Aluminium Uptake by Excised Roots of Cabbage, Lettuce and Kikuyu Grass

1979 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 643 ◽  
Author(s):  
DO Huett ◽  
RC Menary

Uptake of aluminium by excised roots of cabbage, lettuce, kikuyu grass and by a weakly acidic cation exchange resin was studied. The role of metabolism was also investigated, using a range of temperatures and a metabolic inhibitor. The time course of uptake had two phases: an initial rapid phase of about 60 min duration for all species and a slower accumulation phase that was pronounced for cabbage and lettuce and almost absent for kikuyu grass. During the initial phase, calcium was exchanged by aluminium. A small fraction of the aluminium taken up by excised roots could not be desorbed by dilute buffer; this was thought to result from irreversible binding of aluminium directly to exchange sites. Evidence is also presented for a third component for aluminium uptake involving diffusion through the plasmalemma. The non-metabolic nature of the entire uptake process was confirmed by the negligible effect of temperature (1-30°C) and enhancement by 2,4-dinitrophenol on the rate of uptake. Aluminium uptake at pH 4.2 exceeded that at pH 4.0, probably due to the lowering of net charge density of aluminium ions as pH is increased.

1974 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Srebro ◽  
Michael Behbehani

Light adaptation in both the ventral photoreceptor and the lateral eye photoreceptor is a complex process consisting of at least two phases. One phase, which we call the rapid phase of adaptation, occurs whenever there is temporal overlap of the discrete waves that compose a light response. The recovery from the rapid phase of adaptation follows an exponential time-course with a time constant of approximately 75 ms at 21°C. The rapid phase of adaptation occurs at light intensities barely above discrete wave threshold as well as at substantially higher light intensities with the same recovery time-course at all intensities. It occurs in voltage-clamped and unclamped photoreceptors. The kinetics of the rapid phase of adaptation is closely correlated to the photocurrent which appears to initiate it after a short delay. The rapid phase of adaptation is probably identical to what is called the "adapting bump" process. At light intensities greater than about 10 times discrete wave threshold another phase of light adaptation occurs. It develops slowly over a period of ½ s or so, and decays even more slowly over a period of several seconds. It is graded with light intensity and occurs in both voltage-clamped and unclamped photoreceptors. We call this the slow phase of light adaptation.


1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (2) ◽  
pp. G220-G230 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Weinman ◽  
J. Graf ◽  
C. Veith ◽  
J. L. Boyer

The role of membrane voltage as a driving force for the hepatic uptake and secretion of fluorescent bile salts has been examined in isolated hepatocyte couplets. The present study demonstrates that the fluorescent bile salt derivative (N-[7-(nitrobenz-2-oxa- 1,3-diazol-4-yl)]-7-amino-3 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-5-cholan-24-oyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonate (7 beta-NBD-NCT) is taken up into hepatocytes by a saturable process with a Kt of 2.7 microM. Uptake rate was reduced by only 22% after total Na+ replacement and was independent of transmembrane potential difference over a range of -135 to +25 mV. In contrast, secretion into the canalicular space was strongly dependent on membrane voltage over the range from -34 to 0 mV in a manner consistent with electrodiffusion of an anion. Fitting the secretion time course to that predicted by electrodiffusion demonstrated that only approximately 50% of total secretion can result from electrodiffusion. Studies in isolated perfused liver confirmed this observation that depolarization caused a decrease in bile salt secretion rate. These results demonstrate that 7 beta-NBD-NCT is transported by a neutral uptake process at the sinusoidal membrane and is secreted across the canalicular membrane in part by electrogenic transport. This suggests that voltage changes could be a common pathway resulting in impaired organic anion secretion in diverse cholestatic syndromes.


1983 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
K G Beam ◽  
P L Donaldson

