Changes in nucleoli and nucleolar fibrillar centres of chromaffin cells in rat adrenal medulla over a 24-hour period: an ultrastructural and stereological analysis

1985 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 255-262
Author(s):  
A. Robaglia ◽  
R. Seite

A stereological and ultrastructural study was performed on the nucleoli of the adrenal medulla chromaffin cells of rats exposed to a standardized 12 h light/12 h dark cycle with free access to food and water. The animals were killed three at a time, every 4 h during the 24-h span and fixed by intracardiac perfusion. In these reticulated nucleoli, the stereological analysis over a 24-h period showed a variation dependent on the time of killing for the two parameters investigated, the mean nucleolar volume, Vnu, and the mean volume of the fibrillar centres, Vfc(nu). The minimal value occurred at 0300 h (dark span) and the maximal one at 0700 h (at the onset of the light span). Between these two extreme values, Vnu increased 1.8-fold and Vfc(nu) 5.3-fold. These data are compared with a previous description from our laboratory of circadian rhythm in nucleoli of sympathetic neurons of superior cervical ganglion in the same animals. Analogies and differences are pointed out, but apart from these considerations the present study provides a new example of temporal organization at the cellular level in the organelle involved in ribosomal RNA synthesis and ribosome assembly.

Development ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (20) ◽  
pp. 4729-4738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Huber ◽  
Barbara Brühl ◽  
François Guillemot ◽  
Eric N. Olson ◽  
Uwe Ernsberger ◽  
...  

The sympathoadrenal (SA) cell lineage is a derivative of the neural crest (NC), which gives rise to sympathetic neurons and neuroendocrine chromaffin cells. Signals that are important for specification of these two types of cells are largely unknown. MASH1 plays an important role for neuronal as well as catecholaminergic differentiation. Mash1 knockout mice display severe deficits in sympathetic ganglia, yet their adrenal medulla has been reported to be largely normal suggesting that MASH1 is essential for neuronal but not for neuroendocrine differentiation. We show now that MASH1 function is necessary for the development of the vast majority of chromaffin cells. Most adrenal medullary cells in Mash1–/– mice identified by Phox2b immunoreactivity, lack the catecholaminergic marker tyrosine hydroxylase. Mash1 mutant and wild-type mice have almost identical numbers of Phox2b-positive cells in their adrenal glands at embryonic day (E) 13.5; however, only one-third of the Phox2b-positive adrenal cell population seen in Mash1+/+ mice is maintained in Mash1–/– mice at birth. Similar to Phox2b, cells expressing Phox2a and Hand2 (dHand) clearly outnumber TH-positive cells. Most cells in the adrenal medulla of Mash1–/– mice do not contain chromaffin granules, display a very immature, neuroblast-like phenotype, and, unlike wild-type adrenal chromaffin cells, show prolonged expression of neurofilament and Ret comparable with that observed in wild-type sympathetic ganglia. However, few chromaffin cells in Mash1–/– mice become PNMT positive and downregulate neurofilament and Ret expression. Together, these findings suggest that the development of chomaffin cells does depend on MASH1 function not only for catecholaminergic differentiation but also for general chromaffin cell differentiation.


1966 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 170-180
Author(s):  
D. L. Crawford

Early in the 1950's Strömgren (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) introduced medium to narrow-band interference filter photometry at the McDonald Observatory. He used six interference filters to obtain two parameters of astrophysical interest. These parameters he calledlandc, for line and continuum hydrogen absorption. The first measured empirically the absorption line strength of Hβby means of a filter of half width 35Å centered on Hβand compared to the mean of two filters situated in the continuum near Hβ. The second index measured empirically the Balmer discontinuity by means of a filter situated below the Balmer discontinuity and two above it. He showed that these two indices could accurately predict the spectral type and luminosity of both B stars and A and F stars. He later derived (6) an indexmfrom the same filters. This index was a measure of the relative line blanketing near 4100Å compared to two filters above 4500Å. These three indices confirmed earlier work by many people, including Lindblad and Becker. References to this earlier work and to the systems discussed today can be found in Strömgren's article inBasic Astronomical Data(7).


