Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T G Hammond

Publications and source records attributed to T G Hammond.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Segmental distribution of the endocytosis receptor gp330 in renal proximal tubules.

The subcellular distribution and segmental variations in location of gp330, a scavenger receptor for filtered proteins in renal proximal tubules, was analyzed. Kidney tissue from rats (4 different strains), rabbits and humans were analyzed by light- and electron microscope immunocytochemistry, using cryosections or Lowicryl sections from cryosubstituted tissue. Gp330 was located mainly in apical coated pits, small and large endocytic vacuoles and in dense apical tubules in the proximal tubule cells. The labeling density was markedly higher in segments 1 and 2 as compared to segment 3 of the proximal tubule. In addition to the location in the early part of the endocytic pathway, gp330 was also present in lysosomes, especially in segments 1 and 2. The lysosomal labeling was not restricted to the membrane, but was also seen in the matrix. Localization of gp330 in lysosomes was confirmed on sections from purified lysosomal fractions from rat renal cortex. The brush border localization of gp330 in proximal tubules exhibited a characteristic segmental variation. In the initial part of segment 1, there was virtually no brush border labeling. In the remaining part of segment 1 and in segment 2, there was a distinct but sometimes patchy labeling of the brush border. In segment 3, groups of microvilli of approximately 10 as seen in sections were intensively labeled from bottom to tip and there were often more than one of these groups on a single cell, the remaining microvilli were unlabeled. No differences in the cellular and subcellular localization of gp330 were observed between species or rat strains. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that in addition to its location in the early endocytic and recycling pathway, gp330 is also present in microvilli and the protein and degradation products thereof is present in lysosomes, consistent with its role as a protein scavenger receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

FK506-induced endothelin release by cultured rat mesangial cells.

Renal damage is a major side effect of the macrolide immunosuppressant FK 506. Although little is known about the underlying mechanism of FK 506 nephrotoxicity, available data suggest that it may be associated with a disturbance in renal hemodynamics, possibly brought about by alterations in the production of vasoactive substances such as endothelin-1 (ET-1). We have investigated the release of ET-1 from primary renal mesangial cells in culture. Mesangial cells derived from rat renal cortex were exposed to a range of FK 506 concentrations (10(-10) to 10(-6) M) or vehicle for up to 6 h. FK 506 caused a significant dose-related increase in ET release. This effect was dependent on cell density and was blocked by co-incubation with FPL 65620, an FK 506 analogue that binds to the FK binding protein (FKBP) and inhibits the immunosuppressive activity of FK 506. These data suggest that mesangial cell ET may play a role in FK 506 nephrotoxicity and that the effect of FK 506 on ET release may be mediated through the FKBP.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Characterization of purified endosomes containing the antidiuretic hormone-sensitive water channel from rat renal papilla.

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) stimulation of renal epithelial cells elicits a large increase in apical membrane osmotic water permeability (Pf) produced by the fusion of water channel containing vesicles with the apical membrane. Removal of ADH stimulation results in retrieval of apical water channels into a specialized non-acidic endosomal compartment. Previous studies (Sabolic, I., Wuarin, F., and Shi, L. B. (1992) J. Cell Biol. 119, 111-122) have shown that water channel containing papillary endosomes labeled with fluorescein-dextran can be isolated from rat renal papilla. We have utilized small particle flow sorting methodology to both monitor and improve upon the purification of these water channel containing endosomes (WCV). Flow cytometry analysis on a vesicle-by-vesicle basis demonstrates that WCV are homogeneous with respect to entrapped fluorescein-dextran, the apical membrane enzyme marker leucine amino peptidase and ultrastructural morphology. WCV do not acidify their luminal contents after addition of Mg-ATP but contain abundant functional water channels (Pf0.28 cm/s at 23 degrees C) as determined by stopped flow fluorimetry. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis shows that purified WCV are composed of 20 major protein bands. To determine the identity of WCV water channels, WCV proteins were probed with affinity purified antisera recognizing two renal water channel proteins. These include Aquaporin-CHIP found in the proximal tubule and thin descending limb of Henle and the candidate ADH water channel protein WCH-1 or Aquaporin- (AQP) CD present in the ADH-responsive epithelial cells of the collecting duct. These data reveal that WCV contained little or no AQP-CHIP protein. In contrast, WCV are highly enriched for AQP-CD protein. Together, these data define the protein composition of the papillary WCV and link directly the presence of functional apical membrane water channels with the presence of the AQP-CD protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Permeability properties of rat renal lysosomes.

