Home / Journals / BIOCELL / Vol.29, No.3, 2005
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  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Seasonal variations in the heterologous binding of viscacha spermatozoa. A scanning electron microscope study

    CLAUDIA AGUILERA MERLO, ESTELA MUÑOZ, SUSANA DOMINGUEZ, MABEL FÓSCOLO*, LUIS SCARDAPANE, JUAN CARLOS DE ROSAS*
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 243-251, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.243
    Abstract Seasonal changes in the reproductive activity of the adult male viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus) were investigated during the annual reproductive cycle. Assays of heterologous in vitro binding between compatible gametes were used to evaluate the ability of viscacha spermatozoa to achieve primary binding during its annual reproductive cycle. Sperm were collected by mincing cauda epididymis in HECM-3 medium and the sperm concentration and motility were evaluated. Cumulus-free and zona-free oocytes obtained from superovulated hamsters were inseminated in vitro with capacitated sperm suspensions, incubated at 37ºC, 5% CO2 for 3 h, and then processed for studies by scanning electronic microscopy. Statistical… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Construction and application of a yeast expression system for thymosin α1

    CHEN FENG*, CHEN XIANG-MING**, CHEN ZHI*, JIANG HAN-LIANG*, PAN XIAO-PING*, HU ZHONG-RONG*, LIU RONG-HUA*, CHEN XIAO-MING*
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 253-259, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.253
    Abstract We want to construct a yeast expression system for thymosin α1 (Tα1) to make the orally administered Tα1 preparation possible. The whole Tα1 DNA fragment was obtained by PCR. After being digested with restriction enzymes, it was cloned into pYES2 vector. Sequencing was performed to identify the recombinant. The sequence of Tα1 in recombinant coincided with the original one reported in Genbank. When pYES2-Tα1 plasmid was transformed into yeast, galactose instead of glucose was used to induce Tα1 expression. Western blot was performed to identify the quality of the expressed Tα1. Dried yeast containing pYEST2-Tα1 was fed to Balb/c mice… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Extracellular breakdown of collagen by mice decidual cells. A cytochemical and ultrastructural study

    SIMA GODOSEVICIUS KATZ
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 261-270, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.261
    Abstract The interaction of antimesometrial decidual cells and collagen fibrils was studied by light microscopy and ultrastructural cytochemistry in fed and acutely fasted mice on days 9-11 of pregnancy.
    Fibrillar elements in the extracellular space consisted of collagen fibrils and filamentous aggregates (disintegrating collagen fibrils). Intracellular vacuoles exhibited typical collagen immersed in electron-translucent material (clear vacuoles) and faint cross-banded collagen immersed in electron-opaque material (dark vacuoles).
    Fibrillar elements showed extracellular acid phosphatase activity which was stronger in the region of mature decidua than in predecidual cells region in all animals; it was conspicuous in mature decidua of fasted animals.… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Ubisch bodies and pollen ontogeny in Oxalis articulata Savigny

    SONIA ROSENFELDT, BEATRIZ G. GALATI
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 271-278, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.271
    Abstract The correlation between the ontogeny of Ubisch bodies and pollen development in Oxalis articulata was studied with Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The ultrastructural changes observed during the different stages of development in the tapetal cells are related to Ubisch bodies, sporopollenin and pollen-kitt formation. The pro-orbicules have the appearance of lipid globuli and their formation is related to the endoplasmic reticulum of rough type (ERr). The lipid globules or pro-orbicules disappear in the mature Ubisch bodies, and the places that they occupied remain free of contents or with pollen-kitt. More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Seed weight variation of wyoming sagebrush in Northern Nevada

