scholarly journals Evidence of proteins, chromosomes and chemical markers of DNA in exceptionally preserved dinosaur cartilage

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 815-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alida M Bailleul ◽  
Wenxia Zheng ◽  
John R Horner ◽  
Brian K Hall ◽  
Casey M Holliday ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Collagen Type ◽  
Molecular Level ◽  
Nuclear Material ◽  
Chemical Markers ◽  
Isolated Cells ◽  
Molecular Features ◽  
In Situ Preservation ◽  
Calcified Cartilage ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Components

Abstract A histological ground-section from a duck-billed dinosaur nestling (Hypacrosaurus stebingeri) revealed microstructures morphologically consistent with nuclei and chromosomes in cells within calcified cartilage. We hypothesized that this exceptional cellular preservation extended to the molecular level and had molecular features in common with extant avian cartilage. Histochemical and immunological evidence supports in situ preservation of extracellular matrix components found in extant cartilage, including glycosaminoglycans and collagen type II. Furthermore, isolated Hypacrosaurus chondrocytes react positively with two DNA intercalating stains. Specific DNA staining is only observed inside the isolated cells, suggesting endogenous nuclear material survived fossilization. Our data support the hypothesis that calcified cartilage is preserved at the molecular level in this Mesozoic material, and suggest that remnants of once-living chondrocytes, including their DNA, may preserve for millions of years.

In situ nanoscale visualization of solvent effects on molecular crystal surfaces

CrystEngComm ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikkel Herzberg ◽  
Anders Støttrup Larsen ◽  
Tue Hassenkam ◽  
Anders Østergaard Madsen ◽  
Jukka Rantanen
Keyword(s):  
Solid Solution ◽  
Solvent Effects ◽  
Molecular Crystal ◽  
Rational Design ◽  
Molecular Level ◽  
Molecular Crystals ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Solution Interface ◽  
Atomic Force

Solvents can dramatically affect molecular crystals. Obtaining favorable properties for these crystals requires rational design based on molecular level understanding of the solid-solution interface. Here we show how atomic force...

scholarly journals An In-Situ Reaction Route to Molecular Level Dispersed Bisimide and ZnO Nanorod Hybrids with Efficient Photo-Induced Charge Transfer

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunzheng Lv ◽  
Lirong He ◽  
Jiahong Tang ◽  
Feng Yang ◽  
Chuhong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Charge Transfer ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Molecular Level ◽  
Surface Photovoltage ◽  
Zno Nanorod ◽  
In Situ Reaction ◽  
Perylene Bisimide ◽  
Induced Charge

AbstractAs an important photoconductive hybrid material, perylene/ZnO has attracted tremendous attention for photovoltaic-related applications, but generally faces a great challenge to design molecular level dispersed perylenes/ZnO nanohybrids due to easy phase separation between perylenes and ZnO nanocrystals. In this work, we reported an in-situ reaction method to prepare molecular level dispersed H-aggregates of perylene bisimide/ZnO nanorod hybrids. Surface photovoltage and electric field-induced surface photovoltage spectrum show that the photovoltage intensities of nanorod hybrids increased dramatically for 100 times compared with that of pristine perylene bisimide. The enhancement of photovoltage intensities resulting from two aspects: (1) the photo-generated electrons transfer from perylene bisimide to ZnO nanorod due to the electric field formed on the interface of perylene bisimide/ZnO; (2) the H-aggregates of perylene bisimide in ZnO nanorod composites, which is beneficial for photo-generated charge separation and transportation. The introduction of ordered self-assembly thiol-functionalized perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (T-PTCDI)/ ZnO nanorod composites induces a significant improvement in incident photo-to-electron conversion efficiency. This work provides a novel mentality to boost photo-induced charge transfer efficiency, which brings new inspiration for the preparation of the highly efficient solar cell.

