The activity of monoamine oxidases A and B in gamma-irradiated rabbit brains

Summary The activities of monoamine oxidases A and B towards 5-hydroxytryptamine and -phenethylamine, respectively, were compared in the left and right caudatus, hippocampus, parietal cortex, cerebellum and frontal cortex 6 months after gamma-irradiation (single dose of 23 Gy) of either the right hemisphere or of the whole rabbit brain (in which case, a dose of 16 Gy). No difference in monoamine oxidase A or B activities were found in any of the brain regions.Acknowledgment. This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (12x–5664 and 04x–4145), Hansson's, Lion's, Mångberg's and Sundblad's funds.     

Lipid accumulation in mouse hepatocytes after morphine exposure

Summary After morphine injection lipid accumulation in mouse hepatocytes begins within 2 h and continues for 24 h when most hepatocytes are filled with lipid droplets. In spite of morphine maintenance the liver recovers as the accumulated lipids are coupled with protein and subsequently transported and released into the perisinusoidal space of Disse.Supported by USPHS Grants GM 15490, 5 SO7 RR05386-16 and DA-01310.     

Highly purified noradrenaline storage vesicles from bovine splenic nerve trunk: Preliminary electron microscopy

Résumé Les vésicules de la NA du nerf splénique de Buf ont été obtenues par gradient de centrifugation («sucrose-heavy water»), Le rapport NA/protéine observé est de 4 à 7 fois plus élevé que celui qui a été mentionné précédemment. L'examen préliminaire de cette fraction, par microscopie électronique, révèle une couche importante et pratiquement pure de vésicules à la surface du sédiment.

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Supported by Research Career Program Award No. 5-K03-HE-0592 from the Nat. Heart and Lung Inst. and Research Grant No. 5-R01-GM15490 from the Nat. Inst. Gen. Med. Sci., U.S.P.H.S.

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Supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council No. K70-14X-2479-03A and Knut and Alice Wallenbergs Foundation.     

Evidence for the participation of the preoptic area in male mating behaviour

Zusammenfassung Bei Ratten kann durch kleine, umschriebene elektrolytische Läsionen basal in der präoptischen Area das typische Verhalten der männlichen Tiere im Coitus sowohl beim Weibchen als auch beim Männchen ausgelöst werden. Diese Reaktionen werden offenbar durch einen rein neuralen Mechanismus hervorgerufen und scheinen in weitem Masse unabhängig von der Stimulation durch Sexualhormone.     

On the catechol amine levels in blood plasma after stimulation of the sympathoadrenal system

Zusammenfassung Stimulation des sympathicoadrenalen Systems der atropinisierten Katze mit Carbacholin ergab signifikante Mengen von Adrenalin und Noradrenalin im Blutplasma. Bei intakter Nebenniere dominierte Adrenalin, nach Adrenalektomie Noradrenalin. Die Freisetzung von Adrenalin oder Noradrenalin unterblieb bei mit Reserpin vorbehandelten adrenalektomierten Tieren.     

The clerid beetle,Thanasimus formicarius,is attracted to the pheromone of the ambrosia beetle,Trypodendron lineatum

Summary Sticky traps containing (+)-lineatin, the pheromone of the ambrosia beetle,Trypodendron lineatum, attracted the predatorThanasimus formicarius to about the same extent as traps baited with ipslure, the pheromone blend used for mass-trappingIps typographus. The results indicate thatT. lineatum is an important prey forT. formicarius early in the season before the main prey becomes active. Addition ofexo-brevicomin to ipslure and ethanol and/or -pinene to (+)-lineatin did not significantly influence the catches of the predator.     

Kallikrein-related peptidases

Kallikrein 1 (KLK1), a key component of the kallikrein-kinin system, originates from a locus on the long arm of chromosome 19 that contains several related serine endopeptidases. The biological role of these kallikrein-related peptidases is not clear, but emerging evidence suggests that they might be important in several physiological systems, e.g., in male reproduction, skin homeostasis, tooth enamel formation and neural development and plasticity. The kallikrein locus has undergone some major evolutionary events. Most spectacular are relatively recent duplications of KLK1 that have created 13 and 9 functional genes that are unique to the mouse and the rat, respectively. Human paralogs are KLK2 and KLK3: the latter encoding the cancer biomarker prostate-specific antigen. In this review on kallikrein-related peptidases, the focus is on their evolution, their role in skin homeostasis and semen liquefaction, and their utility as cancer biomarkers.