Although lysosomes maintain large pH gradients and may be subjected to significant osmotic gradients in vivo, little is known about their passive permeability properties. In recent studies, vacuolar H(+)-adenosine-triphosphatases (ATPases), such as those found in lysosomes, have been suggested to act as water channels. In addition, the erythrocyte and proximal tubule water channel CHIP28 is present on the plasma membrane of proximal tubule cells and may undergo endocytosis so that it is incorporated in lysosomes. We therefore examined water, proton, and small nonelectrolyte permeabilities in freshly purified lysosomes from rat renal proximal tubule. Lysosomes were purified by differential and Percoll gradient centrifugation. The preparation contained only lysosomes when examined by electron microscopy. Moreover, analysis by flow cytometry showed virtually all particles to be positive for acid phosphatase and cathepsin B activities. Permeabilities were measured on a stopped-flow fluorimeter by monitoring the self-quenching or pH-sensitive quenching of entrapped fluorescein derivatives. Osmotic water permeability (Pf) averaged 0.011 +/- 0.003 cm/s (n = 6), a value similar to that of biological membranes containing water channels. However, Pf was insensitive to the organic mercurial reagent p-chloromercuribenzene-sulfonate and to HgCl2 and exhibited an activation energy of 10.8 +/- 0.8 kcal/mol. These results indicate that water flux in lysosomes occurred via the lipid bilayer, and not via water channels. Addition of ATP led to lysosomal acidification (proton flux = 4.6 +/- 0.8 x 10(-11) mmol H+.s-1.cm-2), which was completely inhibited by 0.1 microM bafilomycin. Pf was insensitive to this agent as was the passive proton permeability (0.36 +/- 0.18 cm/s, n = 4). Permeabilities to small nonelectrolytes varied in proportion to the oil-water partition coefficient, confirming the applicability of Overton's rule to lysosomes. We conclude that proximal tubular lysosomes exhibit high Pf, which occurs via the lipid bilayer and not via vacuolar H(+)-ATPase.

Acids↗
PubMed1994

Heterogeneity of endosomal populations in the rat renal cortex: light endosomes.

The endosomal pathway of the rat renal cortex was labeled by intravenous infusion of fluorescent dextran small enough to cross the glomerular ultrafiltration barrier and be taken up by luminal endocytosis in the proximal tubule. Using Percoll gradient centrifugation, we isolated and characterized a previously undetected renal cortical endosomal fraction slightly lighter than basolateral membranes. Assay of entrapped dextran on a vesicle-by-vesicle basis using small-particle flow cytometry techniques demonstrates homogeneity for entrapped dextran. Flow cytometry colocalization of entrapped markers with brush-border enzymes in > 99% of the vesicles and the absence of Na-K-adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) suggest both that these vesicles are of apical origin and that apical enzymes traffic into endosomal elements. Furthermore, two glycoproteins derived from intermicrovillar clefts are detectable in this fraction. Ultrastructurally the vesicles are heterogeneous, consisting of multivesicular bodies together with vesicles of diverse size and coating. Populations of vesicles can be cleanly separated from each other and basolateral membranes according to their surface charge by high-resolution free-flow electrophoresis. Multiparameter flow cytometry analysis demonstrates that a more abundant population of smaller vesicles has brisker H(+)-ATPase activity, whereas a less abundant population of larger vesicles has slower H(+)-ATPase activity. In contrast, brush-border membrane vesicles contained no entrapped markers and lacked H(+)-ATPase activity. Analysis of vesicles prepared after addition of dextran to the homogenate confirms that the vesicles form in vivo. Hence a heterogeneous renal cortical endosomal population is of apical origin.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Permeability properties of the mammalian bladder apical membrane.

