scholarly journals Microtubule dynamics in interphase cells.

1986 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 1020-1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Schulze ◽  
M Kirschner

The sites of microtubule growth and the kinetics of elongation have been studied in vivo by microinjection of biotin-labeled tubulin and subsequent visualization with immunocytochemical probes. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy demonstrate that injected biotin-labeled subunits are incorporated into new segments of growth which are contiguous with unlabeled microtubules. Rapid incorporation occurs by elongation of existing microtubules and new nucleation off the centrosome. The growth rate is 3.6 micron/min and is independent of the concentration of injected labeled tubulin. This rate of incorporation together with turnover of existing microtubules leads to approximately 80% exchange in 15 min. The observed kinetics and pattern of microtubule turnover allow for an evaluation of the relevance of several in vitro models for steady-state dynamics to the in vivo situation. We have also observed a substantial population of quasi-stable microtubules that does not exchange subunits as rapidly as the majority of microtubules and may have specialized functions in the cell.

1989 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-254
Author(s):  
P.M. Bayley ◽  
M.J. Schilstra ◽  
S.R. Martin

A simple formulation of microtubule dynamic instability is presented, which is based on the experimental observations by T. Horio and H. Hotani of coexisting, interconverting growing and shrinking microtubules. Employing only three independent, experimentally determined parameters for a given microtubule end, this treatment accounts quantitatively for the principal features of the observed dynamic behaviour of steady-state tubulin microtubules in vitro. Experimental data are readily reproduced for microtubule length redistribution, and for the kinetics of tubulin exchange processes, including pulse-chase properties. The relative importance of dynamic incorporation and that due to treadmilling are assessed. Dynamic incorporation is found to dominate the overall exchange properties; polarized incorporation due to treadmilling generally becomes significant only when the dynamics are largely suppressed. This treatment also permits simulation of certain cellular phenomena, showing how microtubule renucleation can control microtubule growth, by means of changes in microtubule number concentration in a system at constant microtubule mass. A relatively simple extension of the formulation accounts quantitatively for non-steady-state microtubule properties, e.g. dilution-induced rapid disassembly and the oscillatory mode of microtubule assembly. The principles relating dynamic instability and oscillatory behaviour are clearly indicated. Possible mechanisms of the switching of microtubules are briefly discussed.


Toxics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Tania Charette ◽  
Danyel Bueno Dalto ◽  
Maikel Rosabal ◽  
J. Jacques Matte ◽  
Marc Amyot

Fish consumption is the main exposure pathway of the neurotoxicant methylmercury (MeHg) in humans. The risk associated with exposure to MeHg may be modified by its interactions with selenium (Se) and arsenic (As). In vitro bioaccessibility studies have demonstrated that cooking the fish muscle decreases MeHg solubility markedly and, as a consequence, its potential absorption by the consumer. However, this phenomenon has yet to be validated by in vivo models. Our study aimed to test whether MeHg bioaccessibility can be used as a surrogate to assess the effect of cooking on MeHg in vivo availability. We fed pigs raw and cooked tuna meals and collected blood samples from catheters in the portal vein and carotid artery at: 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360, 420, 480 and 540 min post-meal. In contrast to in vitro models, pig oral bioavailability of MeHg was not affected by cooking, although the MeHg kinetics of absorption was faster for the cooked meal than for the raw meal. We conclude that bioaccessibility should not be readily used as a direct surrogate for in vivo studies and that, in contrast with the in vitro results, the cooking of fish muscle did not decrease the exposure of the consumer to MeHg.


