In vitro morphological characterization of the bursal reticuloepithelial (REp) cells of chicken

Summary The REp cells of the bursa follicle medulla of chicken were isolated in vitro. Culture of the REp cells was maintained over a period of 10 days and the cells were observed at 3 and 10 days by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunofluorescence. The use of an anticytokeratin monoclonal antibody confirmed their epithelial nature. TEM observations showed the presence of desmonsomes and tonofilaments, which are characteristic of epithelial cells. Furthermore, to some extent the cells regenerated in vitro the network they form in vivo. Though the growth rate becomes slower with time, the features of the REp cells do not significantly change.     

Alloantigen-specific suppressor t cells can also suppress the in vivo immune response to unrelated alloantigens

Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to both major histocompatibility complex (H-2) and non-H-2-coded antigens can be induced by subcutaneous immunization with allogeneic lymphoid cells in the mouse. While subcutaneous immunization with allogeneic cells preferentially induces DTH reactivity, intravenous immunization, especially with irradiated allogeneic cells, induces a state of suppression. Suppression is manifest both in direct host-versus-graft (HvG) assays and under graft-versus-host (GvH) conditions, where spleen cells of suppressed mice are used to reconstitute irradiated allogeneic hosts. The suppression is mediated by T cells. We have now studied the specificity of the suppressive effect by subcutaneous immunization of 'suppressed' mice with a combination of alloantigens comprising the antigen(s) used to induce the suppressor T cells as well as unrelated alloantigens. We report here that reaction against the third party alloantigens was effectively suppressed, provided these antigens were presented in combination with the antigen(s) that had induced the suppressor T cells. Both sets of alloantigens do not need to be physically associated.     

Chromosome replication in cells of a continuous line derived fromAedes albopictus (Skuse) larvae

Resumen El análisis del cuadro de duplicación cromosómica en una linea celular derivada del mosquitoAedes albopictus (Skuse) reveló un período G2 de 3 horas y la presencia de varias areas de duplicación tardía. La mayor parte de estas aread correspondieron a la heterocromatina constitutiva. Sin embargo, la porción distal de ambos brazos en los pares 2 y 3 mostraron duplicación tardía no asociada con la heterocromatina constitutiva. Se sugiere que estas regiones corresponden al a heterocromatina facultative.     

Linking climate change to lemming cycles

The population cycles of rodents at northern latitudes have puzzled people for centuries, and their impact is manifest throughout the alpine ecosystem. Climate change is known to be able to drive animal population dynamics between stable and cyclic phases, and has been suggested to cause the recent changes in cyclic dynamics of rodents and their predators. But although predator-rodent interactions are commonly argued to be the cause of the Fennoscandian rodent cycles, the role of the environment in the modulation of such dynamics is often poorly understood in natural systems. Hence, quantitative links between climate-driven processes and rodent dynamics have so far been lacking. Here we show that winter weather and snow conditions, together with density dependence in the net population growth rate, account for the observed population dynamics of the rodent community dominated by lemmings (Lemmus lemmus) in an alpine Norwegian core habitat between 1970 and 1997, and predict the observed absence of rodent peak years after 1994. These local rodent dynamics are coherent with alpine bird dynamics both locally and over all of southern Norway, consistent with the influence of large-scale fluctuations in winter conditions. The relationship between commonly available meteorological data and snow conditions indicates that changes in temperature and humidity, and thus conditions in the subnivean space, seem to markedly affect the dynamics of alpine rodents and their linked groups. The pattern of less regular rodent peaks, and corresponding changes in the overall dynamics of the alpine ecosystem, thus seems likely to prevail over a growing area under projected climate change.     

Blocking VEGFR-3 suppresses angiogenic sprouting and vascular network formation

Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature, is a key process in several pathological conditions, including tumour growth and age-related macular degeneration. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) stimulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis by activating VEGF receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinases in endothelial cells. VEGFR-3 (also known as FLT-4) is present in all endothelia during development, and in the adult it becomes restricted to the lymphatic endothelium. However, VEGFR-3 is upregulated in the microvasculature of tumours and wounds. Here we demonstrate that VEGFR-3 is highly expressed in angiogenic sprouts, and genetic targeting of VEGFR-3 or blocking of VEGFR-3 signalling with monoclonal antibodies results in decreased sprouting, vascular density, vessel branching and endothelial cell proliferation in mouse angiogenesis models. Stimulation of VEGFR-3 augmented VEGF-induced angiogenesis and sustained angiogenesis even in the presence of VEGFR-2 (also known as KDR or FLK-1) inhibitors, whereas antibodies against VEGFR-3 and VEGFR-2 in combination resulted in additive inhibition of angiogenesis and tumour growth. Furthermore, genetic or pharmacological disruption of the Notch signalling pathway led to widespread endothelial VEGFR-3 expression and excessive sprouting, which was inhibited by blocking VEGFR-3 signals. Our results implicate VEGFR-3 as a regulator of vascular network formation. Targeting VEGFR-3 may provide additional efficacy for anti-angiogenic therapies, especially towards vessels that are resistant to VEGF or VEGFR-2 inhibitors.