The luminal surface of mammalian bladder is exposed to urine with a composition widely different from that of plasma that bathes the basolateral surface of epithelium. Therefore we predict that the bladder permeability barrier, which is likely located in the apical membrane (AM), will exhibit low permeabilities to water, urea, NH3, H+, and small nonelectrolytes. AM surface area increases as the bladder fills with urine and decreases during emptying, a process that involves cyclical endocytosis and reinsertion of membrane from a pool of AM endosomes (AME). Rigid-appearing plaques composed of three proteins, uroplakins, have been identified and occupy 70-90% of AM surface area. To determine permeability properties of the AM permeability barrier, we purified AME and measured their permeabilities. Rabbit urinary bladders were removed, and their apical surface was exposed to carboxyfluorescein (CF) or horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Exposure to hypotonic and then isotonic basolateral solutions induced endocytosis of luminal CF or HRP into AME. Electron microscopy of bladders after this treatment revealed HRP entrapped within AME bordered by plaques. AME were purified by differential and sucrose-gradient centrifugation, and CF-containing AME were purified 17.0 +/- 3-fold (SD) with respect to homogenate. Analysis of purified AME by flow cytometry showed that > 95% of vesicles contained CF entrapped from luminal solution and were selectively labeled with anti-uroplakin antibody. AME osmotic water permeability averaged 2.3 +/- 0.66 x 10(-4) cm/s and exhibited a high activation energy, indicating that AM contains no water channels. Permeability to urea and NH3 averaged 7.8 +/- 3.7 x 10(-7) and 1.5 +/- 0.3 x 10(-3) cm/s, respectively, which are exceptionally low and similar to permeabilities of other water-tight membranes, including toad urinary bladder and gastric mucosa. AME behaved as a single population in all permeability studies, which will permit future characterization of protein and lipid structure responsible for these unique permeability properties.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1994

Trafficking of apical proteins into clathrin-coated vesicles isolated from rat renal cortex.

The endosomal pathway of the rat renal cortex was labeled by intravenous infusion of fluorescent dextran small enough to cross the glomerular ultrafiltration barrier and be taken up by luminal endocytosis in the proximal tubule. Clathrin-coated vesicles (CCV) were isolated from the rat renal cortex utilizing discontinuous sucrose density gradients and negative lectin selection. More than 99 +/- 1% (n = 4) of the isolated vesicles contain entrapped fluorescein dextran when analyzed by small-particle flow cytometry techniques. Similarly, flow cytometry analysis demonstrates brisk H(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase activity in virtually all the vesicles. Western blot analysis of the vesicle proteins with a polyclonal anticlathrin antibody stains bands consistent with clathrin and adaptins. When the isolated vesicles are decoated by exposure to 0.5 M tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, the proteins released match the molecular weights of the proteins identified on Western blot analysis. Flow cytometry demonstration of brush border enzymes in > 99% of the vesicles and Western blot identification of maltase suggests both that these vesicles are of apical origin and that apical enzymes traffic into endosomal elements. Additionally, two glycoproteins detectable in this fraction on Western blot analysis and flow cytometry immunocytochemistry are derived from intermicrovillar clefts traffic into the endosomal pathway. Hence, apical proteins traffic into a population of CCV isolated from the rat renal cortex.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Heavy endosomes isolated from the rat renal cortex show attributes of intermicrovillar clefts.

The endosomal pathway of the rat renal cortex was labeled by intravenous infusion of fluorescent dextran small enough to cross the glomerular ultrafiltration barrier and be taken up by luminal endocytosis. A fraction containing entrapped fluorescein was isolated from a cortical homogenate after differential centrifugation and Percoll density gradient centrifugation. This fraction has been dubbed heavy endosomes. To our surprise, small-particle flow cytometry techniques demonstrated that heavy endosomes are homogeneous for entrapped fluorescein dextran and the presence of H(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase activity. The abundance of heavy endosomes, combined with the findings that true endosomal populations are identifiable in other renal cortical fractions, led us to test whether heavy endosomes had the attributes of intermicrovillar clefts. First, we tested whether heavy endosomes vesiculate in vivo or in vitro. Vesicle-by-vesicle flow cytometry analysis of uptake of fluorescein dextran added to the homogenate demonstrated that virtually all the vesicles form in vitro (99 +/- 2%, n = 4). Second, the fraction contains markers associated with intermicrovillar clefts: clathrin light chains, actin, glycoprotein gp280, and gp330, the "Heymann antigen." The presence of the brush border enzyme markers gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and leucine aminopeptidase in > 99% of the heavy endosomes confirms that the vesicles are of apical origin. The activity of the enzymes colocalized with entrapped markers but was tenfold less than in brush-border membrane vesicles. Heavy endosomes isolated from the rat renal cortex vesiculate in vitro and contain several intermicrovillar markers.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Energy transfer assays of rat renal cortical endosomal fusion: evidence for superfusion.

