Ultrastructural and protein analysis of surfactant in the Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri: evidence for conservation of composition for 300 million years

1999 ◽  
Vol 202 (18) ◽  
pp. 2543-2550
Author(s):  
J.H. Power ◽  
I.R. Doyle ◽  
K. Davidson ◽  
T.E. Nicholas

The Australian lungfish Neoceratodus forsteri is the most primitive member of the lungfish family, with a surfactant lipid composition similar to the actinopterygiian fishes, which evolved 400 million years ago. We have analysed the proteins associated with surfactant isolated from lung lavage of this species, and used electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry to examine the surfactant structures and the subcellular localisation of these proteins. The epithelial lining of the gas-exchange region of the lungfish lung consists of one basic cell type, which has characteristics of both mammalian alveolar type I and type II cells and may be the common ancestor of both. It has long cytoplasmic plates containing microvilli, large osmiophilic bodies resembling mammalian lamellar bodies and a cytoplasm rich in metabolic organelles. Extracellular structures reminiscent of mammalian surfactant forms, but not including tubular myelin, were observed in the airspaces. Immunochemical analysis of the lungfish surfactant and lung tissue, using antibodies to human SP-A and SP-B, showed a similar staining pattern to human surfactant, indicating that SP-A- and SP-B-like proteins are present. Immunohistochemistry revealed that both SP-A and SP-B reactivity was present in the secretory cell osmiophilic bodies. In conclusion, our results suggest that, despite the great diversity in present day lung structures, a common cellular mechanism may have evolved to overcome fundamental problems associated with air-breathing.

2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (3) ◽  
pp. L489-L496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anand S. Patel ◽  
David Reigada ◽  
Claire H. Mitchell ◽  
Sandra R. Bates ◽  
Susan S. Margulies ◽  
...  

We developed a heterologous system to study the effect of mechanical deformation on alveolar epithelial cells. First, isolated primary rat alveolar type II (ATII) cells were plated onto silastic substrata coated with fibronectin and maintained in culture under conditions where they become alveolar type I-like (ATI) cells. This was followed by a second set of ATII cells labeled with the nontransferable, vital fluorescent stain 5-chloromethylfluorescein diacetate to distinguish them from ATI cells. By morphometric analysis, equibiaxial deformation (stretch) of the silastic substratum induced comparable changes in cell surface area for both ATII and ATI cells. Surfactant lipid secretion was measured using cells metabolically labeled with [3H]choline. In response to 21% tonic stretch for 15 min, ATII cells seeded with ATI cells secreted nearly threefold more surfactant lipid compared with ATII cells seeded alone. ATI cells did not secrete lipid in response to stretch. The enhanced lipid secretion by ATII plus ATI cocultures was inhibited by treatment with apyrase and adenosine deaminase, suggesting that ATP release by ATI cells enhanced surfactant lipid secretion at 21% stretch. This was confirmed using a luciferase assay where, in response to 21% stretch, ATI cells released fourfold more ATP than ATII cells. Because ATI cells release significantly more ATP at a lower level of stretch than ATII cells, this supports the hypothesis that ATI cells are mechanosensors in the lung and that paracrine stimulation of ATII cells by extracellular ATP released from ATI cells plays a role in regulating surfactant secretion.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 2567-2593
Author(s):  
M.V. Pomazanov

Subject. The study addresses the improvement of risk management efficiency and the quality of lending decisions made by banks. Objectives. The aim is to present the bank management with a fair algorithm for risk management motivation on the one hand, and the credit management (business) on the other hand. Within the framework of the common goal to maximize risk-adjusted income from loans, this algorithm will provide guidelines for ‘risk management’ and ‘business’ functions on how to improve individual and overall efficiency. Methods. The study employs the discriminant analysis, type I and II errors, Lorentz curve modeling, statistical analysis, economic modeling. Results. The paper offers a mechanism for assessing the quality of risk management decisions as opposed to (or in support of) decisions of the lending business when approving transactions. The mechanism rests on the approach of stating type I and II errors and the corresponding classical metric of the Gini coefficient. On the ‘business’ side, the mechanism monitors the improvement or deterioration of the indicator of changes in losses in comparison with the market average. Conclusions. The study substantiates the stimulating ‘rules of the game’ between the ‘business’ and ‘risk management’ to improve the efficiency of the entire business, to optimize interactions within the framework of internal competition. It presents mathematical tools to calculate corresponding indicators of the efficiency of internally competing entities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Ruaro ◽  
Francesco Salton ◽  
Luca Braga ◽  
Barbara Wade ◽  
Paola Confalonieri ◽  
...  

