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Sexing the human fetus and identification of polyploid nuclei by DNA-DNA in situ hybridisation in interphase nuclei.

Samples of human adult lymphocytes, fetal lymphocytes, amniotic fluid cells, and chorionic villus cells were sexed independently by cytogenetics and DNA-DNA in situ hybridisation to a tritiated Y probe. For the in situ hybridisation analysis, the presence of Y bodies (hybridisation bodies) in 100 interphase nuclei were scored after autoradiography. In all, 82/83 samples were sexed in this way (one technical failure) and 78/82 were sexed by both in situ hybridisation and cytogenetics. There was complete agreement between the two methods. There was a considerable variation (40-100%) in the percentage of interphase nuclei with a hybridisation body among the male samples, but very few nuclei from female samples showed significant hybridisation. In situ hybridisation could be used to sex the conceptus when males but not females are at risk for various X-linked genetic disorders and may also be useful for detecting 45,X/46,XY mosaicism or polyploid/diploid mosaicism. This would be particularly useful for direct preparations of chorionic villus samples, which often prove difficult to analyse cytogenetically but offer the best means of avoiding maternal contamination. Some interphase nuclei had more than one hybridisation body, and this was most commonly found among amniotic fluid cells. Comparison of sizes of nuclei with one or two hybridisation bodies strongly suggested that most of the amniotic fluid cell nuclei with two hybridisation bodies were tetraploid.

Adult↗

GABAergic neurons comprise a major cell type in rodent visual relay nuclei: an immunocytochemical study of pretectal and accessory optic nuclei.

The enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) has been localized in sections of rodent brains (gerbil, rat) using conventional immunocytochemical techniques. Our findings demonstrate that large numbers of GAD-positive neurons and axon terminals (puncta) are present in the visual relay nuclei of the pretectum and the accessory optic system. The areas of highest density of these neurons are in the nucleus of the optic tract (NOT) of the pretectum, the dorsal and lateral terminal accessory optic nuclei (DTN, LTN), the ventral and dorsal subdivisions of the medial terminal accessory optic nucleus (MTNv, MTNd), and the interstitial nucleus of the posterior fibers of the superior fasciculus (inSFp). The findings indicate that 27% of the NOT neurons are GAD-positive and that these neurons are distributed over all of the NOT except the most superficial portion of the NOT caudally. The GAD-positive neurons of the NOT are statistically smaller (65.9 microns2) than the total population of neurons of the NOT (84.3 microns2) but are otherwise indistinguishable in shape from the total neuron population. The other visual relay nuclei that have been analyzed (DTN, LTN, MTNv, MTNd, inSFp) are similar in that from 21% to 31% of their neurons are GAD-positive; these neurons are smaller in diameter and are more spherical than the total populations of neurons. The data further show that a large proportion of the neurons in these visual relay nuclei are contacted by GAD-positive axon terminals. It is estimated that approximately one-half of the neurons of the NOT and the terminal accessory optic nuclei receive a strong GABAergic input and have been called "GAD-recipient neurons". Further, the morphology of the GAD-positive neurons combined with their similar distribution to the GAD-recipient neurons suggest that many of these neurons are acting as GABAergic, local circuit neurons. On the other hand, the large number of GAD-positive neurons in the NOT and MTN (20-30%) in relation to estimates of projection neurons (75%) presents the possibility that some may in fact be projection neurons. The overall findings provide morphological evidence which supports the general conclusion that GABAergic neurons play a significant role in modulating the output of the visually related NOT and terminal accessory optic nuclei.

Animals↗

Rosette-like structures from nuclei with condensed (chromomeric) chromatin but not from nuclei with diffuse (nucleomeric or nucleosomic) chromatin.

The structure of chromatin of rat hepatocyte nuclei has been studied. At low ionic strength (20-50) chromatin in isolated nuclei, depending on the concentration of MgCl2 in the solution (0-2 and 4-5 mM), may be present in two states, respectively, diffuse and condensed. The major structural component of the nuclei with condensed chromatin is globular structures 100 nm in diameter, i.e. chromomers. By treating chromomer-containing nuclei with heparin and dextransulfate (polyanions/DNA equal 1), one can isolate rosette-like structures having an electron-dense core and numerous loops (the number loops in the rosette, 15-30, total length of all the loops, 15-20 micrometers, core diameter, 30-60 nm). The action of endogeneous nuclease on the nuclei and DNase I (but not RNase) on the rosette results in the break-down of the loops. Pronase or higher concentrations of polyanions (polyanions/DNA equal 4) induces partial or total decondensation of the rosette core and unfolding of the loops into a continuous linear structure. Rosette structures are not isolated from nuclei with diffuse chromatin. Rosette structures are discussed in terms of the known levels of the organization of chromatin.

