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… 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… 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… 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 More >

Busso CA

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.77, pp. 327-350, 2008, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2008.77.327

Abstract Advantages, disadvantages and precautions of using the pressure chamber and thermocouple psychrometers for determinations of plant water potential, and osmotic and turgor pressures are discussed. Comparison of results obtained with both instruments will be influenced by the sampling technique, consistency in both sampling and measurement procedures, and errors inherent to the method itself. In-situ readings of either plant or soil water potential with thermocouple psychrometers are perhaps worthless, or worse (they may even be misleading). Use of thermocouple psychrometers is strictly limited to the laboratory where isothermal conditions can be obtained. The method to determine the More >

Pincheira-Ulbrich¹ J, JR Rau², E Hauenstein³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.77, pp. 321-326, 2008, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2008.77.321

Abstract We sampled the diversity of trees and shrubs, and built the rarefaction and accumulation species curve in 10 native forest fragments in southern Chile. Results indicated that: (1) there were 23 species in all sampled fragments, (2) species richness increased significantly with fragment size, (3) all fragments require a minimal sampling from 40 to 170 individuals to reach the maximum theoretical species richness, and (4) sampling richness was greater than that theoretically expected (20 species). More >

Castellanos-Pérez¹ E, AG de Soyza², GB Donart³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.77, pp. 297-320, 2008, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2008.77.297

Abstract The study was conducted in the Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center, 32 km north of Las Cruces, NM, USA. Physiological responses of the shrub Larrea tridentata (DC) Cov. and the perennial grass Muhlenbergia porteri Scribn were determined from the summer 1997 to the winter 1998-99 when they grew together. In the summer 1997, Larrea tridentata competed for water with M. porteri, as shrubs growing alone showed higher integrated photosynthesis than shrubs in competition with M. porteri following a heavy rainfall event. Larrea tridentata had lower water use efficiency (WUE) than M. porteri plants. In the summer 1998, M. porteri had greater pre-dawn xylem… More >

Bucciarelli A, VN Cambi, CB Villamil

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.77, pp. 283-295, 2008, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2008.77.283

Abstract Araujia hortorum (“tasi”) is a native species of South America, invading crops in several countries. It is used as food and in medicine due to its galactogenic properties. Morphoanatomical and micrographic characters of leaves, stems and roots were studied to determine diagnostic characters that allow its identification in the vegetative state. Stomata and palisade parenchyma indexes, stomata location, the proportion and characteristics of palisade and spongy parenchyma and the scarce quantity of idioblasts, resulted in the most relevant, differential characters. More >

Pérez-Amador¹ MC, V Muñoz Ocotero¹, S Pérez Benitez¹, F García Jiménez²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.77, pp. 275-282, 2008, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2008.77.275

Abstract The presence of phototoxic compounds in stems and leaves of young plants of Vernonia patens Kunth was confirmed by TLC. These compounds were in smaller amounts in younger than in adult plants of this species. Only the stems presented specific activity of these compounds from the two study plant organs. It included characteristic UV bands at 200 and 300nm, and phototoxic activity against Bacillus subtilis (ATCC-6633). Stems and leaves of Vernonia patens also showed anti-inflammatory activity and bactericide potential. More >

Miravalles¹ M, V Beaufort², F Möckel¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.77, pp. 263-273, 2008, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2008.77.263

Abstract Blackpoint incidence was assessed on grain from six durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) varieties grown during crop season 2004-05 at four sites, in the traditional durum wheat growing region of Argentina. Broad differences in grain discolouration were detected among sites and varieties, together with significant variety x site interactions. Among varieties, those with lower thousand grain weight and higher widthto- length ratio (proportionally shorter grains) showed less susceptibility to this disease than heavy/large grain varieties. Differences among sites in the levels of blackpoint incidence were also related to the physical attributes of grains revealing the strong More >