Pattern of membrane invaginations at the surface of smooth muscle cells of rabbit arteries

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe der Gefrierätzung wurde die Oberfläche glatter Muskelzellen von Kaninchenarterien (A. ilica) dargestellt. Die Aufsicht zeigt ein charakteristisches Muster von parallel zur Zellachse verlaufenden Streifen, welche aus einer bis mehreren Reihen einheitlich grosser Membraneinstülpungen (Caveolae intracellulares) bestehen.

---

---

The authors wish to thank Prof.H. Moor, Department of General Botany, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich (Switzerland), for advice and freeze-etching facilities.     

125I-Insulin is preferentially internalized in regions of the hepatocytes rich in lysosomal and Golgi structures

Summary ¹²⁵I-Insulin initially localizes to the plasma membrane of isolated rat hepatocytes but is subsequently internalized and preferentially associates with lysosomal structures. In the present study, we show that this preferential association to lysosomes occurs in regions of the cell rich in lysosomal and Golgi structures.This work was performed while Dr Gorden was visiting professor of the Institute of Histology and Embryology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.This work was supported by grant No. 3.120.77 from Swiss National Science Foundation. We thank M.M. Sidler-Ansermet, O. Jerotic and N. Maalaoui for their valuable help.     

Divalent cation-phospholipid complexes and tumor growth inhibition

Summary Growth inhibition of DS sarcomas provoked by calcitonin treatment is accompanied by an increase of calcium and magnesium in the phospholipid fraction. Changes in tumor cell membrane characteristics reflected in ionic or molecular transport modifications seem to be involved in the growth impairment phenomenon.We thank Prof. K. Goerttler, Institut für experimentelle Pathologie, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg (Federal Republic of Germany) for the DS sarcoma tumors, and Sandoz SA, Bâle, Switzerland for the gift of salmon calcitonin.     

Effect of diphosphonates on ATP and Pi content,Pi uptake and energy charge of cultured calvaria cells

Summary In previous studies we have shown that glycolysis is strongly inhibited in cultured calvaria cells treated with ethane-1-hydroxy-1, 1-diphosphonate (EHDP) or dichloromethanediphosphonate (Cl₂MDP). This study shows that the energy charge of the adenylate pool, and the ATP and Pi content, were not changed by treatment with diphosphonates except for a slight decrease of ATP and Pi at 0.25 mM Cl₂ MDP. The uptake of Pi was diminished by 50% and 20% in cells treated for 6 days with Cl₂MDP or EHDP, respectively, but not when diphosphonates were present only during the uptake studies.Acknowledgments. We thank Miss B. Wyss for her skilled technical assistance. This work has been supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant Nos 3.725.76 and 3.824.79), by the Procter & Gamble Company, USA, and by the Ausbildungs- und Förderungsfonds der Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthese (AO), Chur, Switzerland.     

Postnatal variations of extracellular free calcium levels in the rat. Influence of undernutrition

Summary Ontogenetic changes in calcium activity were directly measured using an ion-selective micropipette in rat blood plasma and olfactory bulb extracellular fluid. Significant differences were observed according to the age and the nutritional state of the animal.We are grateful to Prof. W. Simon, Swiss Federal Institue of Technology, for providing the neutral carrier Ca²⁺ ion exchanger.     

Hundert Jahre Schweizer-Reagens

Summary Cuprammonia as a solvent for cellulose was discovered a hundred years ago byEduard Schweizer, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Zurich, and the heterogeneous swelling of plant fibres with this reagent was described in the same year byCarl Cramer, Professor of Botany at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology then recently founded. Both discoveries were published in the Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft Zürich 1857 and early 1858.     

Inhibition of hepatic Na+, K+-adenosinetriphosphatase in taurolithocholate-induced cholestasis in the rat

Summary Na⁺, K⁺-adenosinetriphosphatase (Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase) activity was decreased in liver plasma membranes from rats in which cholestasis had been induced by i.v. administration of sodium taurolithocholate (5 moles/100 g b. wt). Incubation of liver plasma membranes with taurolithocholate (10–1300 M) caused significant and dose dependent reductions of Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity at taurolithocholate concentrations above 100 M. These findings lend support to the hypothesis that cholestasis induced by monohydroxy bile acids is at least partially the result of an inhibition of hepatic Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity.This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.The authors thank Mr H. Sägesser and Miss B. Schütz for technical assistance.     

