Induction of shape transformation in sea urchin coelomocytes by the calcium ionophore A23187

Cell Motility ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary A. Hyatt ◽  
Michael S. Shure ◽  
David A. Begg
Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 187-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Ciapa ◽  
B. Borg ◽  
M. Whitaker

A transient increase in intracellular free calcium is believed to be the signal responsible for the stimulation of the egg metabolism at fertilization and the resumption of the cell cycle. We have studied how the polyphosphoinositides (PPI) turn over at fertilization in sea urchin eggs, in order to determine the relationship between the metabolism of these lipids and the calcium signal. We compare the patterns of PPI turnover that occur during the first minute following fertilization in eggs in which PPI are labelled to steady state with [3H]inositol or [3H]arachidonate with that in which PPI are labelled for a shorter period with [3H]inositol. When eggs are labelled to apparent isotopic equilibrium with either [3H]inositol or [3H]arachidonate, no early increase in [3H]PtdInsP2 occurs while PtdIns decreases slightly. On the contrary, when not labelled to isotopic equilibrium, all [3H]PPI increase during the first 15 seconds following fertilization. We find that, within seconds, fertilization triggers a 600-fold increase in the turnover of PPI, producing an amount of InsP3 apparently sufficient to trigger calcium release. We suggest that phosphoinositidase C and PtdInsP kinase, responsible respectively for the hydrolysis and synthesis of PtdInsP2, are both stimulated to a comparable degree in the first 30 seconds following fertilization and that net changes in the amount of PtdInsP2 at fertilization are very sensitive to the relative levels of activation of the two enzymes. Activating the eggs with the calcium ionophore A23187 showed that both these enzymes are sensitive to calcium, suggesting that calcium-dependent InsP3 production might play a role in the initiation and/or the propagation of the fertilization calcium wave.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Author(s):  
R. W. Tucker ◽  
N. S. More ◽  
S. Jayaraman

The mechanisms by which polypeptide growth factors Induce DNA synthesis in cultured cells is not understood, but morphological changes Induced by growth factors have been used as clues to Intracellular messengers responsible for growth stimulation. One such morphological change has been the transient disappearance of the primary cilium, a “9 + 0” cilium formed by the perinuclear centriole in interphase cells. Since calcium ionophore A23187 also produced both mitogenesis and ciliary changes, microtubule depolymerization might explain ciliary disappearance monitored by indirect immunofluorescence with anti-tubulin antibody. However, complete resorption and subsequent reformation of the primary cilium occurs at mitosis, and might also account for ciliary disappearance induced by growth factors. To settle this issue, we investigated the ultrastructure of the primary cilium using serial thin-section electron microscopy of quiescent BALB/c 3T3 cells before and after stimulation with serum.


1982 ◽  
Vol 48 (01) ◽  
pp. 049-053 ◽  
Author(s):  
C G Fenn ◽  
J M Littleton

SummaryEthanol at physiologically tolerable concentrations inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro in a relatively specific way, which may be influenced by platelet membrane lipid composition. Aggregation to collagen, calcium ionophore A23187 and thrombin (low doses) were often markedly inhibited by ethanol, adrenaline and ADP responses were little affected, and aggregation to exogenous arachidonic acid was actually potentiated by ethanol. Aggregation to collagen, thrombin and A23187 was inhibited more by ethanol in platelets enriched with saturated fatty acids than in those enriched with unsaturated fats. Platelets enriched with cholesterol showed increased sensitivity to ADP, arachidonate and adrenaline but this increase in cholesterol content did not appear to influence the inhibition by ethanol of platelet responses. The results suggest that ethanol may inhibit aggregation by an effect on membrane fluidity and/or calcium mobilization resulting in decreased activity of a membrane-bound phospholipase.


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 671-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Gibb ◽  
Jean-Claude Lavoie

The human amnion may be an important source of prostaglandins involved in the onset of human labor and therefore it is important to define the factors that regulate their formation in this tissue. In the present study we demonstrate that glucocorticoids inhibit prostaglandin production by freshly isolated amnion cells. The inhibitory action of the glucocorticoids, however, changes to a stimulatory action when the cells are maintained in primary culture for a few days. For both inhibition and stimulation, concentrations of 10−8 M dexamethasone or greater were required to give significant effects, and estradiol and progesterone had no effect on the prostaglandin output of the cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), which has previously been found to stimulate prostaglandin output by confluent amnion cells, did not alter prostaglandin output of cells initially placed in culture. Furthermore, the stimulatory action of EGF and dexamethasone appeared additive. The calcium ionophore A23187 stimulated prostaglandin output in freshly isolated cells and accentuated the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone. These studies indicate that prostaglandin formation by human amnion during pregnancy could be regulated by glucocorticoids. These steroids are easily available to the amnion by way of cortisone conversion to Cortisol by the maternal decidua. The results also indicate that amnion is capable of responding to glucocorticoids in both a stimulatory and inhibitory fashion and whether one or both actions are of importance in vivo is a question that is as yet unresolved.Key words: prostaglandins, amnion, fetal membranes, glucocorticoids, labor, pregnancy.


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