    CARLOS A. BUSSO*, BARRY L. PERRYMAN**
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 279-285, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.279
    Abstract Seed size is a crucial plant trait that may potentially affect not only immediate seedling success but also the subsequent generation. We examined variation in seed weight of Wyoming sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis Beetle and Young), an excellent candidate species for rangeland restoration. The working hypothesis was that a major fraction of spatial and temporal variability in seed size (weight) of Wyoming sagebrush could be explained by variations in mean monthly temperatures and precipitation. Seed collection was conducted at Battle Mountain and Eden Valley sites in northern Nevada, USA, during November of 2002 and 2003. Frequency distributions of seed… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibition increases tyrosine phosphorylation and hyper motility in normal and pathological human spermatozoa

    ROBERTO YUNES, PEDRO FERNÁNDEZ, GUSTAVO F. DONCEL, ANÍBAL A. ACOSTA
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 287-293, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.287
    Abstract Our objective was to determine the effect of phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibition on: 1) tyrosine phosphorylation of human spermatozoa at the tail level; and 2) sperm motion parameters and hyperactivated motility. The study was conducted with normozoospermic and asthenozoospermic samples incubated under in vitro capacitating conditions. The main outcome measures were computer-assisted sperm motion analysis and fluorescent immunodetection of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. Pentoxifylline (PTX) was used as PDE inhibitor because of its wide use in the clinic. PTX-treatment significantly increased sperm velocity, hyperactivated motility and tyrosine-phosphorylation, both in normo and asthenozoospermic samples. Tyrosine-phosphorylation of tail proteins was highly conspicuous in both types… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Microsporogenesis in tetraploid accessions of Brachiaria nigropedata (Ficalho & Hiern) Stapf (Gramineae)

    KARINA SAYURI UTSUNOMIYA*, MARIA SUELY PAGLIARINI*, CACILDA BORGES DO VALLE**
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 295-301, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.295
    Abstract The genus Brachiaria (Trin.) Griseb. has achieved considerable importance to cattle production systems, as a result of the good production and adaptation of a few cultivars to poor and acid soils of the Brazilian savannas. Many of its species and accessions are polyploid and apomictic, which limits direct hybridization. To assist the breeding program, cytogenetic characterization has been undertaken on the accessions of Brachiaria collection at the Embrapa Beef Cattle Research Center. In this study, chromosome number and meiotic behavior are reported for the Brachiaria nigropedata (Ficalho & Hiern) Stapf collection. The 20 available accessions are tetraploid (2n = 4x… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    TNFα increases in vitro migration of human HPV18-positive SW756 cervical carcinoma cells

    K. HIDALGO1, I. G. ROJAS2, A. B. PENISSI3, M. I. RUDOLPH1
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 303-311, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.303
    Abstract TNFα has been associated with both, tumor survival and apoptosis. This cytokine is also involved in promoting cell migration during wound healing and tumorigenesis. SW756 is a HPV18-positive cervical carcinoma cell line, which has been used to study different mechanisms of cervical cancer progression. An in vitro assay of scratch wound healing onto monolayers of SW756 cells was used to assess the effect of TNFα on cell migration into a wound space. It was found that SW756 cells have the ability to migrate, but not proliferate in response to scratch wounding in a serum-free medium supplemented with TNFα. RT-PCR analysis… More >

  • Open AccessOpen Access

    ARTICLE

    Brief Note : Plant regeneration after long term callus culture in clones of Asparagus officinalis L.*

    A. C. PONTAROLI, E. L. CAMADRO
    BIOCELL, Vol.29, No.3, pp. 313-317, 2005, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2005.29.313
    Abstract Callus growth and plant regeneration from long-term callus cultures were studied in two elite clones of Asparagus officinalis cv. Argenteuil, to establish a suitable protocol for a prospective in vitro selection program. Callus initiation and growth was evaluated on MS medium with 3% sucrose, 0.9% agar, 1 mg.l-1 kinetin, and three levels of 2,4-D. The highest callus relative growth was obtained on medium with 1.5 mg.l-1 2,4-D and 1 mg.l-1 kinetin. Shoot primordia (SP) induction from >18-months-old calluses was evaluated on several media; the highest percentage of SP induction (89%) and average number of SP per callus (8.6) were obtained… More >

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