Lack of correlation between structural features and function of synthetic agents tested for leukocyte chemotaxis

Summary A number of proteins, poly-L-amino acids, oligopeptides and lipids were tested for neutrophil, cosinophil and macrophage chemotactic activity. One myoglobin preparation was active. Based on the negative findings for all other substances, primary structure, secondary structure, degree of hydrophobicity, size and charge of a molecule, could be ruled out as structural features recognized by chemotactically responding phagocytes.I thank Dr J. H. Wissler for suggesting the reported experiments and Dr M. Landy and Prof. E. Sorkin for advice and criticism during preparation of this article. The excellent assistance by Mrs J. Kerschbaumer-Bech and Miss Margrit Bühlmann is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research, grant 3.8750.72, and by Sandoz-Stiftung, Basel.     

Transferrin: Intermolecular iron exchange

Zusammenfassung Die Eisenabgabefähigkeit doppelt beladener Transferrinmoleküle an Retikulozyten, ist jener einfach beladener Moleküle überlegen, und vermindert sich rasch wenn Serum unter physiologischen Bedingungen inkubiert wird. Als Erklärung wird die Neuverteilung von Eisenatomen unter den Transferrinbindungsstellen postuliert.

---

---

This work was supported by Grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Grant No. 3.7710.72) and the Hartmann Müller Foundation.     

Bromocryptine treatment and puberty attainment in the female rat

Summary The influence of bromocryptine treatment on the timing of vaginal patency and 1st oestrus in female rats was studied. No significant influence of bromocryptine on these parameters was noted, and it is concluded that suppression of prolactin secretion has no effect on puberty attainment.Acknowledgment. We thank Professor E. Flückiger and Dr H. Friedli, Pharmaceutical Division, Sandoz Ltd, Basle, Switzerland, for the donation of bromocryptine mesylate.     

Chemotaxis of leucocytes

Summary It is the purpose of this review to provide a survey of some more recent work on chemotaxis of leucocytes. Attention was drawn to the existence of a variety of cytotaxins (chemotactic mediators) and in particular to their cell specificity. The significance of these different cytotaxins for the accumulation of leucocytes in inflammatory sites in vivo is discussed.

---

Zusammenfassung Die Aktivität chemischer Substanzen, die Wanderungsrichtung von Zellen zu bestimmen, wird als Chemotaxis bezeichnet. Chemotaxis ist von erheblichem biologischem Interesse; sie dient der Reproduktion, der Ernährung, der zellulären Organisation oder der Vermeidung schädlicher Stoffe bei Pflanzen und Tieren.Das Referat vermittelt einen kritischen Überblick über neuere Arbeiten über Chemotaxis von Leukozyten, und es wird die Bedeutung dieses Vorganges für die entzündliche Ansammlung von Leukozyten diskutiert.

---

---

This work was supported by the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research, Grant No. 4518 and by the World Health Organization.     

Effect of halogenmethylenebisphosphonates on bone cells in culture and on bone resorption in vivo

Summary Dihalogenmethylenebisphosphonates increase alkaline phosphatase activity and fatty acid oxidation in calvaria cells in culture (Cl₂MBP>Br₂MBPF₂MBP). The monohalogen C1MBP and the non-halogenated analogues are less active on phosphatase and inactive on or inhibitory towards fatty acid oxidation. The three dihalogenbisphosphonates and C1MBP inhibit bone resorption in vivo, Cl₂MBP most strongly.Acknowledgments. We thank Miss M.-L. Aebersold, Miss J. Portenier, Mrs I. Tschudi and Mrs Ch. Marti for their skilled technical assistance. This work has been supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant 3.937.82), by the Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, USA, by the Istituto Gentili S.p.A., Pisa, Italy, and by the Ausbildungs- und Förderungsfonds der Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthese (AO), Chur, Switzerland.     

