Myoplasmic Impedance of the Barnacle Muscle Fiber

1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 1178-1185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Caillé

Myoplasmic impedance was measured on a barnacle (Balanus nubilus) single muscle fiber that was placed in a cylindrical cavity to limit the volume and prevent the hydration of the myoplasm. At both ends of the cavity, the myoplasm was in direct contact with an electrolyte solution. When equilibrium with the external medium was reached, the myoplasmic impedance was measured at 10 °C with an impedance bridge at 1000 Hz. The results indicated that the myoplasmic impedance of the muscle fiber is mainly resistive. Treating the myoplasm as a suspension of small conductive particles, we deduced the specific conductivity of the contractile filaments kf and their volume fraction ρ (kf = 2.78 × 10−3 Ω−1 cm−1, and ρ = 0.48). The experimental technique permits an estimate of the specific myoplasmic conductivity in vivo (6.27 × 10−3 Ω−1 cm−1). Finally, a decrease in the pH of the external solution from 10.1 to 4.0 lowered the myoplasmic conductivity by 16%. This may be considered as indirect evidence that the conductivity of the contractile filaments is associated with the protein counter-ions, since Hinke et al. (1973. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 204, 274–296.) reported evidence that a lowering of pH decreases the number of counter-ions.

1967 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susumu Hagiwara ◽  
Kunitaro Takahashi

The effects of various divalent cations in the external solution upon the Ca spike of the barnacle muscle fiber membrane were studied using intracellular recording and polarizing techniques. Analysis of the maximum rate of rise of the spike potential indicates that different species of divalent cations bind the same membrane sites competitively with different dissociation constants. The overshoot of the spike potential is determined by the density of Ca (Sr) ions in the membrane sites while the threshold membrane potential for spike initiation depends on the total density of divalent cations. The order of binding among different divalent and trivalent cations is the following: La+++, UO2++ > Zn++, Co++, Fe++ > Mn++ > Ni++ > Ca++ > Mg++, Sr++


2008 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 292-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renke Maas ◽  
Edzard Schwedhelm ◽  
Lydia Kahl ◽  
Huige Li ◽  
Ralf Benndorf ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Endothelial function is impaired in hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Based on mostly indirect evidence, this impairment is attributed to reduced synthesis or impaired biological activity of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO). It was the aim of this study to directly estimate and compare whole-body NO production in normo- and hypercholesterolemia by applying a nonradioactive stable isotope dilution technique in vivo. Methods: We enrolled 12 normocholesterolemic and 24 hypercholesterolemic volunteers who were all clinically healthy. To assess whole-body NO synthesis, we intravenously administered l-[guanidino-(15N2)]-arginine and determined the urinary excretion of 15N-labeled nitrate, the specific end product of NO oxidation in humans, by use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In addition, we measured flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, expression of endothelial NOS (eNOS) in platelets, plasma concentration of the endogenous NOS inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and urinary excretion of 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α). Results: After infusion of l-[guanidino-(15N2)]-arginine, cumulative excretion of 15N-labeled-nitrate during 48 h was 40% [95% CI 15%–66%] lower in hypercholesterolemic than normocholesterolemic volunteers [mean 9.2 (SE 0.8) μmol vs 15.4 (2.3) μmol/l, P = 0.003]. FMD was on average 36% [4%–67%] lower in hypercholesterolemic than normocholesterolemic volunteers [6.3 (4.0)% vs 9.4 (4.6)%, P = 0.027]. Normalized expression of NOS protein in platelets was also significantly lower in hypercholesterolemic volunteers, whereas there were no significant differences in plasma ADMA concentration or urinary excretion of 8-iso-PGF2α between the 2 groups. Conclusions: This study provides direct evidence for a decreased whole body NO synthesis rate in healthy people with hypercholesterolemia.


BIBECHANA ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 63-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajaya Bhattarai ◽  
Sujit Kumar Shah ◽  
Ashok Kumar Yadav ◽  
Janak Adhikari

The precise measurement of the specific conductivity of sodium deoxycholate in pure water and ethanolwater mixed solvent media containing 0.10 and 0.20 volume fraction of ethanol at 303.15 K are reported. The concentration were varied from ~ 0.01 mol L-1 to ~ 0.0002 mol L-1.The conductivity of sodium deoxycholate decreases with the increase in the volume fraction of ethanol. The critical micelle concentration of sodium deoxycholate increases with the increase in the volume fraction of ethanol. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/bibechana.v9i0.7176 BIBECHANA 9 (2013) 63-68