The complex of components necessary to allow endosomal fusion includes both membrane-bound receptors and several soluble proteins. Although these factors have been isolated from cultured cell lines, and endosomal fusion has been reconstituted in vitro for vesicular systems from yeast to synaptosomes, there is a paucity of data from mammalian systems. To investigate fusion in rat renal cortical endosomes, we began by developing a fusion assay. As the immunoglobulin and avidin-based probes almost universally employed in fusion assays are excluded by the glomerular ultrafiltration barrier, it was necessary to begin by finding ultrafilterable probes which could serve as a fusion assay. We labeled the apical endosomal pathway of the renal proximal tubule by intravenous infusion of ultrafilterable fluorescent dextrans. Energy transfer from entrapped fluorescein-dextran to rhodamine-dextran had a narrow concentration dependence but allowed fluorometric assay of endosomal fusion. The "spectroscopic ruler" property of energy transfer, whereby it will only occur at < 60 A, makes fusion measurements unequivocal. The energy transfer efficiency of fluorometric (48 +/- 1%) and flow cytometry (57 +/- 1%) assays were close to the theoretical optimum (57%). Energy transfer is detected as a decrease in fluorescence of the fluorescein donor and an increase in fluorescence of the rhodamine acceptor. Our endosomal fusion assay was utilized to determine the optimal conditions for fusion of rat renal cortical light endosomes and heavy endosomes. Independent measurements of fluorescein-dextran and rhodamine-dextran on an endosome-by-endosome basis using dual-beam two-color flow cytometry demonstrated that each fusion event involves multiple endosomes rather than a single pair of endosomes. Electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the average vesicle diameter was five times larger in the fused heavy endosomal fractions compared with control fractions without fusion. Hence, fusion of mammalian renal cortical endosomes reconstituted in vitro is consistent with multiple fusion events dubbed superfusion.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1993

Isolation of highly purified, functional endosomes from toad urinary bladder.

Endosomes are difficult to isolate as they share size and density properties with much more abundant cellular organelles such as mitochondria. In cultured cell lines the tandem use of charge-dependent isolation techniques and differential centrifugation is necessary to isolate endosomes. Endosomal populations of the toad urinary bladder are of special interest because they are thought to contain a water channel. Understanding of the molecular structure of the water channel has been constrained, as there is currently no practical method to isolate functional water-channel-containing vesicles. This study reports the tandem use of charge-dependent techniques and centrifugation to isolate populations of endosomes from the toad urinary bladder. To purify water-channel-containing vesicles aqueous two-phase partition was utilized to fractionate a preparation partially purified by differential centrifugation. Populations of endosomes were analysed by small-particle flow cytometry techniques. A 5-fold enrichment in endosomes, achieved with aqueous two-phase partition, allowed us to identify two populations of endosomes of diverse size in a toad bladder endosomal fraction. Preenrichment also improved the efficiency of flow cytometry sorting, allowing isolation of the two endosomal populations in sufficient quantities for secondary analysis. A population of larger endosomes had very high water permeability, indicating the presence of water channels. The two populations had different SDS/PAGE fingerprints. Electron micrographs of the flow-sorted material shows a uniform population of membrane vesicles devoid of mitochondria and other identifiable cellular organelles. Hence, aqueous two-phase partition and flow cytometry allow identification of two populations of endosomes in the toad urinary bladder which have diverse structural and functional properties. Isolation of functional water-channel-containing vesicles allows co-localization of water-channel function with candidate water-channel proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Isolation and characterization of renal cortical membranes using an aqueous two-phase partition technique.

