Ultrastructural localization of choline acetyltransferase in vascular endothelial cells in rat brain

Furchgott and Zawadski have shown that acetylcholine (ACh) does not act directly on the smooth muscle of blood vessel walls, but rather via receptors on the endothelial cells lining the lumen, to release an endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). As it is very unlikely that neurotransmitter released from the periarterial nerves, which are confined to the adventitial-medial border, diffuses all the way through the medial muscle coat before acting on endothelial cells to release EDRF to produce vasodilatation, this discovery has been regarded as an indication of a pathophysiological mechanism, rather than a physiological one (see refs 2, 3). ACh is rapidly degraded in the blood by acetylcholinesterase, so that ACh must be released locally to be effective on endothelial cells. Here we demonstrate the immunocytochemical localization of choline acetyltransferase in endothelial cells of small brain vessels, which is consistent with the view that the ACh originates from endothelial cells that can synthesize and store it. We suggest that release of ACh following damage to endothelial cells during ischaemia contributes to a pathophysiological mechanism of vasodilation which protects that segment of vessel from further damage as well as brain cells from hypoxia.     

睾酮与雄激素受体在中国林蛙精巢中的免疫细胞化学定位

用免疫细胞化学方法检测了睾酮(T)和雄激素受体(AR)在中国林蛙生精周期中不同时期精巢内的表达定位.结果显示:在中国林蛙生精周期的Ⅰ～Ⅴ期,T和AR在精原细胞、精母细胞、精子细胞、精子、支持细胞和间质细胞内均有分布.在不同时期的精巢中,T和AR在生精细胞的定位具有一致性.在Ⅱ期,精子细胞内T阳性反应和AR阳性表达最强.在生精周期的Ⅰ～Ⅴ期,支持细胞内T的阳性反应强度无明显变化.在Ⅴ期,支持细胞内AR的阳性表达强度显著高于其他各期,而间质细胞内AR的阳性表达最弱.结果表明,T在中国林蛙精巢内细胞的分化和发育过程中的作用具有高度可变性,T调控中国林蛙精巢的功能和发育.     

mmunohistochemical localization of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors (GnRHR) in the nervous system, Hatschek's pit and gonads of amphioxus, Branchiostoma belcheri

Using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) anti-idiotypic antibodies and APA im-munohistochemical method, the immunoreactivity of GnRHR in the nervous system, Hatschek's pit and gonads of amphioxus has been located. It is found for the first time that the immunoreactivity of GnRHR exists in the nerve cells and fibers in the amphioxus's brain and nerve tube and the epithelial cells of Hatschek's pit at the different stages of gonadal development. At the same time, it is also found that GnRHR also exists in the ovary and testis of different developed stages. These findings provide morphological new proof for the informative transfer and regulation between brain and Hatschek's pit mediation by GnRHR, and for the understanding of the mechanism of action on the reproductive endocrine control axis among brain-Hatschek's pit-go-nads.     

Developmental study on the immunocytochemical localization of NOV protein-containing neurons in the rat brain

The localization and development of nephroblastoma overexpressed gene (nov) protein-immunoreactive neurons in the brain of E8-P300 rats have been studied using immunocytochemistry and image analysis. Results are as follows: No NOV protein-immunoreactive cells were detected in the rat brain during prenatal development. A few of positive cells were detected at the early postnatal stage. However, the number and the immunoreactivity of these cells increased gradually at later stages. NOV-immunoreactive cells were widely distributed in the rat brain during P30–P60. The number of immunoreactive cells and their intensity also peaked within this stage. The number and staining intensity of NOV-positive cells decreased gradually with age. The positive cells were mainly located in cingulate cortex, striatum, hippocampus, hypothalamus, cerebellum and brain stem. The present results indicate thatnov may play an important role in the development and differentiation of brain as well as maintaining the function of brain.     

Discrete cis-active genomic sequences dictate the pituitary cell type-specific expression of rat prolactin and growth hormone genes