Potassium currents were measured using the three-microelectrode voltage-clamp technique in rat omohyoid muscle at temperatures from 1 to 37 degrees C. The currents were fitted according to the Hodgkin-Huxley equations as modified for K currents in frog skeletal muscle (Adrian et al., 1970a). The equations provided an approximate description of the time course of activation, the voltage dependence of the time constant of activation (tau n), and the voltage dependence of gK infinity. At higher temperatures the relationship between gK infinity and voltage was shifted in the hyperpolarizing direction. The effect of temperature on tau n was much greater in the cold than in the warm: tau n had a Q10 of nearly 6 at temperatures below 10 degrees C, but a Q10 of only approximately 2 over the range of 30-38 degrees C. The decreasing dependence of tau n on temperature was gradual and the Arrhenius plot of tau n revealed no obvious break-points. In addition to its quantitative effect on activation kinetics, temperature also had a qualitative effect. Near physiological temperatures (above approximately 25 degrees C), the current was well described by n4 kinetics. At intermediate temperatures (approximately 15-25 degrees C), the current was well described by n4 kinetics, but only if the n4 curve was translated rightward along the time axis (i.e., the current had a greater delay than could be accounted for by simple n4 kinetics). At low temperatures (below approximately 15 degrees C), n4 kinetics provided only an approximate fit whether or not the theoretical curve was translated along the time axis. In particular, currents in the cold displayed an initial rapid phase of activation followed by a much slower one. Thus, low temperatures appear to reveal steps in the gating process which are kinetically "hidden" at higher temperatures. Taken together, the effects of temperature on potassium currents in rat skeletal muscle demonstrate that the behavior of potassium channels at physiological temperatures cannot be extrapolated, either quantitatively or qualitatively, from experiments carried out in the cold.


1993 ◽  
Vol 292 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Zilberstein ◽  
J Wilkes ◽  
H Hirumi ◽  
A S Peregrine

Isometamidium chloride (Samorin) is the only compound recommended for prophylaxis against bovine trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa. The fluorescence property of this compound was used to investigate the interaction of the molecule with in vitro-derived bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma congolense IL 1180. Incubation of isometamidium with trypanosomes at 37 degrees C for 180 min resulted in a gradual alteration of the lambda max. with time (from 600 to 584 nm) and an increase in the intensity of trypanosome-associated fluorescence of approx. 2-fold. The alteration in fluorescence was temperature-dependent and inhibited by the addition of N-ethylmaleimide. In contrast, with intact cells addition of digitonin caused a rapid increase in fluorescence intensity to approximately four times that observed with intact cells. Uptake of isometamidium was also determined using radiolabelled drug; the results indicated that the time course of the uptake process resembled the fluorescence profile and was temperature-dependent. The results therefore indicate that the alteration of fluorescence is due to interaction of isometamidium with an intracellular component(s) and that isometamidium is transported across the plasma membrane via a protein carrier. The data also indicate that the described fluorescence technique can be used to investigate the role of membrane transport in resistance to isometamidium.


Development ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 775-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Sweeton ◽  
S. Parks ◽  
M. Costa ◽  
E. Wieschaus

The ventral furrow and posterior midgut invaginations bring mesodermal and endodermal precursor cells into the interior of the Drosophila embryo during gastrulation. Both invaginations proceed through a similar sequence of rapid cell shape changes, which include apical flattening, constriction of the apical diameter, cell elongation and subsequent shortening. Based on the time course of apical constriction in the ventral furrow and posterior midgut, we identify two phases in this process: first, a slow stochastic phase in which some individual cells begin to constrict and, second, a rapid phase in which the remaining unconstricted cells constrict. Mutations in the concertina or folded gastrulation genes appear to block the transition to the second phase in both the ventral furrow and the posterior midgut invaginations.


1979 ◽  
Vol 42 (04) ◽  
pp. 1193-1206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Nunn

SummaryThe hypothesis that platelet ADP is responsible for collagen-induced aggregation has been re-examined. It was found that the concentration of ADP obtaining in human PRP at the onset of aggregation was not sufficient to account for that aggregation. Furthermore, the time-course of collagen-induced release in human PRP was the same as that in sheep PRP where ADP does not cause release. These findings are not consistent with claims that ADP alone perpetuates a collagen-initiated release-aggregation-release sequence. The effects of high doses of collagen, which released 4-5 μM ADP, were not inhibited by 500 pM adenosine, a concentration that greatly reduced the effect of 300 μM ADP. Collagen caused aggregation in ADP-refractory PRP and in platelet suspensions unresponsive to 1 mM ADP. Thus human platelets can aggregate in response to collagen under circumstances in which they cannot respond to ADP. Apyrase inhibited aggregation and ATP release in platelet suspensions but not in human PRP. Evidence is presented that the means currently used to examine the role of ADP in aggregation require investigation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashraf Okba ◽  
Salwa Seddik Hosny ◽  
Alyaa Elsherbeny ◽  
Manal Mohsin Kamal