2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1200-1213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anant B Patel ◽  
Robin A de Graaf ◽  
Douglas L Rothman ◽  
Kevin L Behar ◽  
Graeme F Mason

Acetate is a well-known astrocyte-specific substrate that has been used extensively to probe astrocytic function in vitro and in vivo. Analysis of amino acid turnover curves from 13C-acetate has been limited mainly for estimation of first-order rate constants from exponential fitting or calculation of relative rates from steady-state 13C enrichments. In this study, we used 1H-[13C]-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy with intravenous infusion of [2-13C]acetate-Na+ in vivo to measure the cerebral kinetics of acetate transport and utilization in anesthetized rats. Kinetics were assessed using a two-compartment (neuron/astrocyte) analysis of the 13C turnover curves of glutamate-C4 and glutamine-C4 from [2-13C]acetate-Na+, brain acetate levels, and the dependence of steady-state glutamine-C4 enrichment on blood acetate levels. The steady-state enrichment of glutamine-C4 increased with blood acetate concentration until 90% of plateau for plasma acetate of 4 to 5 mmol/L. Analysis assuming reversible, symmetric Michaelis–Menten kinetics for transport yielded 27±2mmol/L and 1.3±0.3 μmol/g/min for Kt and Tmax, respectively, and for utilization, 0.17±0.24 mmol/L and 0.14±0.02 μmol/g/min for KM_util and Vmax_util, respectively. The distribution space for acetate was only 0.32±0.12 mL/g, indicative of a large excluded volume. The astrocytic and neuronal tricarboxylic acid cycle fluxes were 0.37±0.03 μmol/g/min and 1.41±0.11 μmol/g/min, respectively; astrocytes thus comprised ∼21%±3% of total oxidative metabolism.


1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 2146-2149 ◽  
Author(s):  
George S. Baillie ◽  
L. Julia Douglas

ABSTRACT Biofilms of Candida albicans were grown in vitro under iron limitation and at a low growth rate to simulate conditions for implant-associated biofilms in vivo. Their properties were compared with those of glucose-limited biofilms grown under analogous conditions. At steady state, the adherent cell populations of iron-limited biofilms were double those of glucose-limited biofilms, although the growth rates were similar (0.038 to 0.043 h−1). Both biofilm types were resistant to amphotericin B, but daughter cells from iron-limited biofilms were significantly more susceptible to the drug than those from glucose-limited biofilms.


Author(s):  
Beverly E. Maleeff ◽  
Timothy K. Hart ◽  
Stephen J. Wood ◽  
Ronald Wetzel

Alzheimer's disease is characterized post-mortem in part by abnormal extracellular neuritic plaques found in brain tissue. There appears to be a correlation between the severity of Alzheimer's dementia in vivo and the number of plaques found in particular areas of the brain. These plaques are known to be the deposition sites of fibrils of the protein β-amyloid. It is thought that if the assembly of these plaques could be inhibited, the severity of the disease would be decreased. The peptide fragment Aβ, a precursor of the p-amyloid protein, has a 40 amino acid sequence, and has been shown to be toxic to neuronal cells in culture after an aging process of several days. This toxicity corresponds to the kinetics of in vitro amyloid fibril formation. In this study, we report the biochemical and ultrastructural effects of pH and the inhibitory agent hexadecyl-N-methylpiperidinium (HMP) bromide, one of a class of ionic micellar detergents known to be capable of solubilizing hydrophobic peptides, on the in vitro assembly of the peptide fragment Aβ.


1977 ◽  
Vol 16 (04) ◽  
pp. 157-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Schümichen ◽  
B. Mackenbrock ◽  
G. Hoffmann

SummaryThe bone-seeking 99mTc-Sn-pyrophosphate compound (compound A) was diluted both in vitro and in vivo and proved to be unstable both in vitro and in vivo. However, stability was much better in vivo than in vitro and thus the in vitro stability of compound A after dilution in various mediums could be followed up by a consecutive evaluation of the in vivo distribution in the rat. After dilution in neutral normal saline compound A is metastable and after a short half-life it is transformed into the other 99mTc-Sn-pyrophosphate compound A is metastable and after a short half-life in bone but in the kidneys. After dilution in normal saline of low pH and in buffering solutions the stability of compound A is increased. In human plasma compound A is relatively stable but not in plasma water. When compound B is formed in a buffering solution, uptake in the kidneys and excretion in urine is lowered and blood concentration increased.It is assumed that the association of protons to compound A will increase its stability at low concentrations while that to compound B will lead to a strong protein bond in plasma. It is concluded that compound A will not be stable in vivo because of a lack of stability in the extravascular space, and that the protein bond in plasma will be a measure of its in vivo stability.