Alveolar type II (ATII) cells are a key structure of the distal lung epithelium, where they exert their innate immune response and serve as progenitors of alveolar type I (ATI) cells, contributing to alveolar epithelial repair and regeneration. In the healthy lung, ATII cells coordinate the host defense mechanisms, not only generating a restrictive alveolar epithelial barrier, but also orchestrating host defense mechanisms and secreting surfactant proteins, which are important in lung protection against pathogen exposure. Moreover, surfactant proteins help to maintain homeostasis in the distal lung and reduce surface tension at the pulmonary air–liquid interface, thereby preventing atelectasis and reducing the work of breathing. ATII cells may also contribute to the fibroproliferative reaction by secreting growth factors and proinflammatory molecules after damage. Indeed, various acute and chronic diseases are associated with intensive inflammation. These include oedema, acute respiratory distress syndrome, fibrosis and numerous interstitial lung diseases, and are characterized by hyperplastic ATII cells which are considered an essential part of the epithelialization process and, consequently, wound healing. The aim of this review is that of revising the physiologic and pathologic role ATII cells play in pulmonary diseases, as, despite what has been learnt in the last few decades of research, the origin, phenotypic regulation and crosstalk of these cells still remain, in part, a mystery.


1983 ◽  
Vol 38 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 501-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mária Ujhelyi

Seryl tRNA (anticodon GCU) from mammalian mito­chondria shows in comparison to other mitochondrial tRNAs additional special features differing from the generalized tRNA model. When arranged in the tradi­tional cloverleaf form, eight bases fall within the TΨC loop, and the entire dihydrouridine loop is lacking. This seryl tRNA molecule is therefore shorter than other tRNAs. It was originally thought to represent a mito­chondrial analogon of 5 S rRNA and its precise classifica­tion is still disputed. The present studies suggest that this mitochondrial tRNA represents a fossil molecule which is related to the common ancestor of the present tRNA and 5 S rRNA molecules.


1928 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvan L. Barach ◽  

1. The antigenic function of a pneumococcus vaccine made from the intact cell was compared with that derived fron a watery extract of the cell free from formed elements. In each instance, the immunity produced was dependent upon type-specific protective substance and not upon the elaboration of the common protein antibody. 2. The vaccine made from the intact cell resulted in both active and passive immunity which began on the 3rd day, increased markedly to the 5th, and remained approximately stationery to the 7th day. In the case of the Berkefeld filtrate of the shaken bacteria and the filtrate of the broth culture, the immunity began on the 4th day, increased to the 5th, and remained approximately stationery to the 7th day. The immunity produced by Pneumococcus Type I vaccine is greater than that produced by Type II. On the 3rd day, mice vaccinated with Type I vaccine resisted 100,000 minimal lethal doses, whereas mice immunized with Type II resisted 10,000 minimal lethal doses. On the 5th day, a larger percentage of mice survived these doses than on the 3rd day. 3. Certain factors related to the preparation and dosage of the vaccine are discussed. 4. As far as the time interval and the degree of immunity produced are concerned, these results suggest the possibility of employing pneumococcus vaccine in suitable doses in the treatment of lobar pneumonia. That an earlier activity of the immunity mechanism could actually be initiated in a patient with lobar pneumonia has still to be demonstrated.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey S. Prince ◽  
Paul Micah Johnson

The ultrastructure of the digestive gland of several sea hare species that produce different colored ink (Aplysia californicaproduces purple ink,A. julianawhite ink,A. parvulaboth white and purple ink, whileDolabrifera dolabriferaproduces no ink at all) was compared to determine the digestive gland’s role in the diet-derived ink production process. Rhodoplast digestive cells and their digestive vacuoles, the site of digestion of red algal chloroplast (i.e., rhodoplast) inA. californica, were present and had a similar ultrastructure in all four species. Rhodoplast digestive cell vacuoles either contained a whole rhodoplast or fragments of one or were empty. These results suggest that the inability to produce colored ink in some sea hare species is not due to either an absence of appropriate digestive machinery, that is, rhodoplast digestive cells, or an apparent failure of rhodoplast digestive cells to function. These results also propose that the digestive gland structure described herein occurred early in sea hare evolution, at least in the common ancestor to the generaAplysiaandDolabrifera. Our data, however, do not support the hypothesis that the loss of purple inking is a synapomorphy of the white-ink-producing subgenusAplysia.