Author(s):  
Gemma A.J. Kuijpers ◽  
Harvey B. Pollard

Exocytotic fusion of granules in the adrenal medulla chromaffin cell is triggered by a rise in the concentration of cytosolic Ca2+ upon cell activation. The protein synexin, annexin VII, was originally found in the adrenal medulla and has been shown to cause aggregation and to support fusion of chromaffin granules in a Ca2+-dependent manner. We have previously suggested that synexin may there fore play a role in the exocytotic fusion process. In order to obtain more structural information on synexin, we performed immuno-electron microscopy on frozen ultrathin sections of both isolated chromaffin granules and chromaffin cells.Chromaffin granules were isolated from bovine adrenal medulla, and synexin was isolated from bovine lung. Granules were incubated in the presence or absence of synexin (24 μg per mg granule protein) and Ca2+ (1 mM), which induces maximal granule aggregation, in 0.3M sucrose-40m MMES buffer(pH 6.0). Granules were pelleted, washed twice in buffer without synexin and fixed with 2% glutaraldehyde- 2% para formaldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (GA/PFA) for 30 min. Chromaffin cells were isolated and cultured for 3-5 days, and washed and incubated in Krebs solution with or without 20 uM nicotine. Cells were fixed 90 sec after on set of stimulation with GA/PFA for 30 min. Fixed granule or cell pellets were washed, infiltrated with 2.3 M sucrose in PBS, mounted and frozen in liquid N2.


2000 ◽  
Vol 151 (10) ◽  
pp. 385-397
Author(s):  
Bernard Primault

Many years ago, a model was elaborated to calculate the«beginning of the vegetation's period», based on temperatures only (7 days with +5 °C temperature or more). The results were correlated with phenological data: the beginning of shoots with regard to spruce and larch. The results were not satisfying, therefore, the value of the two parameters of the first model were modified without changing the second one. The result, however, was again not satisfying. Research then focused on the influence of cumulated temperatures over thermal thresholds. Nevertheless, the results were still not satisfying. The blossoming of fruit trees is influenced by the mean temperature of a given period before the winter solstice. Based on this knowledge, the study evaluated whether forest trees could also be influenced by temperature or sunshine duration of a given period in the rear autumn. The investigation was carried through from the first of January on as well as from the date of snow melt of the following year. In agricultural meteorology, the temperature sums are often interrelated with the sunshine duration, precipitation or both. However,the results were disappointing. All these calculations were made for three stations situated between 570 and 1560 m above sea-level. This allowed to draw curves of variation of the two first parameters (number of days and temperature) separately for each species observed. It was finally possible to specify the thus determined curves with data of three other stations situated between the first ones. This allows to calculate the flushing of the two tree species, if direct phenological observation is lacking. This method, however, is only applicable for the northern part of the Swiss Alps.


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Xiong ◽  
Claudia Stolle ◽  
Patrick Alken ◽  
Jan Rauberg