The anterior pituitary gland, which is derived from a common primordium originating in Rathke's pouch, contains phenotypically distinct cell types, each of which express discrete trophic hormones: adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin, growth hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)/luteinizing hormone (LH). The structurally related prolactin and growth hormone genes, which are evolutionarily derived from a single primordial gene, are expressed in discrete cell types--lactotrophs and somatotrophs, respectively--with their expression virtually limited to the pituitary gland. The pituitary hormones exhibit a temporal pattern of developmental expression with rat growth hormone and prolactin characteristically being the last hormones expressed. The reported co-expression of these two structurally related neuroendocrine genes within single cells prior to the appearance of mature lactotrophs, in a subpopulation of mature anterior pituitary cells, and in many pituitary adenomas raises the possibility that the prolactin and growth hormone genes are developmentally controlled by a common factor(s). We now report the identification and characterization of nucleotide sequences in the 5'-flanking regions of the rat prolactin and growth hormone genes, respectively, which act in a position- and orientation-independent fashion to transfer cell-specific expression to heterologous genes. At least one putative trans-acting factor required for the growth hormone genomic sequence to exert its effects is apparently different from those modulating the corresponding enhancer element(s) of the prolactin gene because a pituitary 'lactotroph' cell line producing prolactin but not growth hormone selectively fails to express fusion genes containing the growth hormone enhancer sequence.     

Immunohistochemical localization of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors (GnRHR) in the nervous system, Hatschek’s pit and gonads of amphioxus,Branchiostoma belcheri

Using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) anti-idiotypic antibodies and APA immunohistochemical method, the immunoreactivity of GnRHR in the nervous system, Hatschek’s pit and gonads of amphioxus has been located. It is found for the first time that the immunoreactivity of GnRHR exists in the nerve cells and fibers in the amphioxus’s brain and nerve tube and the epithelial cells of Hatschek’s pit at the different stages of gonadal development. At the same time, it is also found that GnRHR also exists in the ovary and testis of different developed stages. These findings provide morphological new proof for the informative transfer and regulation between brain and Hatschek’s pit mediation by GnRHR, and for the understanding of the mechanism of action on the reproductive endocrine control axis among brain-Hatschek’s pit-gonads.     

虹鳟假鳃组织中的碳酸酐酶免疫细胞化学定位

研究目的：假腮的功能早已引起科学家兴趣,但还有待阐明。本文通过研究硬骨鱼类品种虹鳟鱼（Oncorhynchusmykiss）的假腮碳酸酐酶的免疫定位,来探讨假腮碳酸酐酶的生理功能。研究方法：免疫组织化学染色技术。重要结论：免疫组化结果显示碳酸酐酶分布在假腮细胞中,更精确地说是在其细胞顶端分布。细胞基底端、管状系统、毛细血管和柱细胞均无免疫染色。免疫细胞化学定位进一步验证了这些结果,并显示一部分是细胞质碳酸酐酶,其余的与细胞膜结构连接。此外,腔隙层未显示出免疫过氧化物酶的活性。本研究揭示了假腮碳酸酐酶的功能与细胞外介质有关,碳酸酐酶能干预传入神经纤维刺激机制。     

牦牛催乳素受体基因部分片段的克隆与序列分析

扩增出牦牛催乳素受体（尸碰尺）基因部分保守序列,为研究牦牛乳腺组织中朋三尺基因表达水平奠定基础．提取牦牛乳腺组织总RNA,根据NCB1的奶牛Jp月￡只基因cDNA序列的保守区设计特异性引物,采用RT-PCR技术扩增牦牛尸胜尺基N,结果获得577bp的片段,将该片段连接于pMD18-Simple质粒中,转化大肠杆菌,菌液PCR鉴定阳性克隆子,测序并分析氨基酸序列．分析序列与氨基酸与其他物种同源性,结果表明该序列与水牛、奶牛、绵羊、人、小鼠的尸RLR基因mRNA的对应序列的同源性分别为97．40％、99．13％、93．41％、71．07％、60．20％,编码的氨基酸同源性分别为97．40％、100％、95．83％、82-38％、72-22％．     

脊椎动物促性腺激素释放激素的结构、基因表达与调控的研究进展

综述了有关对脊椎动物促性腺激素释放激素的结构、基因表达与调控的研究进展 .阐明促性腺激素释放激素结构多样性 ,功能多样性 ,及其基因表达与调控 ,并对可能的应用前景作简要阐述     

乐至黑山羊催乳素受体基因cDNA克隆及序列分析

根据GenBank中绵羊催乳素受体（PRLR）基因序列（AF041257.1）设计1对引物,以乐至黑山羊脑垂体总RNA为模板,通过RT-PCR技术对乐至黑山羊PRLR基因cDNA克隆测序和序列分析.结果表明：扩增出的乐至黑山羊PRLR基因cDNA序列长为1743bp,编码581个氨基酸.乐至黑山羊与绵羊、牦牛、欧洲牛、野猪和人的核苷酸同源性分别为：98.34％、94.67％、94.27％、77.48％、74.33％.以核苷酸序列构建分子进化树,乐至黑山羊先与绵羊聚为一类,再与欧洲牛和牦牛聚为一类,而后与野猪聚为一类,最后与人聚为一类.