Role of physical forces in compensatory growth of the lung

1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (4) ◽  
pp. L179-L189 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Rannels
Keyword(s):  
Cell Shape ◽  
Compensatory Growth ◽  
Normal Lung ◽  
Physical Factors ◽  
Physical Force ◽  
Isolated Cells ◽  
Paracrine Factors ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Components ◽  
Hormonal Modulation ◽  
Physical Forces

In many species, partial resection of the lung leads to rapid compensatory growth of the remaining tissue to restore normal lung mass and function. The response to partial pneumonectomy is closely controlled; both its rate and nature are subject to hormonal modulation. Physical factors, particularly distortion of the lung by altered inflation, are likely involved in regulation of the response, although the details of the regulatory mechanisms are not understood. In a number of tissues including the lung, application of external physical force leads to both acute and long-term changes in metabolism. In some cases these include cell growth and division, along with increased production of extracellular matrix components. Similar responses have been described after application of stress to isolated cells in culture. Independent lines of investigation have defined dramatic influences of cell shape on growth, differentiation, and metabolism, but stress-strain relationships at the cellular or subcellular levels are poorly defined. The mechanisms by which changes in cell shape are transduced to intracellular signals likely depend on receptor-mediated interactions with the cytoskeleton, but strain-associated transduction pathways may involve stretch-sensitive ion channels, G protein-dependent reactions, the action of locally produced autocrine or paracrine factors, or a combination of these factors. These observations suggest a general model of the response to pneumonectomy that may be used to formulate specific hypotheses as a basis for future investigations. This approach will provide insight into the mechanisms by which physical forces influence growth and metabolism in the lung and other tissues.

scholarly journals HIGH-YIELD PREPARATION OF ISOLATED RAT LIVER PARENCHYMAL CELLS

1969 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 506-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. N. Berry ◽  
D. S. Friend
Keyword(s):  
Gap Junctions ◽  
Rat Liver ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Cell Injury ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Isolated Cells ◽  
Nylon Mesh ◽  
Parenchymal Cells

A new technique employing continuous recirculating perfusion of the rat liver in situ, shaking of the liver in buffer in vitro, and filtration of the tissue through nylon mesh, results in the conversion of about 50% of the liver into intact, isolated parenchymal cells. The perfusion media consist of: (a) calcium-free Hanks' solution containing 0.05% collagenase and 0.10% hyaluronidase, and (b) magnesium and calcium-free Hanks' solution containing 2 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetate. Biochemical and morphologic studies indicate that the isolated cells are viable. They respire in a medium containing calcium ions, synthesize glucose from lactate, are impermeable to inulin, do not stain with trypan blue, and retain their structural integrity. Electron microscopy of biopsies taken during and after perfusion reveals that desmosomes are quickly cleaved. Hemidesmosome-containing areas of the cell membrane invaginate and appear to pinch off and migrate centrally. Tight and gap junctions, however, persist on the intact, isolated cells, retaining small segments of cytoplasm from formerly apposing parenchymal cells. Cells which do not retain tight and gap junctions display swelling of Golgi vacuoles and vacuoles in the peripheral cytoplasm. Cytoplasmic vacuolization in a small percentage of cells and potassium loss are the only indications of cell injury detected. By other parameters measured, the isolated cells are comparable to normal hepatic parenchymal cells in situ in appearance and function.

scholarly journals Compartmentalization of membrane trafficking, glucose transport, glycolysis, actin, tubulin and the proteasome in the cytoplasmic droplet/Hermes body of epididymal sperm

Open Biology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 150080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine E. Au ◽  
Louis Hermo ◽  
Elliot Byrne ◽  
Jeffrey Smirle ◽  
Ali Fazel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Trafficking ◽  
Glucose Transporter ◽  
Molecular Level ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Cytoskeletal Proteins ◽  
Epididymal Sperm ◽  
Quantitative Electron Microscopy ◽  
Cytoplasmic Droplet ◽  
Germ Cell Differentiation

Discovered in 1909 by Retzius and described mainly by morphology, the cytoplasmic droplet of sperm (renamed here the Hermes body) is conserved among all mammalian species but largely undefined at the molecular level. Tandem mass spectrometry of the isolated Hermes body from rat epididymal sperm characterized 1511 proteins, 43 of which were localized to the structure in situ by light microscopy and two by quantitative electron microscopy localization. Glucose transporter 3 (GLUT-3) glycolytic enzymes, selected membrane traffic and cytoskeletal proteins were highly abundant and concentrated in the Hermes body. By electron microscope gold antibody labelling, the Golgi trafficking protein TMED7/p27 localized to unstacked flattened cisternae of the Hermes body, as did GLUT-3, the most abundant protein. Its biogenesis was deduced through the mapping of protein expression for all 43 proteins during male germ cell differentiation in the testis. It is at the terminal step 19 of spermiogenesis that the 43 characteristic proteins accumulated in the nascent Hermes body.