Abstract In this study, we have derived field-aligned currents (FACs) from magnetometers onboard the Defense Meteorological Satellite Project (DMSP) satellites. The magnetic latitude versus local time distribution of FACs from DMSP shows comparable dependences with previous findings on the intensity and orientation of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By and Bz components, which confirms the reliability of DMSP FAC data set. With simultaneous measurements of precipitating particles from DMSP, we further investigate the relation between large-scale FACs and precipitating particles. Our result shows that precipitation electron and ion fluxes both increase in magnitude and extend to lower latitude for enhanced southward IMF Bz, which is similar to the behavior of FACs. Under weak northward and southward Bz conditions, the locations of the R2 current maxima, at both dusk and dawn sides and in both hemispheres, are found to be close to the maxima of the particle energy fluxes; while for the same IMF conditions, R1 currents are displaced further to the respective particle flux peaks. Largest displacement (about 3.5°) is found between the downward R1 current and ion flux peak at the dawn side. Our results suggest that there exists systematic differences in locations of electron/ion precipitation and large-scale upward/downward FACs. As outlined by the statistical mean of these two parameters, the FAC peaks enclose the particle energy flux peaks in an auroral band at both dusk and dawn sides. Our comparisons also found that particle precipitation at dawn and dusk and in both hemispheres maximizes near the mean R2 current peaks. The particle precipitation flux maxima closer to the R1 current peaks are lower in magnitude. This is opposite to the known feature that R1 currents are on average stronger than R2 currents.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P. López-Jarana ◽  
C. M. Díaz-Castro ◽  
A. Falcão ◽  
C. Falcão ◽  
J. V. Ríos-Santos ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to measure two parameters involved in tri-dimensional implant planning: the position of the buccal and palatal bone wall and the palatal thickness. Methods Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images (Planmeca ProMax 3D) of 403 teeth (208 upper teeth and 195 lower teeth) were obtained from 49 patients referred to the Dental School of Seville from January to December 2014. The height difference between the palatal and buccal walls was measured on the most coronal point of both walls. The thickness of the palatal wall was measured 2 mm from the most coronal point of the palatal wall. Results The mean values in the maxilla were 1.7 ± 0.9 mm for central and lateral incisors, 2.2 ± 1.7 mm for canines, 1.6 ± 0.9 mm for premolars and 1.9 ± 1.5 mm for molars. In the lower jaw, the mean values were 1.3 ± 0.8 mm for incisors, 1.7 ± 1.2 mm for canines, 2.3 ± 1.3 mm for premolars, and 2.6 ± 1.7 mm for molars. In the upper jaw, more than 55% of maxillary teeth (excluding second premolars and molars) presented mean height differences greater than 1 mm. In the mandible, more than 60% of incisors showed a buccal bone thickness of 1 mm from the apical to lingual aspect. All teeth except the second premolar presented a buccal wall located more than 1 mm more apically than the lingual bone wall. Conclusions The buccal bone wall is located more apically (greater than 1 mm) than the palatal or lingual table in most of the cases assessed. The thickness of the palatal or lingual table is also less than 2 mm in the maxilla and mandible, except in the upper canines and premolars and the lower molars.


1988 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
pp. 253-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Aunis ◽  
M. F. Bader

Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla synthesize, store and secrete catecholamines. These cells contain numerous electron-dense secretory granules which discharge their contents into the extracellular space by exocytosis. The subplasmalemmal area of the chromaffin cell is characterized by the presence of a highly organized cytoskeletal network. F-Actin seems to be exclusively localized in this area and together with specific actin-binding proteins forms a dense viscoelastic gel; fodrin, vinculin and caldesmon, three actin cross-linking proteins, and gelsolin, an actin-severing protein, are found in this subplasmalemmal region. Since fodrin-, caldesmon- and alpha-actinin-binding sites exist on secretory granule membranes, actin filaments can also link secretory granules. Chromaffin granules can be entrapped in this subplasmalemmal lattice and thus the cytoskeleton acts as a barrier preventing exocytosis. When cells are stimulated, molecular rearrangements of the subplasmalemmal cytoskeleton take place: F-actin depolymerizes and fodrin reorganizes into patches. In addition, introduction of monospecific antifodrin immunoglobulins into digitonin-permeabilized cells blocks exocytosis, demonstrating the crucial role of this actin-binding protein. In bacterial toxin-permeabilized chromaffin cells, experiments using actin-perturbing agents such as cytochalasin D and DNAase I suggest that exocytosis is in part controlled by the cytoskeleton. The intracellular signal governing the cytoskeletal reorganization (associated with exocytosis) is calcium. Calcium inhibits some and activates other actin-binding proteins and consequently causes dissolution of the subplasmalemmal cytoskeleton. This dissolution of cytoskeletal filaments should result in granule detachment and permit granules free access to exocytotic sites on the plasma membrane.


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