1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (4) ◽  
pp. H1086-H1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Capasso ◽  
T. Palackal ◽  
G. Olivetti ◽  
P. Anversa

To determine if aging engenders alterations in the functional properties of the myocardium and ventricular remodeling, the hemodynamic performance and structural characteristics of the left ventricle of male Fischer 344 rats at 4, 12, 20, and 29 mo of age were studied by quantitative physiology and morphology. In vivo assessment of cardiac pump function showed no change up to 20 mo, whereas left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was increased at 29 mo. Moreover, peak rates of pressure rise and decay, stroke volume, ejection fraction, and cardiac output were depressed at the later age interval, demonstrating the presence of ventricular failure at this time. The measurements of chamber size and wall thickness showed that ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes progressively increased with age with the greatest change occurring at 20-29 mo. Aging was also accompanied by a marked augmentation in the volume fraction of fibrotic areas in the ventricular myocardium that was due to an increase in their number and cross-sectional area with time. These architectural rearrangements, in combination with the abnormalities in ventricular function, resulted in an elevation in the volume of wall stress throughout the cardiac cycle. Wall stress increased by 64, 44, and 50% from 4 to 12, 12 to 20, and 20 to 29 mo of age. In conclusion, aging leads to a continuous rise in wall stress that is not normalized by ventricular remodeling. These two independent processes appear to be responsible for the onset of heart failure in the senescent rat.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Puji Budi Setia Asih ◽  
Din Syafruddin

Resistance to antimalarial drugs is a threat to global efforts to eliminate malaria by 2030. Currently, treatment for vivax malaria uses chloroquine or ACT for uncomplicated P. vivax whereas primaquine is given to eliminate latent liver stage infections (a method known as radical cure). Studies on P. vivax resistance to antimalarials and the molecular basis of resistance lags far behind the P. falciparum as in vitro cultivation of the P. vivax has not yet been established. Therefore, data on the P. vivax resistance to any antimalarial drugs are generated through in vivo studies or through monitoring of antimalarial treatments in mixed species infection. Indirect evidence through drug selective pressure on the parasites genome, as evidenced by the presence of the molecular marker(s) for drug resistance in areas where P. falciparum and P. vivax are distributed in sympatry may reflect, although require validation, the status of P. vivax resistance. This review focuses on the currently available data that may represent the state-of-the art of the P. vivax resistance status to antimalarial to anticipate the challenge for malaria elimination by 2030.


1972 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. BAYLINK ◽  
J. WERGEDAL ◽  
E. THOMPSON

In both ground sections and demineralized frozen sections of the rat tibial cortex, osteoid but not mature bone matrix stained for proteinpolysaccharides with the Alcian Blue and toluidine blue techniques. The loss of proteinpolysaccharide staining occurred precisely at the mineralizing front, which was identified by in vivo lead or procion markers, not only in normal animals but also in animals in which osteoid width was either increasing or decreasing. In vitro, both proteases and saccharidases abolished proteinpolysaccharide staining of osteoid. Critical electrolyte concentration and other procedures indicated that the major acid polysaccharide component in osteoid is chondroitin sulfate. Consistent with these findings, electron microprobe analyses revealed that sulfur concentration was high in osteoid but dropped abruptly as calcium concentration increased at the mineralizing front. The precise synchronization between loss of proteinpolysaccharides and onset of mineralization under various experimental conditions provides strong indirect evidence that the loss of these macromolecules is somehow involved in initiation of mineralization in bone.


Author(s):  
Susana Puntarulo

SynopsisBoth respiration and generation by soybean embryonic axes showed a sharp increase upon germination, leading to a significant increase in the steady-state concentration of and H2O2 after 6 h of imbibition. An assay was developed to assess in vivo generation of reactive oxygen species, based upon DCFH-DA oxidation. Fluorescence of the external medium was dependent on reaction time and axes number and was inhibited by catalase.α-Tocopherol content declined significantly after 24 h of incubation, as compared to the content at the onset of germination. Incubation in the presence of redox cycling agent paraquat (4 mM) for 24 h increased α-tocopherol content to 1.9±0.2 nmol per axis from 1.0 ± 0.1 nmol per axis in the absence of paraquat. Supplementation of the incubation medium with 500 μM Fe-EDTA increased α-tocopherol content to 1.8±0.1 nmol/axis and DCFH-DA oxidation by two-fold.The data presented here showed that active metabolism at the onset of germination increased steady-state concentration of oxygen active species and suggest that cellular content of α-tocopherol is physiologically adjusted as a response to conditions of oxidative stress.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document