The aqueous two-phase partition technique is a simple, rapid and inexpensive method for the fractionation of membrane preparations. Aqueous two-phase partitioning separates according to surface properties such as charge and hydrophobicity, making it complementary to established centrifugation techniques, which separate on the basis of density. Although aqueous two-phase partitioning has been successfully applied to animal tissues, there are limited data on the functional properties of the isolated membranes. We have applied the aqueous two-phase partition technique to rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles and sheets. Our aim was to remove organelle contamination while maintaining the functional properties of the membranes. Evidence from marker enzyme analysis and electron microscopy supports the conclusion that renal brush-border membranes are fractionated separate from the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. This separation procedure did not alter the Na(+)-dependent transport of brush-border membrane vesicles. Na(+)-D-glucose symporter and Na(+)-H+ antiporter activity in the fractionated preparation increased to the same extent as did the enrichment of enzyme markers for brush-border membranes.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Forward scatter pulse width signals resolve multiple populations of endosomes.

The technique of pulse width analysis, developed to optimize cell size resolution in cell cycle kinetics, has not previously been applied to small particles such as endosomes. Offset is used to subtract a portion of the beam diameter from forward scatter pulse width signals to optimize visualization and discrimination of small particles. We identify multiple endosomal populations by offset pulse width of light scatter parameters. Specifically, linear forward scatter pulse width measurements reveal at least two populations of endosomes in the rat renal cortex, the rat renal papilla, and the luminal endothelium of the toad urinary bladder. Logarithmically amplified forward scatter pulse width measurements display the full dynamic range of these signals, resolving additional populations not manifest with linear amplification. To confirm that the endosomes observed were resolved from optical and electronic noise, we examined physiological function. The endosomes acidified after supplying ATP to the intrinsic membrane H(+)-ATPase present. Further, electron microscopy of sorted endosomal populations from the toad urinary bladder confirmed identity and homogeneity of the fraction. Flow cytometric analysis of endosomal populations by multiparametric techniques including pulse width analysis of structural parameters and pulse height analysis of fluorescence from entrapped fluorophores allows identification, isolation, and quantification of multiple endosomal populations.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal, intravenous, and subcutaneous recombinant human erythropoietin in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

The pharmacokinetics of recombinant human erythropoietin (Epo) were compared after mean single 99.1 U/kg intraperitoneal (IP), intravenous (i.v.), and subcutaneous (SC) doses in eight noninfected patients on peritoneal dialysis in a randomized, three-way, cross-over fashion. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was performed in all patients on the days of the study. The IP dose was instilled into an empty peritoneum; total dwell time was 10 hours (4 hours dry, 6 hours with 2 L of peritoneal dialysis fluid). Blood samples were collected for 96 hours following IP and SC Epo, and for 72 hours following i.v. Epo. For the IP dose, a 10-hour effluent dialysate sample was collected to determine Epo recovery. Enzyme immunoassay was used for Epo analysis. The mean apparent volume of distribution was 0.05 L/kg, equivalent to 4.5% of total body weight; the mean total body clearance was 0.08 mL/min/kg. All eight patients exhibited multiexponential decay in serum Epo concentrations following i.v. Epo. Absorption of IP Epo was significantly greater than previous reports, presumably due to its administration into a dry peritoneum. The maximum concentrations following the IP and SC doses were nearly identical, but amounted to only 5% of the maximum concentrations for the i.v. dose. Subcutaneous Epo took nearly twice as long as IP Epo to achieve peak serum concentrations (17.1 +/- 5.0 hours v 9.4 +/- 1.9 hours). Compared with the IP route, the SC dose achieved a higher area under the serum concentration time curve from time 0 to 96 hours (AUC0-96; P = 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Absorption↗
PubMed1993

Fate of antidiuretic hormone water channel proteins after retrieval from apical membrane.