Parasitology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 142 (S1) ◽  
pp. S120-S127 ◽  
Author(s):  
GARETH D. WEEDALL ◽  
NEIL HALL

SUMMARYA key part of the life cycle of an organism is reproduction. For a number of important protist parasites that cause human and animal disease, their sexuality has been a topic of debate for many years. Traditionally, protists were considered to be primitive relatives of the ‘higher’ eukaryotes, which may have diverged prior to the evolution of sex and to reproduce by binary fission. More recent views of eukaryotic evolution suggest that sex, and meiosis, evolved early, possibly in the common ancestor of all eukaryotes. However, detecting sex in these parasites is not straightforward. Recent advances, particularly in genome sequencing technology, have allowed new insights into parasite reproduction. Here, we review the evidence on reproduction in parasitic protists. We discuss protist reproduction in the light of parasitic life cycles and routes of transmission among hosts.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1079
Author(s):  
Manuela Zangrossi ◽  
Patrizia Romani ◽  
Probir Chakravarty ◽  
Colin D.H. Ratcliffe ◽  
Steven Hooper ◽  
...  

Late relapse of disseminated cancer cells is a common feature of breast and prostate tumors. Several intrinsic and extrinsic factors have been shown to affect quiescence and reawakening of disseminated dormant cancer cells (DDCCs); however, the signals and processes sustaining the survival of DDCCs in a foreign environment are still poorly understood. We have recently shown that crosstalk with lung epithelial cells promotes survival of DDCCs of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast tumors. By using a lung organotypic system and in vivo dissemination assays, here we show that the TFEB-lysosomal axis is activated in DDCCs and that it is modulated by the pro-survival ephrin receptor EphB6. TFEB lysosomal direct targets are enriched in DDCCs in vivo and correlate with relapse in ER+ breast cancer patients. Direct coculture of DDCCs with alveolar type I-like lung epithelial cells and dissemination in the lung drive lysosomal accumulation and EphB6 induction. EphB6 contributes to survival, TFEB transcriptional activity, and lysosome formation in DDCCs in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, signaling from EphB6 promotes the proliferation of surrounding lung parenchymal cells in vivo. Our data provide evidence that EphB6 is a key factor in the crosstalk between disseminated dormant cancer cells and the lung parenchyma and that the TFEB-lysosomal pathway plays an important role in the persistence of DDCCs.


Author(s):  
Satoshi Nakano ◽  
Takao Fujisawa ◽  
Bin Chang ◽  
Yutaka Ito ◽  
Hideki Akeda ◽  
...  

After the introduction of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, the global spread of multidrug resistant serotype 19A-ST320 strains became a public health concern. In Japan, the main genotype of serotype 19A was ST3111, and the identification rate of ST320 was low. Although the isolates were sporadically detected in both adults and children, their origin remains unknown. Thus, by combining pneumococcal isolates collected in three nationwide pneumococcal surveillance studies conducted in Japan between 2008 and 2020, we analyzed 56 serotype 19A-ST320 isolates along with 931 global isolates, using whole-genome sequencing to uncover the transmission route of the globally distributed clone in Japan. The clone was frequently detected in Okinawa Prefecture, where the U.S. returned to Japan in 1972. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the isolates from Japan were genetically related to those from the U.S.; therefore, the common ancestor may have originated in the U.S. In addition, Bayesian analysis suggested that the time to the most recent common ancestor of the isolates form Japan and the U.S. was approximately the 1990s to 2000, suggesting the possibility that the common ancestor could have already spread in the U.S. before the Taiwan 19F-14 isolate was first identified in a Taiwanese hospital in 1997. The phylogeographical analysis supported the transmission of the clone from the U.S. to Japan, but the analysis could be influenced by sampling bias. These results suggested the possibility that the serotype 19A-ST320 clone had already spread in the U.S. before being imported into Japan.


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