Animals↗

RNA transport in isolated myeloma nuclei. Transport from membrane-denuded nuclei.

Nuclei prepared from MOPC-21 cells were treated with the nonionic detergents Triton X-100 or Nonidet P-40. Chemical analysis revealed that nearly 90% of the nuclear phospholipid was removed by detergent treatment. The membrane-denuded nuclei remained intact with preservation of nuclear pore complexes as demonstrated by electron microscopy. Ribonucleic acid transport from detergent-treated nuclei proceeded at the same rate and to the same extent as in control nuclei. Normal nuclear restriction of nucleic acids was unaltered by removal of the nuclear membranes. The effect of temperature on transport of RNA from freshly isolated myeloma nuclei with intact nuclear envelopes was studied. No temperature transition was associated with the transport process. These data indicate that the transport of macromolecules from isolated myeloma nuclei is independent of the nuclear membrane.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Neuronal nuclei and glial nuclei from mammalian cerebral cortex. Nucleosome repeat lengths, DNA contents and H1 contents.

We have characterised the histone and DNA contents of neuronal and glial nuclei from ox cerebral cortex which have, respectively, repeat lengths of 162 base pairs and 201 base pairs. Although the neuronal population cannot be obtained completely free of glial nuclear contamination, the degree of contamination is easily determined by counting, and has been allowed for in all the methods used here. By diphenylamine assay and flow cytofluorometry we find that the DNA contents of both nuclear types are essentially equal, and equivalent to the diploid value, contrary to some reports. By quantification of the core histones in known numbers of nuclei with respect to an added external standard, we have shown that the ratio of core histone octamers in the two nuclear types, neuronal and glial, is the inverse of the ratio of repeat lengths. Thus the same proportion of DNA is associated with core histone octamers in the two nuclear types, most simply all of the DNA. By complete radiolabelling of the lysine side chains of the histones with methyl [1-3H]acetimidate we have determined the stoichiometry of H1 relative to the core histones. Neuronal nuclei have a low H1 content of 0.45 molecule H1/nucleosome on average; glial nuclei have the 'normal' 1 H1 molecule/nucleosome. In neuronal nuclei about half of the nucleosomes therefore probably lack H1. Whether there is any relation between the low H1 content and the short DNA repeat length of neuronal nuclei, on the one hand, and their high transcriptional capacity (at least when assayed in vitro), on the other, remains to be established.

Animals↗

[Nuclei of the medulla oblongata and pons in the red deer and roe. III. Nuclei of the pons and tegmentum pontis].

The material for the studies was obtained from fragments of the brain stem, including the pons Varoli, of 2- and 6-year old red deer and of 2- and 3-year old female roe. The fixed material was mounted in paraffin and cut transversely into 15 micron sections, of which every fifth was examined. Preparations of the alcohol-fixed brain of one red deer and one roe were stained with methylene blue according to Nissl's modified method. Sections of the formalin-fixed brain of the other red deer and roe were stained according to the method of Klüver-Barrera with 0.1% solution of Luxor Fast Blue. Part III describes the structure and localization of the nerve nuclei of the portion of the brain stem under consideration. The following nuclei in the pons Varoli of the red deer and roe were described: nucl. medianus pontis, nucl. paramedianus pontis, nucl. ventralis pontis, nucl. lateralis pontis, nucl. dorso-lateralis pontis, nucl. peduncularis pontis. The nuclei, and especially in the central portion of the pons Varoli, are well developed in the species under discussion. With regard to the tegmentum pontis of the red deer and roe, a description of the structure and topography of the following nuclei is given: nucl. dorsalis tegmenti pontis, nucl. latero-dorsalis tegmenti pontis, nucl. dorsalis raphe, nucl. loci coerulei, nucl. reticularis dorsalis tegmenti pontis, nucl. reticularis ventro-lateralis tegmenti pontis, and nucl. reticularis ventro-medialis tegmenti pontis. The structure and localization of the nuclei of the tegmentum pontis are similar in both species, but the two first nuclei are much better developed in the roe than in the deer. The nucleus loci coeruliei could not be found in the roe.

Animals↗

Estradiol-promoted accumulation of receptor in nuclei of porcine endometrium cells. Comparison of the retention of receptor in nuclei during subcellular fractionation of untreated and hormone-treated cells.