In toad bladder granular cells, antidiuretic hormone (ADH) stimulates insertion of vesicles containing water channels (WCV), markedly increasing apical membrane osmotic water permeability (Pf). After withdrawal of ADH stimulation, WCV are removed from the apical membrane and fluid-phase markers endocytosed from the apical solution appear predominantly in endosomes at 10-15 min and multivesicular bodies at 30-60 min. Although the luminal contents of this endocytic pathway have been well characterized, the fate of membrane proteins, including functional ADH water channels in these vesicles remains unclear. Using electron microscopic, flow cytometric, and stopped-flow fluorescence measurements and characterization of labeled vesicle proteins, we examined the fate of membrane proteins contained within WCV. The protein complements of endosomes harvested after 10, 30, and 60 min of ADH withdrawal were similar. Selective covalent labeling of apical proteins during ADH stimulation followed by ADH reversal for 30 or 60 min showed that apical proteins colocalize with fluid-phase marker-labeled endosomes at all times, and most apically labeled protein bands present in the 10-min fraction were also present in the 30- and 60-min endosome fractions. Endosomes at 10 and 30 min but not at 60 min contained functional water channels revealed by high Pf and proton permeability, low activation energy of Pf, and sensitivity of Pf to mercurial reagents. We conclude that a portion of apically exposed membrane proteins, including candidate water channel proteins, travel together with fluid-phase markers from 10-min endosomes into later endosomal compartments. Functional water channels may be inactivated or some essential protein component selectively sorted away between 30 and 60 min after ADH withdrawal.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Analysis and isolation of renal tubular cells by flow cytometry.

The cells of the renal cortex have rich heterogeneity of structure and function. Flow cytometry, the technique of rapid laser-based single cell analysis, can give information about cellular mixtures not obtainable by any other means. We examined a variety of fluorescent markers to identify populations of renal cells by flow cytometry. Cellular digests of rat cortex were fluorescently stained with either enzymatic activity probes, or polyclonal antibodies. Fluorescent staining for the proximal marker gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (tau-GT) was an order of magnitude brighter than autofluorescence, and stained 71 +/- 11% of the cells. Second, we colocalized enzymatic and antibody markers. There was tight colocalization of tau-GT enzyme activity, detected with fluorogenic substrates, with specific surface binding of tau-GT antibodies. Third, populations of fluorescently labelled cells can be rapidly isolated by flow cytometry sorting. Flow cytometry sorting isolated 10(7) cells positive for the proximal tubular marker tau-GT in a little under one hour. The sorted cells were viable with 99 +/- 2% trypan blue exclusion (N = 8). Sodium-dependent phloridzin-inhibitable glucose uptake was present in sorted cells, with greater uptake/mg protein than in unsorted controls. The sorted cells grew in culture as a monolayer of tightly adherent cuboidal cells. Hence, flow cytometry allows us to quantitate the heterogeneity in mixed renal cellular digests. Flow cytometry allows us to rapidly isolate millions of cells according to fluorescently tagged markers. The isolated cells are viable, retain sodium-dependent transport properties, and grow in culture.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1990

Study of rat renal brush border membrane vesicles by flow cytometry.

The rich heterogeneity of renal tubular membranes and cells continues to provide formidable challenges in the isolation of homogeneous membrane vesicle populations for study. The present study applies flow cytometry, the technique of fluorescence-activated cell sorting, to the study of brush border membrane vesicles. Direct comparison was made of enzymatic marker purity of rat renal cortical brush border membrane vesicles prepared by divalent ion precipitation, or flow cytometry sorting. Flow cytometry sorted membrane vesicles were characterized by greater brush border membrane markers, no detectable mitochondrial or basolateral markers, and greatly reduced Golgi and lysosomal markers. The flow sorted membrane vesicles were functional for transport studies as they took up at least as much 3H-proline and 3H-glucose per mg protein as divalent ion precipitation membrane vesicles. Preparation of membrane vesicles from superficial and deep cortex allowed us to image the different distributions of gamma-glutamyl transferase in membrane vesicles from these areas. Hence, membrane vesicle populations of exceptional purity can be separated according to fluorescent markers using flow cytometry. High speed observations on large numbers of individual vesicles allows identification of subpopulations, and statistical comparison, within a single heterogeneous sample.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Fatal small-bowel necrosis and pulmonary hypertension in sickle cell disease.

Initial enthusiasm for the use of vasodilators to improve pulmonary hemodynamics and symptomatic status in pulmonary hypertension of diverse etiologies has been tempered by the high incidence of serious complications, especially hypotension. However, the unrelenting hypoxia of pulmonary hypertension without treatment and the improved pulmonary hemodynamics and symptomatic states of some patients during vasodilator therapy provide the rationale for a therapeutic test of vasodilators in hemodynamically monitored patients. We report that vasodilator therapy in a patient with severe hypoxia due to pulmonary hypertension and sickle cell crisis was fatally complicated by hypotension and extensive small-bowel infarction.

Adult↗