1981 ◽  
Vol 45 (03) ◽  
pp. 285-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
J P Allain ◽  
A Gaillandre ◽  
D Frommel

SummaryFactor VIII complex and its interaction with antibodies to factor VIII have been studied in 17 non-haemophilic patients with factor VIII inhibitor. Low VIII:C and high VIIIR.Ag levels were found in all patients. VIII:WF levels were 50% of those of VTIIRrAg, possibly related to an increase of poorly aggregated and electrophoretically fast moving VIIIR:Ag oligomers.Antibody function has been characterized by kinetics of VIII :C inactivation, saturability by normal plasma and the slope of the affinity curve. Two major patterns were observed:1) Antibodies from 6 patients behaved similarly to those from haemophiliacs by showing second order inhibition kinetics, easy saturability and steep affinity slope (> 1).2) Antibodies from other patients, usually with lower titres, inactivated VIII :C according to complex order kinetics, were not saturable, and had a less steep affinity slope (< 0.7). In native plasma, or after mixing with factor VIII concentrate, antibodies of the second group did not form immune complexes with the whole factor VIII molecular complex. However, dissociation procedures did release some antibodies from apparently low molecular weight complexes formed in vivo or in vitro. For appropriate management of non-haemophilic patients with factor VIII inhibitor, it is important to determine the functional properties of their antibodies to factor VIII.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Najmi Mohamad Anuar ◽  
Nurul Iman Natasya Zulkafali ◽  
Azizah Ugusman

: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of zinc-dependent metallo-endopeptidase that are responsible towards the degradation, repair and remodelling of extracellular matrix components. MMPs play an important role in maintaining a normal physiological function and preventing diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Natural products derived from plants have been used as traditional medicine for centuries. Its active compounds, such as catechin, resveratrol and quercetin, are suggested to play an important role as MMPs inhibitors, thereby opening new insights into their applications in many fields, such as pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. This review summarises the current knowledge on plant-derived natural products with MMP-modulating activities. Most of the reviewed plant-derived products exhibit an inhibitory activity on MMPs. Amongst MMPs, MMP-2 and MMP-9 are the most studied. The expression of MMPs is inhibited through respective signalling pathways, such as MAPK, NF-κB and PI3 kinase pathways, which contribute to the reduction in cancer cell behaviours, such as proliferation and migration. Most studies have employed in vitro models, but a limited number of animal studies and clinical trials have been conducted. Even though plant-derived products show promising results in modulating MMPs, more in vivo studies and clinical trials are needed to support their therapeutic applications in the future.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Mariusz Dziadas ◽  
Adam Junka ◽  
Henryk Jeleń

Eugenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, also referred to as Citrusin C, is a natural glucoside found among others in cloves, basil and cinnamon plants. Eugenol in a form of free aglycone is used in perfumeries, flavourings, essential oils and in medicinal products. Synthetic Citrusin C was incubated with human saliva in several in vitro models together with substrate-specific enzyme and antibiotics (clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin trihydrate and potassium clavulanate). Citrusin C was detected using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Citrusin C was completely degraded only when incubated with substrate-specific A. niger glucosidase E.C 3.2.1.21 (control sample) and when incubated with human saliva (tested sample). The addition of antibiotics to the above-described experimental setting, stopped Citrusin C degradation, indicating microbiologic origin of hydrolysis observed. Our results demonstrate that Citrusin C is subjected to complete degradation by salivary/oral cavity microorganisms. Extrapolation of our results allows to state that in the human oral cavity, virtually all β-D-glucosides would follow this type of hydrolysis. Additionally, a new method was developed for an in vivo rapid test of glucosidase activity in the human mouth on the tongue using fluorescein-di-β-D-glucoside as substrate. The results presented in this study serve as a proof of concept for the hypothesis that microbial hydrolysis path of β-D-glucosides begins immediately in the human mouth and releases the aglycone directly into the gastrointestinal tract.


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