A Full-Ocean-Depth Sampler for Hadal Microbes Based on Multistage Membrane Filters With In-Situ Preservation

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-34
Author(s):  
Jiawang Chen ◽  
Weitao He ◽  
Peng Zhou ◽  
Jiasong Fang ◽  
Dahai Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ribonucleic Acid ◽  
Gene Pool ◽  
Special Structure ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Mariana Trench ◽  
Membrane Filters ◽  
In Situ Preservation ◽  
Microbial Samples ◽  
Flow Pump

Abstract In order to obtain high-quality microbial samples from the hadal zone, which has a depth of over 6,000 m, a full-ocean-depth sampler with the function of in-situ filtration and preservation was developed. A flow pump and several membrane filters were used for in-situ filtration under the sea. With a multistage filtering structure, the microbes can be initially screened according to their sizes. To avoid the degradation of microbial ribonucleic acid (RNA), a special structure was designed to inject the RNAlater solution into the samples immediately after the filtration. The sampler was tested in our laboratory and deployed during Mariana TS-15 in 2019. It was installed on a hadal lander of Shanghai Ocean University and deployed at MBR02 (11.371°N, 142.587°E, 10,931 m) in the Mariana Trench. A total of 20 L of in-situ seawater was filtered, and membranes with pore sizes of 3 and 0.2 μm were preserved. The study is expected to provide important support for the establishment of a hadal microbial gene pool.

scholarly journals The ciliary protein IFT88 controls post-natal cartilage thickness and influences development of osteoarthritis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Coveney ◽  
L Zhu ◽  
J Miotla-Zarebska ◽  
B Stott ◽  
I Parisi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Articular Cartilage ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Articular Chondrocytes ◽  
Skeletal Development ◽  
Cartilage Degradation ◽  
Cartilage Thickness ◽  
Tissue Growth ◽  
Calcified Cartilage ◽  
Health And Disease

AbstractMechanical forces are known to drive cellular signalling programmes in cartilage development, health, and disease. Proteins of the primary cilium, implicated in mechanoregulation, control cartilage formation during skeletal development, but their role in post-natal cartilage is unknown. Ift88fl/fl and AggrecanCreERT2 mice were crossed to create a cartilage specific inducible knockout mouse AggrecanCreERT2;Ift88fl/fl. Tibial articular cartilage thickness was assessed, through adolescence and adulthood, by histomorphometry and integrity by OARSI score. In situ cell biology was investigated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qPCR of micro-dissected cartilage. OA was induced by destabilisation of the medial meniscus (DMM). Some mice were provided with exercise wheels in their cage. Deletion of IFT88 resulted in a reduction in medial articular cartilage thickness (atrophy) during adolescence from 102.57μm, 95% CI [94.30, 119.80] in control (Ift88fl/fl) to 87.36μm 95% CI [81.35, 90.97] in AggrecanCreERT2;Ift88fl/fl by 8-weeks p<0.01, and adulthood (104.00μm, 95% CI [100.30, 110.50] in Ift88fl/fl to 89.42μm 95% CI [84.00, 93.49] in AggrecanCreERT2;Ift88fl/fl, 34-weeks, p<0.0001) through a reduction in calcified cartilage. Thinning in adulthood was associated with spontaneous cartilage degradation. Following DMM, AggrecanCreERT2;Ift88fl/fl mice had increased OA (OARSI scores at 12 weeks Ift88fl/fl = 22.08 +/− 9.30, and AggrecanCreERT2;Ift88fl/fl = 29.83 +/− 7.69). Atrophy was not associated with aggrecanase-mediated destruction or chondrocyte hypertrophy. Ift88 expression positively correlated with Tcf7l2 and connective tissue growth factor. Cartilage thickness was restored in AggrecanCreERT2;Ift88fl/fl by voluntary wheel exercise. Our results demonstrate that ciliary IFT88 regulates cartilage thickness and is chondroprotective, potentially through modulating mechanotransduction pathways in articular chondrocytes.

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