Background and Aims: Women who develop GDM (gestational diabetes mellitus) have a relative insulin secretion deficiency, the severity of which may be predictive for later development of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the role of fasting plasma glucagon in the prediction of later development of diabetes in pregnant women with GDM. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 150 pregnant women with GDM after giving informed oral and written consents and being approved by the research ethical committee according to the declaration of Helsinki. The study was conducted in two phases, first phase during pregnancy and the second one was 6 months post-partum, as we measured fasting plasma glucagon before and after delivery together with fasting and 2 hour post-prandial plasma sugar. Results: Our findings suggested that glucagon levels significantly increased after delivery in the majority 14/25 (56%) of GDM women who developed type 2 DM within 6 months after delivery compared to 6/20 (30%) patients with impaired fasting plasma glucose (IFG) and only 22/105 (20%) non DM women, as the median glucagon levels were 80,76, 55, respectively. Also, there was a high statistical difference between fasting plasma glucagon post-delivery among diabetic and non-diabetic women (p ≤ 0.001). These results indicated the useful role of assessing fasting plasma glucagon before and after delivery in patients with GDM to predict the possibility of type 2 DM. Conclusion: There is a relatively high glucagon level in GDM patients, which is a significant pathogenic factor in the incidence of subsequent diabetes in women with a history of GDM. This could be important in the design of follow-up programs for women with previous GDM.


Author(s):  
Upasana Ray ◽  
Debarshi Roy ◽  
Ling Jin ◽  
Prabhu Thirusangu ◽  
Julie Staub ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Aberrant lipogenicity and deregulated autophagy are common in most advanced human cancer and therapeutic strategies to exploit these pathways are currently under consideration. Group III Phospholipase A2 (sPLA2-III/PLA2G3), an atypical secretory PLA2, is recognized as a regulator of lipid metabolism associated with oncogenesis. Though recent studies reveal that high PLA2G3 expression significantly correlates with poor prognosis in several cancers, however, role of PLA2G3 in ovarian cancer (OC) pathogenesis is still undetermined. Methods CRISPR-Cas9 and shRNA mediated knockout and knockdown of PLA2G3 in OC cells were used to evaluate lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis by confocal and Transmission electron microscopy analysis, and the cell viability and sensitization of the cells to platinum-mediated cytotoxicity by MTT assay. Regulation of primary ciliation by PLA2G3 downregulation both genetically and by metabolic inhibitor PFK-158 induced autophagy was assessed by immunofluorescence-based confocal analysis and immunoblot. Transient transfection with GFP-RFP-LC3B and confocal analysis was used to assess the autophagic flux in OC cells. PLA2G3 knockout OVCAR5 xenograft in combination with carboplatin on tumor growth and metastasis was assessed in vivo. Efficacy of PFK158 alone and with platinum drugs was determined in patient-derived primary ascites cultures expressing PLA2G3 by MTT assay and immunoblot analysis. Results Downregulation of PLA2G3 in OVCAR8 and 5 cells inhibited LD biogenesis, decreased growth and sensitized cells to platinum drug mediated cytotoxicity in vitro and in in vivo OVCAR5 xenograft. PLA2G3 knockdown in HeyA8MDR-resistant cells showed sensitivity to carboplatin treatment. We found that both PFK158 inhibitor-mediated and genetic downregulation of PLA2G3 resulted in increased number of percent ciliated cells and inhibited cancer progression. Mechanistically, we found that PFK158-induced autophagy targeted PLA2G3 to restore primary cilia in OC cells. Of clinical relevance, PFK158 also induces percent ciliated cells in human-derived primary ascites cells and reduces cell viability with sensitization to chemotherapy. Conclusions Taken together, our study for the first time emphasizes the role of PLA2G3 in regulating the OC metastasis. This study further suggests the therapeutic potential of targeting phospholipases and/or restoration of PC for future OC treatment and the critical role of PLA2G3 in regulating ciliary function by coordinating interface between lipogenesis and metastasis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasir Islam ◽  
Farhan Mahmood Shah ◽  
Xu Rubing ◽  
Muhammad Razaq ◽  
Miao Yabo ◽  
...  

AbstractIn the current study, we investigated the functional response of Harmonia axyridis adults and larvae foraging on Acyrthosiphon pisum nymphs at temperatures between 15 and 35 °C. Logistic regression and Roger’s random predator models were employed to determine the type and parameters of the functional response. Harmonia axyridis larvae and adults exhibited Type II functional responses to A. pisum, and warming increased both the predation activity and host aphid control mortality. Female and 4th instar H. axyridis consumed the most aphids. For fourth instar larvae and female H. axyridis adults, the successful attack rates were 0.23 ± 0.014 h−1 and 0.25 ± 0.015 h−1; the handling times were 0.13 ± 0.005 h and 0.16 ± 0.004 h; and the estimated maximum predation rates were 181.28 ± 14.54 and 153.85 ± 4.06, respectively. These findings accentuate the high performance of 4th instar and female H. axyridis and the role of temperature in their efficiency. Further, we discussed such temperature-driven shifts in predation and prey mortality concerning prey-predator foraging interactions towards biological control.


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