The delta sleep inducing peptide (DSIP). Comparative properties of the original and synthetic nonapeptide

Summary Both the original and the synthetic nonapeptide Trp-Ala-Gly-Gly-Asp-Ala-Ser-Gly-Glu enhance, in recipient rabbits, spindle and delta EEG activity as in orthodox slow wave sleep.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by grants from the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research (No. 3.871.72, 3.527.75,3.443.074, 3.780.076), Fonds für Lehre und Forschung der Universität Basel, Merck Sharp and Dohme (USA), Ciba-Stiftung Basel, Hoffmann La Roche Ltd Basel, Sandoz Ltd Basel. We received valuable help from Dr S. Roncari, Dr B. Wilson and Dr C. D. Bennett for chemical research, and from Prof. A. Cerletti, Dr H. J. Tobler and Mr J. J. Regez (Division of Application and Research Development, Sandoz Ltd) for data processing.     

Hemolymph proteins in an ascitic condition,induced by lethal1(3)gl tumorous tissue inDrosophila hydei

Summary Drosophila hydei larvae homozygous for the gene1(3)gl may survive to the age of 3 weeks, become bloated and be incapable of metamorphosis. Wild-type flies after the injection of a fragment of the1(3)gl disc, which has been previously culture in vivo for 40–500 days, also become bloated (ascitic reaction). In the hemolymph of both the advanced1(3)gl larvae and ascitic adult hosts the accumulation of a specific protein is observed.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under Grant No.3.792-0.76 and the Georges und Antoine Claraz-Schenkung. We thank Prof. H. Gloor, University of Geneva, and Prof. P.S. Chen, University of Zürich, for advice and criticism.     

Antibody production in bursectomized chickens treated with lipid and protein fractions from bursa,thymus and liver

Zusammenfassung Neugeborene bursaektomierte Küken wurden mit aus der Thymus, Bursa fabricii und Leber isolierten Lipid- und Protein-Fraktionen behandelt und hernach durch menschliche Erythrocyten immunisiert. Einige dieser Fraktionen, einschliesslich der Leberproteine und Leberlipide, führen zu einer Erhöhung der Hämagglutinin-Produktion.

---

---

This work was supported by grants from the Federal Scientific Fund, and Republic Scientific Fund, Belgrade.     

Switzerland The Annual Report for 1987 of the Swiss National Science Foundation

Switzerland The Annual Report for 1987 of the Swiss National Science Foundation     

A highly active glutathione peroxidase in red blood cells of normal and acatalasemic mice

Summary The activities of catalase (E.C.1.11.1.6) and glutathione peroxidase (E.C.1.11.1.9) were compared in red blood cells from humans, ducks and normal and acatalasemic mice. In the cells from both strains of mice, an equally high activity of GSH-Px was found which could be inhibited completely by iodoacetate but was not sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Gesellschaft für Strahlen- und Umwelt-forschung, München, Federal Republic of Germany, and was performed under contract with the U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration at the University of Rochester Biomedical and Environmental Research Project and has been assigned Report. No. UR-3490-1138.     

Computer-compatible system for continuous volumetric measurement of water consumption

Summary An inexpensive drinkometer system is described that is compatible with most data acquisition systems and can be used for continuously monitoring the drinking pattern of laboratory animals. The change in electrical inductance resulting from the descent of a free-floating ferrite unit through a drinking tube, surrounded by a double coil, is converted to a signal proportional to the volume of fluid consumed.The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Mr C. Friedinger, Mr V. Studer and Mr J. Wespi. This research was supported by a grant from the Swiss Association of Cigarette Manufacturers to K. Bättig and a predoctoral fellowship from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology to W. Classen.     

Induced griseofulvin. Resistance ofAchorion quinckeanum in vitro and in vivo

Résumé Avec une souche d'Achorion quinckeanum, devenue résistante à la griséofulvine in vitro, on a inoculé des cobayes et montré que la souche résistante in vitro est aussi résistante in vivo.

---

---

This work was made possible by a subsidy from the Swiss National Fund for Scientific Research.

---

Former resident of the Department of Dermatology (University of Zagreb, Yugoslavia) and now in the Department of Dermatology (University of Geneva, Switzerland).     

Thymus and adoptive transfer of antibody formation

Zusammenfassung Bei Thymus- und Milzimplantation auf die chorioalantoide Membran von Kückenembryonen, die mit humanen O-Erythrozyten immunisiert wurden, wird O-Hämagglutinin erzeugt. Die Bursa ist nicht in der Lage, adoptive Antikörper zu bilden.

---

---

This work was supported by grants from the Federal Scientific Fund, Belgrade.