis does not seem to be related to a perturbatin of the redox state of the NAD⁺/NADH system or to changes in the rate of gluconeogenic pathway. The following observations indicate that cysteine may stimulate protein syntheis by increasing intracellular levels of aspartate: 1. Amino-oxyacetate, an inhibitor of pyridoxyal-dependent enzymes, inhibits protein labelling and decreases aspartate cellular content, whereas most amino acids accumulate or remain unchanged; 2. Cysteine, in the absence or in the presence of amino-ocycetate, stimulates protein labelling and induces aspartate accumulation, although mot amino acids diminish or remain unchanged.     

Die DNS-synthese im rattenherzen als funktion des lebensalters. Autoradiographische untersuchungen mit3H-thymidin

Summary The percentage of DNA-synthesising heart muscle nuclei of white rats (³H-thymidine, autoradiography) decreases rapidly during the first month of life reaching a minimum at the fourth month. From then up to 27 months the number of labelled muscle nuclei remains rather constant. Also in nuclei of connective tissue the³H-thymidine labelling index decreases as a function of the rats age. The number of mitotic figures is always about 10 times lower than labelled nuclei. Mostly in heart muscle cells they occur as collapsed mitoses never leading to cytoplasma division¹⁴.     

Chemical protection of mouse spermatocytes against gamma-rays with 2-mercaptopropionylglycine

Summary The radiosensitivity of primary spermatocytes in pachytene stage was estimated by counting the number of spermatids in the testes of control and MPG-treated mouse after exposure to 500, 1000 and 1500 R of Co⁶⁰ gammarays. For this purpose, control and MPG-treated mice were killed 5 days after irradiation and countings of spermatids was made in stages I and II of the tubules. It has been observed that, although there was a death of primary spermatocytes in irradiated MPG-protected groups, quantitatively significant protection was afforded by this drug at all the 3 dose-levels studied.     

Na-pump sites in the oviduct ofSalamandra salamandra (L.) (Amphibia,Urodela)

Summary Using³H-ouabain autoradiography, Na⁺–K⁺-ATPase has been localized on the basolateral membranes of ciliated and nonciliated cells in the oviduct (pars recta, p. convoluta I, II, III) of the European fire salamander,Salamandra salamandra. The mucous and seromucous gland cells of the p.convoluta I, II, III, however, do not show any significant labelling. An asymmetrical distribution of ouabain binding sites is a main feature of transporting epithelia.     

Serum cholinesterase: Function in lipoprotein metabolism

Summary Human serum beta-lipoproteins, isolated by percipitation with heparin-calcium mixture, showed cholinesterase activity. The enzyme activity was almost proportional to the lipoprotein concentration. Rats, treated with neostigmine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, showed a significant decrease in serum beta-lipoprotein and in the incorporation of H³-lysine into the lipoprotein compared to untreated controls. The decreased incorporation of H³-lysine into beta-lipoprotein was associated with increased labelling of alpha-lipoprotein. There was no significant difference in the labelling of pre-beta-lipoprotein. We propose that LDL is formed from VLDL in the presence of cholinesterase.We thank Dr C. J. Hutton for helpful discussions, Miss Patricia Fontaine for technical assistance, and Miss Patricia Candow and Mrs Barbara English for secretarial work. Supported by the Canadian Heart Foundation.     

Beeinflussung des Generationszyklus und seiner Teilphasen bei Ehrlich-Aszitestumoren verschiedener Ploidie durch Cyclophosphamid

Summary The effect of the alkylizing agent cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg i.p.) on the cell cycle of the diploid (EAT dipl.) and hypertetraploid (ELT) Ehrlich ascites tumor growing in the peritoneal cavity of male NMRI-mice has been studied by autoradiography with H³- and C¹⁴-thymidine (double labelling technique and method of labelled mitoses). The results suggest that the proliferation kinetics of tumor cells after administration of cyclophosphamide is dependent essentially on the type of tumor strain tested.     

