A simple one-step procedure for staining the nucleolus organizer regions

Summary A simple silver staining technique for routine use is described by which the nucleolus organizer regions of mammalian chromosomes, including those of mouse chromosomes, are stained selectively.Acknowledgment. We would like to thank Prof. Dr K. Sperling for critical and helpful discussion.     

Plasma free and total tryptophan during the oestrus cycle,in ovariectomized and in male rats

Summary Plasma free tryptophan was higher during prooestrus and early oestrus than at metoestrus or in ovariectomized or male rats. In contrast, total tryptophan was higher in ovariectomized and male rats than at any time in cycling females.     

Thymine dimer repair in fibroblasts of patients with dysplastic naevus syndrome (DNS)

Dysplastic naevus syndrome (DNS) is frequently observed in association with familial melanoma and xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), but the role of UV-light in the development of DNS has not been elucidated. Previous work has shown that UV-induced unscheduled DNA synthesis is associated with the early loss of antigenicity observed in immunoassays using a monoclonal antibody specific for thymine-thymine dimers. We now show that the rate of loss of antigenicity, which reflects the relative amount of bound antibody, observed during the first 60 min following 10 Jm-2 UVC irradiation is significantly reduced (p = 0.02) in cultures of fibroblasts from 7 out of 8 DNS patients compared with the results from cells of a group of 30 healthy volunteers. This observation suggests an early event in excision repair is altered in the majority of DNS patients.     

K-p-Nitrophenylphosphatase activity,Na and K content,Na permeability and membrane lipid composition in rabbit myocardium after cholesterol rich diet

Summary The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a cholesterol-rich diet on membrane function and lipid composition in rabbit myocardium. The activity and the ouabain sensitivity of the K-p-nitrophenylphosphatase (K-pNPPase), a partial reaction of the Na, K-ATPase, were diminished after a cholesterol/oil or pure cholesterol diet. The content of cholesterol, cholesterol esters and of several classes of phospholipids was enhanced in microsomes. A causal relationship is assumed between cholesterol accumulation and a decrease in membrane fluidity as well as in Na, K-ATPase activity. The intracellular Na content and the Na-Li-exchange rate were higher after the cholesterol diet. The increase in the Na content is supposed to be induced by a lower Na transport and a higher Na permeability. An enhanced Ca flux via the sarcolemma could be the consequence.To whom reprints should be addressed     

The physiological effects of ionic lanthanum on the insect blood-brain barrier

Summary Lanthanum had a small effect on the barrier, but did not significantly increase its sodium or patossium permeability. There was no effect on nerve conduction unless the barrier was deliberately damaged. The results lend confidence to the use of lanthanum as an extracellular tracer.     

Human growth hormone in urine: development of an ultrasensitive radiometric assay

An immunoradiometric assay for human growth hormone (HGH) has been developed which has a detection limit of 1 ng/l and can measure HGH in unextracted urine from normal children and adults. The assay is based on a two-step procedure, using a solid-phase goat-anti-HGH immunosorbent for immunoextraction and [125I]-labeled monoclonal HGH-antibody for detection and quantification. The assay is not affected by urea, NaCl or changes of pH from 5-8. The mean urine HGH concentration in normal children is 6.78 +/- 7.6 (SD) pg/ml, in patients with HGH-deficiency 1.3 +/- 0.9 pg/ml which increases to 11.7 +/- 13.4 pg/ml on the day of growth hormone injection.     

Possible target of Abelson virus phosphokinase in cell transformation

By fusing interphase cells to cells undergoing mitosis, the interphase chromosomes can be visualized. When analyzed in this way, chromosomes of normal mouse cells show characteristic undercondensed centromeric regions. We have found that the centromeric regions of chromosomes from Abelson virus-transformed cells are fully condensed. Abelson virus transforms mouse cells by introducing into them a virally encoded phosphokinase that is expressed constitutively. Thus, we propose that the condensation of centromeric chromatin is a result of overphosphorylation by the Abelson virus phosphokinase, and that the centromeric region is the relevant target of overphosphorylation in transformed cell growth.