SONIA ROSENFELDT, BEATRIZ GLORIA GALATI

BIOCELL, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 41-47, 2008, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2008.32.041

Abstract Eleven Oxalis L. species from the province of Buenos Aires (Argentina) were investigated with scanning and transmission electron microscopes. We identified four different types and two subtypes of orbicules. We conclude that the close morphological similarity between these species is also reflected in their orbicules, and we suggest that the orbicules morphology may be a useful character in systematic studies. More >

LUIS A. MROGINSKI*, PEDRO A. SANSBERRO, ADRIANA M. SCOCCHI, CLAUDIA LUNA, HEBE Y. REY

BIOCELL, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 33-39, 2008, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2008.32.033

Abstract Tropical Ilex species have recalcitrant seeds. This work describes experiments demonstrating the feasibility of long-term conservation of Ilex brasiliensis, I. brevicuspis, I. dumosa, I. intergerrima, I. paraguariensis, I. pseudoboxus, I. taubertiana, and I. theezans through cryopreservation of zygotic rudimentary embryos at the heart developmental stage. The embryos were aseptically removed from the seeds and precultured (7 days) in the dark, at 27± 2ºC on solidified (0.8% agar) 1/4MS medium, [consisting of quarterstrength salts and vitamins of Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium] with 3% sucrose and 0.1 mg/l Zeatin. The embryos were then encapsulated in 3% calcium alginate beads and pretreated… More >

ALICIA WEYERS, LAURA I. UGNIA, HUGO GARCÍA OVANDO, NORA B. GORLA*

BIOCELL, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 27-31, 2008, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2008.32.027

Abstract In the present study, the antioxidant capacity of vitamin C was examined in the liver and the kidney tissues of mice with or without ciprofloxacin (CFX) treatment. The antioxidant capacity of the vitamin was evaluated in terms of lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs). The experimental design was 15 days of water (control and CFX groups) or vitamin C (vitamin C and vitamin C plus CFX groups) in drinking water. One dose of CFX was injected, 15 minutes before sacrifice, in the corresponding mice.
The initial nmol of lipid hydroperoxides/g of tissue were 137 ± 11… More >

MARCOS MORGAN

BIOCELL, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 9-26, 2008, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2008.32.009

Abstract The clustered protocadherins (Pcdhs) are single-pass transmembrane proteins that constitute a subfamily within the cadherin superfamily. In mammals, they are arranged in three consecutive clusters named α, β, and γ. These proteins are expressed in the nervous system and are targeted to mature synapses. Interestingly, different neurons express different subsets of isoforms; however, little is known about the functions and expression of the clustered Pcdhs.
Previous phylogenetic analyses that compared rodent and human clusters postulated the recent occurrence of gene duplication events. Using standard phylogenetic methods, I confirmed the prior observations, and I show that duplications are likely to… More >

FRANCISCO CAPANI¹, EZEQUIEL SARACENO¹, VALERIA ROMINA BOTI¹, LAURA AON-BERTOLINO¹, JUAN CARLOS FERNÁNDEZ¹, FERNANDO GATO¹, MARIA SOL KRAUSE², LISANDRO GIRALDEZ³, MARK H. ELLISMAN⁴, HÉCTOR COIRINI^1,2

BIOCELL, Vol.32, No.1, pp. 1-8, 2008, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2008.32.001

Abstract Cellular and subcellular organization and distribution of actin filaments have been studied with various techniques. The use of fluorescence photo-oxidation combined with phalloidin conjugates with eosin has allowed the examination of the precise cellular and subcellular location of F-actin. Correlative fluorescence light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies of F-actin distribution are facilitated with this method for morphological and physiological studies. Because phalloidin-eosin is smaller than other markers, this method allows the analysis of the three-dimensional location of F-actin with high-resolution light microscopy, three-d serial sections reconstructions, and electron tomography. The combination of selective staining and three-dimensional reconstructions provide a… More >

NÉSTOR CURVETTO1^1,2, PABLO MARINANGELI^1,2, GABRIELA MOCKEL²

BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 497-500, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.497

Abstract The micropropagation of Lilium longiflorum requires adequate equipment which may not be afforded by small laboratories or producers. In this work we compared traditional methodology with a protocol that included easily available elements to sterilize materials and culture media, together with addition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂ ) into the nutrient media as chemical sterilizer. A series of H₂O₂ concentrations (0.005, 0.010, 0.015 and 0.020% p/v) was used to control contamination during in vitro establishment and subsequent cultivation; the explant organogenic response was also examined and compared to the traditional micropropagation technique. The level of culture contamination was within acceptable limits… More >

KARINA M. MICHETTI^1,2, PATRICIA I. LEONARDI^1,3, EDUARDO J. CÁCERES^1,4

BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 491-496, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.491

Abstract Nonspecific acid phosphatases are a group of enzymes whose activity increases the availability of exogenous and endogenous orthophosphate either through extra- or intracellular hydrolysis of phosphate compounds. Our study demonstrates the activity of acid phosphatases in the filamentous freshwater alga Stigeoclonium tenue. These enzymes were detected following a cerium-based method in which cerium was used as an orthophosphate-capture reagent. In thalli from S. tenue from the natural environment, acid phosphatases were found in the longitudinal cell wall, plasmalemma, and vacuole. In thalli from Bold’s Basal Medium culture, these enzymes were found mainly in the plasmalemma; they were scarce in the… More >

GREGOR KOSEC^*¶, VANINA ALVAREZ^**¶, JUAN J. CAZZULO**

BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 479-490, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.479

Abstract Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite causing Chagas disease, contains a number of proteolytic enzymes. The recent completion of the genome sequence of the T. cruzi CL Brener clone suggests the presence of 70 cysteine peptidases, 40 serine peptidases (none of them from the chymotrypsin family), about 250 metallopeptidases (most leishmanolysin homologues), 25 threonine peptidases, and only two aspartyl peptidases, none of them from the pepsin family. The cysteine peptidases belong to 7 families of Clan CA, 3 families of Clan CD, and one each of Clans CE and CF. In Clan CA, the C1 family is represented by cruzipains 1 and… More >