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Biomedical subjects

S Yoshiki

Publications and source records attributed to S Yoshiki.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors and their action in embryonic chick chondrocytes.

The role of vitamin D in the maturation of epiphyseal chondrocytes was investigated in the developing chick embryo. Cartilage tissues were divided into two parts: resting cartilage and growth cartilage. A cytosol component to which 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1 alpha,25(OH)2D3) is specifically bound first appeared in the growth cartilage on day 15, rapidly increased, and attained a maximum on day 19. The calcium content of the growth cartilage also began to increase on day 15 and continued to increase in parallel with the 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 receptor levels. Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis by the growth cartilage cells increased from day 11-17 and rapidly declined thereafter reciprocally with the increase in calcium and receptor levels. In the resting cartilage, no cytosol receptor for 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 was detected up to hatching time. The calcium content and GAG synthesis in the resting cartilage were very low and did not change appreciably throughout development. No receptor-like macromolecule for 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (24R,25(OH)2D3) was recognized in either the resting or growth cartilage. 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 added to the culture of chondrocytes from the epiphyseal growth cartilage inhibited GAG synthesis and stimulated its release from the cell layer into the medium in a dose-dependent manner. These in vitro effects of 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 were not observed in chondrocytes obtained from 13-day-old growth cartilage and 19-day-old resting cartilage. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 and 24R,25(OH)2D3 had no effect on chondrocytes in any of the preparations. These results suggest that 1 alpha, 25 (OH)2D3 is directly involved in the maturation of chondrocytes and possibly in the calcification of growth cartilage.

Animals↗

Changes occurring in plasma membranes and intercellular junctions during the process of carcinogenesis and in squamous cell carcinoma.

A 0.5% mineral-oil solution of 9.10-dimethyl-1.2-benzanthracene (DMBA) was applied to artificial cecal pouches in the lower lips of rats. Ultrastructural studies were made of plasma membranes and intercellular junctions during the process of malignant transformation in the oral mucosal epithelium and after squamous cell carcinoma had been induced by the carcinogen. After the administration of DMBA, the inner leaflet of the membranes where the microfilaments are attached showed high electron density and intramembranous particles on the P-face of basal cells decreased to about half that of controls. However, on the E-face the number of intramembranous particles increased by approximately 10% compared with controls. Though the normal size range for intramembranous particles was 9-12 nm, the administration of DMBA caused aggregations of from three to six particles on the P-face. In squamous cell carcinomas, only the outer leaflet of the membranes showed high electron density; the number of intramembranous particles was 30% higher on the P-face and approximately three times higher on the E-face compared with controls and the morphology of the intramembranous particles, which formed irregular aggregates of from five to 20 particles, was specific. In animals treated with DMBA, the number of gap junctions decreased by between 50% and 70%, although no structural changes occurred. In squamous cell carcinomas, the area of gap junctions was about 50% lower and the number of gap junctions about 40% lower than in controls. Changes in the number and area of desmosomes were similar to those of gap junctions both in the DMBA-treated animals and in squamous cell carcinomas.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

The role of vitamin D in the medullary bone formation in egg-laying Japanese quail and in immature male chicks treated with sex hormones.

The effect of vitamin D3 on medullary bone formation was investigated in egg-laying Japanese quail and in immature male chicks treated with sex hormones. When laying quail were fed a vitamin D-deficient diet for 16 days, their eggshell weights and egg production rate were markedly reduced in a time-dependent manner with a significant decrease in plasma calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels. The calcium content of the medullary bone of femurs decreased markedly with the progress of vitamin D deficiency, whereas that of the cortical bone remained unchanged. Quantitative histological examination also showed that the area of the mineralized portion of medullary bone in quail that were fed the vitamin D-deficient diet markedly decreased compared with that in the control laying quail, whereas the total area of the mineralized and unmineralized portions of medullary bone in the bone marrow cavity increased moderately. Daily administration of vitamin D3 (0.75 microgram/day) to the vitamin D-deficient quail increased the mineralization of medullary bone as early as day 4. Daily administration of both estradiol (0.3 mg/day) and testosterone (0.9 mg/day) for 3 weeks to immature male chicks induced an apparent hypercalcemia and matrix formation of medullary bone, regardless of the vitamin D status of the chicks. Mineralization of medullary bone was observed only when vitamin D3 was administered together with the sex hormones. These results suggest that vitamin D3 is directly involved in the mineralization of medullary bone in birds.

Animals↗

Morphology and permeability of junctional complexes in maturing ameloblasts of rat incisors.

Thin sections of newborn rat incisors were examined by tracer experiments and freeze-fracture replication in order to clarify the morphology and permeability of ameloblast junctional complexes in the maturation stage. Ameloblast junctional complexes consisted of gaps and tight junctions at the proximal and distal ends. Whereas the proximal junctional complexes sealed extracellular spaces incompletely, the distal ones formed complete, belt-like barriers around the cell. Tight junctions of these junctional complexes, however, were composed of both continuous and discontinuous rows of particles with various spaces among them. Intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase (HRP) reached the enamel surface through the extracellular spaces among ameloblasts and was absorbed by ameloblasts of the ruffled borders. Pinocytosis and transcellular migration of HRP could not be demonstrated in maturing ameloblasts except in the ruffled border zone.

Ameloblasts↗

Thin-section, tracer, and freeze-fracture study of the smooth-ended maturation ameloblasts in rat incisors.

