LIDIA M. LOPEZ^*, AMANDA PELLEGRINO DE IRALDI^*, PATRICIA H. CARRIZO^**, MARTA DUBIN^**, ANDRÉS O.M. STOPPANI^**

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.2, pp. 237-245, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.237

Abstract CG 10-248 (3,4-dihydro-2,2 dimethyl-9-chloro-2H-naphtho[1,2b]pyran-5,6-dione), a ß-lapachone analogue, modified the ultrastructure of rat liver mitochondria in vitro, in the absence of added oxidizable substrates. The condensed mitochondrial state was replaced by the orthodox or swollen state to a significant degree. The number of modified mitochondria depended on incubation time and quinone concentration, in the 25-100 µM range. Under the same experimental conditions, mitochondrial respiration was uncoupled as indicated by the increase in the rate of succinate oxidation by controlled mitochondria in metabolic state “4” (not in state “3”), and by the activation of latent F₀ F₁ -ATP synthase. More >

JUAN J. LÓPEZ-COSTA, CAROLINA ACUIPIL, PATRICIA TAGLIAFERRO, SAMEER PATEL, JAVIER RAMOS, ALICIA BRUSCO, JORGE PECCI SAAVEDRA*

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.2, pp. 247-252, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.247

Abstract NADPH-diaphorase is a useful technique to reveal NO producing neurons at light microscopic level (LM). A modification of the technique using the tetrazolium salt BSPT as susbtrate, is useful to study the ultrastructure of NO neurons. The aim of this work was to perform a detailed analysis of NADPH diaphorase reactive neurons in rat mesencephalon both at light and electron microscopic levels.
NADPH-diaphorase reactive neurons were observed in superior colliculus, in central gray matter, in dorsal and medial raphe and in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus using two histochemical techniques at LM. Electron microscopy showed deposits More >

ARTURO D. JORGE^*, LUIS S. GUTIERREZ^**, OLIVER JORGE^*, MARIO H. BURGOS^**

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.2, pp. 253-262, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.253

Abstract The aim of this paper is to establish whether there are cytochemical or ultrastructural alterations in the hepatocytes of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) at stages I and II compared with the biopsies from individuals with normal liver. Cytochemical technique with ATP as substrate, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and freeze fracture were used for the studies.
In the normal liver biopsies the ultrastructural cytochemical localization of the enzymatic activity was clearly shown in the bile canaliculi. In the PBC biopsies, the enzymatic activity is increased in the bile canaliculi and is also present… More >

MARÍA TERESA PONCE, MÓNICA ELIZABETH GUIÑAZÚ, RICARDO TIZIO

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.2, pp. 263-266, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.263

Abstract The goal of this study was to determine the effect of putrescine, added to the culture medium, on the in vitro development of stenospermic grape (Vitis vinifera L) embryos. The cross breedings of Perlón x G.C88552 and Perlón x Argentina were used. 0 (control), 2 and 4 mM of putrescine were added to the immature seed’s culture medium. In Perlón x Argentina, 2mM of putrescine statistically increased the percentage of total embryos, direct germination, polyembryos and normal plants. In Perlón x G.C88552, only 2 mM of putrescine increased all the variables considered, eventually tripling the percentage of More >

S. NICOVANI , M.I. RUDOLPH

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.1, pp. 15-24, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.015

Abstract We examined the presence of estrogen receptors (ER) in vascular mast cells and a possible genomic effect of estrogens on the expression of mast cell (MC) mediators such as chymase, TNFα, NOS and IL-10, which are known to affect the course of atherosclerosis. Immunocytochemical detection of mast cell tryptase and the co-localization of ERs in MCs from abdominal aortic vessels from 10 fertile woman, 10 postmenopausal women and 15 men was performed. The genomic expression of IL-10, TNFα, and NOS was analyzed by RT-PCR and chymase activity by spectrophotometry after 24 h incubation with 17-β… More >

L.A. CARO¹, P.A. POLCI¹ , L.I. LINDSTRÖM¹ , C.V. ECHENIQUE^1,2, L.F. HERNÁNDEZ^1,3

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.1, pp. 25-33, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.025

Abstract Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz (Algarrobo de Chile) is an important native tree species that can be grown in arid and semiarid regions for wood and forage production and environmental protection. Developing a simple and reliable in vitro protocol for cloning it would enable to improve it genetically. Explants of P.chilensis were taken from 4 months-old plants grown in the greenhouse or from adult trees grown in a natural environment. Nodal segments 1 – 2 cm long containing an axillary bud were selected from elongating shoots. These cuttings were aseptically cultured on two agar-solid basal media, MS or BTMm,… More >

PAOLA GAUFFIN CANO¹ , GRACIELA AGÜERO³, GABRIELA PERDIGON^1,2

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.1, pp. 35-48, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.035

Abstract Nutritional deficiencies are associated with impaired immune response, affecting the body’s defence mechanisms. It is also known that Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and fermented products such us yogurt have immunopotentiator activity and nutritional properties, and could thus be used as a valuable supplement in a renutrition diet. The aim of this study was to determine, in a non-severe malnutrition model, the effective dose of Lactobacillus casei (L.casei), which when is used as an adjuvant in a renutrition diet, would modulate the mucosal immune system and induce recovery of the integrity of the intestinal barrier. The experiments… More >

ANA LUCÍA DE PAUL^*, MÓNICA BONATERRA^*, CLAUDIA GABRIELA PELLIZAS^**, AGUSTÍN AOKI^*, ALICIA INÉS TORRES^*

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.1, pp. 49-60, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.049

Abstract In the present study the in vivo and in vitro effects of GHRP-5 on the PRL-releasing activity in correlation with the morphological changes of lactotroph cells and their transcriptional activity were evaluated. The in vitro treatment (12 µg/100g BW/day for 3 days) of male rats with GHRP-5 does not induce any significant changes in serum PRL levels. In contrast, the addition of GHRP-5 to pituitary cell cultures increased significantly the release of PRL. This effect is enhanced in cell cultures of enriched lactotrophs, increasing significantly the secretion of PRL, the concentrations of which were 50% higher than… More >

M. Cruzado, C. Castro, N. Risler, R. Miatello

BIOCELL, Vol.26, No.1, pp. 61-67, 2002, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2002.26.061

Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) generation by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), may play a role in blood vessel tone regulation. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced iNOS activity and subsequent nitrite production by cultured aortic VSMC, from SHR with an established chronic blood pressure elevation (adult SHR) or during the period preceding the development of hypertension (young SHR) and from age-matched normotensive Wistar (W) rats were compared. Angiotensin II (Ang II) effect was also evaluated. Both basal LPS-induced iNOS activity and nitrite accumulation were significantly lower in young SHR VSMC compared… More >

H. Heras, R.J. Pollero

BIOCELL, Vol.26, Suppl.S, pp. 111-118, 2002

Abstract This article has no abstract. More >