Über I131-Polyvinylpyrrolidon

Summary A modification of theGordon method for labelling polyvinylpyrrolidon with I¹³¹ is described. A more stable product with a higher iodine content has been obtained.     

Cytogenetic observations inCeratitis capitata

Summary The 2n=10+XX/XY complement ofC. capitata includes3 pairs of metacentric and 2 pairs of submetacentric autosomes; theX andY chromosomes are acrocentrics. The sex chromosomes do not pair somatically during mitotic prophase, and, using the C-banding technique, band more extensively than the autosomes. Male meiosis may be achiasmate; there is no leptotene, zygotene or diplotene.Material kindly supplied by Dr.D. A. Lindquist, I.A.E.A./FAO Vienna, Austria.     

Chromatin structure contribution to the synaptonemal complex formation

Meiosis is a key cellular and molecular process for sexual reproduction contributing to the genetic variability of organisms. This process takes place after DNA replication and consists in a double cellular division, giving rise to four haploid daughter cells or gametes. Meiotic recombination between homologous chromosomes, in the meiotic prophase I, is mediated by a tripartite structure named Synaptonemal Complex (SC). The SC is a peptidic scaffold in which the chromatin of homologous chromosomes is organized during the pachytene stage, holding chromosomes together until the meiotic recombination and genetic exchange have taken place. The role of chromatin structure in formation of the SC and the meiotic recombination at meiotic prophase I remain largely unknown. In this review we address the epigenome contribution to the SC formation at meiotic prophase I, with particular attention on the chromatin structure modifications occurring during the sub-stages of meiotic prophase I. Received 18 September 2008; received after revision 10 October 2008; accepted 24 October 2008     

Änderung der Wachstumskinetik von Ehrlich-Aszitestumoren verschiedener Ploidie nach Röntgen-Bestrahlung

Summary The effect of irradiation (500 R) on the cell cycle of the diploid (EAT_dipl.) and the hypertetraploid (ELT) Ehrlich ascites tumor growing in the peritoneal cavity of male NMRI mice has been studied autoradio-graphically by the double labelling technique (H³- and C¹⁴-thymidine) and the method of labelled mitoses. The results suggest that the proliferation kinetics of tumor cells after irradiation depends on the type of tumor cell strain tested. Identical results were obtained after application of the alkylating agent cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg).     

Circles in spermatocyte chromatin loops. Electron microscopy and AgAs-NORs studies.

We describe the production of circles in chromomeric loops during the pachytene stage of the spermatocytes. These circles are found attached to chromatin or already free in the nucleoplasm. Each circle measures an average of 3700 A in circunference. We suggest that such circles might indicate the presence of tandem repetitions.     

Verlust der Proliferationsfähigkeit der Hepatozyten nach subtotaler Hepatektomie

Summary After resection of 90% of liver tissue, no significant increase of thymidine-³H labelling or mitotic index of hepatocytes can be observed in rats. The minimum residual liver mass critical for inducibility of proliferation and, in consequence, essential for survival of rats is more than 10% and less than 18% of the total liver parenchyma.     

Variations of the labelling index in vitro of rat mammary gland in pregnancy and early lactation

Summary The labelling index of rat mammary gland during oestrus, pregnancy and early lactation was studied in vitro. The implications concerning the existence of a critical cell division are discussed.The authors wish to thank G. Th. J. Rödiger for his technical assistance and Prof. Dr. C. van der Meer for his professional advice.     

Circles in spermatocyte chromatin loops. Electron microscopy and AgAs-NORs studies

Summary We describe the production of circles in chromomeric loops during the pachytene stage of the spermatocytes. These circles are found attached to chromatin or already free in the nucleoplasm. Each circle measures an average of 3700 Å in circunference. We suggest that such circles might indicate the presence of tandem repetitions.This work was supported by grants from Brazilian National Research Council-CNPq, Fundaçaó de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de S. Paulo-FAPESP and Instituto Butantan Research Found-FEDIB.We are grateful to Dr A. Brunner, Jr, for the permission to use the electron microscope.