The morphology and functional roles of the smooth-ended maturation ameloblasts (SAs) of rat incisors were examined by means of routine thin sections, tracer experiments, and freeze-fracture replication. SAs possessed two sets of junctional complexes consisting of tight junctions (fasiae occludentes) and gap junctions at the proximal and distal ends. Neither the proximal nor the distal junctional complex formed a complete barrier around the cell; intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase (HRP) reached the developing enamel surface through SAs extracellular spaces. SA supranuclear cytoplasm included such various cytoplasmic vesicles as the multivesicular body (MVB), large and vacuoles, dense body, and coated vesicles. The HRP that reached the enamel surface was incorporated into some coated vesicles and small vacuoles via coated pits and membrane invaginations of the distal cell surface of SA. Then, in the process of time, it migrated into the MVB and large endocytic vacuoles. These results indicate that the SA layer forms an extracellular transfer route for metabolites between papillary layer and the enamel surface and that SAs absorb exogenous protein.

Ameloblasts↗

Improved procedure for histological identification of osteoid matrix in decalcified bone.

Several improvements on the original method of Yoshiki and coworkers for histological identification of osteoid matrix in decalcified bone are described in this report. The first, fixation of bone with neutral buffered formalin, a popular and stable fixative, should produce better tissue morphology and ensure easy handling in any laboratory. The second is a simple test for aged cyanuric chloride. Aged reagents show poor or no solubility in methanol and have almost no effect on differential staining of osteoid matrix. The third is an application of an organic acid solution in place of neutral EDTA for bone decalcification. Reduced decalcification time with the acid results in rapid preparation of bone sections. Neutral formalin fixation, immersion in the cyanuric chloride solution, decalcification with an organic acid, and hematoxylin and eosin staining, all quite routine laboratory procedures, yield high quality results for identification of osteoid matrix in bone sections.

Animals↗

Formation of tight junctions in differentiating and secretory ameloblasts of rat molar tooth germs.

Forty newborn rats were perfused with Karnovsky fixative and the tight junctions in differentiating and secretory ameloblasts were examined by conventional electron microscopy and freeze-fracture replications. Pre-ameloblasts were divided into types I, II and III based on morphology. Initial indications of tight-junction formation appeared as linear aggregations of particles in type II. The apparent tight junctional strands were observed in type III and in secretory ameloblasts. Though the junctional strands were numerous and long, no complete barrier between pre-ameloblasts at their distal ends was present. Complete zonular tight junctions were first observed at the distal ends of secretory ameloblasts; at this stage, proximal tight junctions incompletely sealed the paracellular spaces around the ameloblasts. Throughout their formative processes, the tight junctional strands were engaged in forming gap junctions. The structural features of tight junctions were considered to be closely associated with the cytodifferentiation of ameloblasts and permeability in the ameloblast layer.

Ameloblasts↗

Amyloid deposits in the aged tongue: a postmortem study of 107 individuals over 60 years of age.

The incidence and distribution of amyloid deposits in aged tongues obtained from 107 necropsies over 60 years of age were examined. Thirty-nine tongues were affected with amyloid deposits and the overall incidence was 36.4%. The incidence increased with each advancing decade, and the group over 90 years old showed the highest incidence of 59.6%. Although the amount of amyloid deposits differed in each case, severely affected cases were most frequently found in the advanced decades. Amyloid deposits were almost always confined to blood vessels, especially arterioles and arteries. They occasionally occupied the entire wall and occluded the lumen. Blood vessels affected with amyloid were usually located in the muscle layers of the tongue. Vessels in the subepithelial layer and lingual glands were, however, sometimes affected. Amyloid deposits were resistant to Congo red staining with the potassium permangante method, and stained positively with DMAB. The present study suggested that the tongue is an important organ as to the appearance of amyloid deposits in elderly persons.

Age Factors↗

Differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemia cells induced by 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

Mouse myeloid leukemia cells can be induced to differentiate into macrophages in vitro by 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the active form of vitamin D3. The minimal concentration of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to induce the cell differentiation was 0.12 nM. The degree of cell differentiation in various markers induced by 12 nM 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was nearly equivalent to that induced by 1 microM dexamethasone, the most potent known stimulator. Among several markers of the differentiation by 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, phagocytic activity was induced within 24 hr, and this was followed by induction of lysozyme and locomotive activities. Similar changes were also induced by 0.01-1 microM 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 and 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 showed only weak inducing activity. These results suggest the possibility that, in addition to its wellknown biological activities in enhancing intestinal calcium transport and bone mineral mobilization, 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is involved in the differentiation of bone marrow cells.

Animals↗

Bone and kidney lesions in experimental cadmium intoxication.

Young male rats were fed a diet containing cadmium (0, 10, 30, 100, and 300 ppm) so as to morphologically investigate the relationship between bone and kidney lesions caused by experimental cadmium intoxication. In the early stage of the experiment, before the occurrence of kidney lesions, ingeted cadmium caused osteoporotic changes in bone. In later stages, slight pathologic changes in the kdidney occurred in association with urinary excretion of cadmium. However, there was no evidence of osteomalacic change in bone during the 12-week experimental period. These findings suggest that cadmium may act primarily on bone, rather than secondarily through disturbances of the kidneys, which have some protective ability against cadmium intoxication in the early stage of ingestion of the metal.

Animals↗