Nuclei were isolated from porcine endometrium of castrated pigs either unexposed or exposed to estradiol in vivo by two techniques, one of which included a hypotonic step. Aliquots were analyzed for estradiol content. Receptor was extracted from buffered, Surfynol-stabilized suspensions by either (a) KCl alone, (b) in combination with dithiothreitol, or (c) by dithiothreitol with polypentosanesulfate and addition of KCl. The yields rose from a-->c. The same proportional gains with increasing extractant efficacies were obtained from nuclei of unstimulated and estradiol-treated cells. Receptor recovery with extractant "c" rose linearly over the range of 9-80 x 10(6) nuclei/mL and was independent of the technique used for isolation. Nuclear fractions isolated using steroid-free solutions contained more estrogen receptor than estradiol; the numerical excess in control nuclei persisted in the nuclei of stimulated cells featuring a stoichiometric rise of ligand and receptor contents. The increase of receptor contents in nuclei isolated from hormone-stimulated cells coincided with a decline in the cytoplasmic fractions. An excess of hormone over receptor was seen only when nuclei were isolated from untreated cells with media containing 10 nM estradiol. Our data strengthen earlier notions of an estradiol-promoted receptor translocation into the nucleus and are not compatible with the ligand-filling hypothesis of preexisting nuclear binding sites.

Animals↗

Projections of the group y of the vestibular nuclei and the dentate and fastigial nuclei of the cerebellum to the interstitial nucleus of Cajal.

Experiments were performed to study the projection of the group y of the vestibular nuclei and the dentate and fastigial nuclei of the cerebellum to the interstitial nucleus of Cajal (INC) in cats by using retrograde axonal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and electrophysiological methods; and to study the vestibular responses of such projection neurons. Following injections of HRP into the unilateral INC, with partial involvement of the surrounding reticular formation, including the nucleus of Darkschewitsch (ND), many retrogradely labeled neurons were found in the dorsal part of the group y nucleus contralateral to the injection site. Labeled cells were also seen in the contralateral dentate nucleus, frequently in its caudal-ventral part, and in the contralateral fastigial nucleus at all rostrocaudal levels, but most frequently in its caudal part. In electrophysiological experiments performed on cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose or N2O and paralyzed with gallamine, group y, dentate and fastigial nuclei neurons were antidromically activated by weak stimuli that were confined to the contralateral INC. Depth-threshold curves for antidromic activation of such neurons revealed that the lowest threshold points were within the INC, but not in the ND. The INC-projecting neurons in the group y and dentate nuclei did not respond to electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral or contralateral vestibular nerve, indicating that they do not receive direct labyrinthine inputs. On the contrary, many fastigial neurons projecting to the INC responded to labyrinthine stimulation, suggesting that they may be involved in the vestibular reflexes. These results suggest a difference in properties of INC-projecting neurons in these nuclei.

Animals↗

The vestibular nuclei in the domestic hen (Gallus domesticus) III. Ascending projections to the mesencephalic eye motor nuclei.

Following injections of horseradish peroxidase in the oculomotor and the trochlear nuclei in the hen, the occurrence of labeled cells was plotted in the vestibular nuclei. The majority of labeled cells was localized in the superior, the medial, and the tangential nucleus. Within the superior nucleus the cells were found mainly caudally, extending medially and ventrally in central areas. In the medial nucleus labeled cells were localized exclusively in its rostral half, mainly in ventrolateral regions. Most, if not all, cells in the nucleus tangentialis project rostrally. In addition, rostrally projecting vestibular cells were found in the cell group A and the rostrolateral part of the descending nucleus. The projection to the oculomotor nuclear complex is from the superior nucleus and the cell group A bilateral but chiefly ipsilateral, from the medial nucleus bilateral, from the tangential nucleus and the rostral pole of the descending nucleus chiefly contralateral. Massive labeling was found in the abducens nucleus, somewhat less in the reticular formation, mainly in the lateral regions of the medial part at the level of the abducens and facial nuclei. Labeled cells were, in addition, found in the deep layers of the optic tectum, and scattered cells in the nucleus raphe. The findings are discussed in the light of what is known of the organization of the vestibular nuclei in the hen and the rostral projection of the vestibular nuclei in mammals.

Abducens Nerve↗

On the projections from the vestibular and perihypoglossal nuclei to the spinal trigeminal and lateral reticular nuclei in the cat.

The projection from the vestibular and perihypoglossal nuclei to the spinal trigeminal and lateral reticular nuclei has been studied in cats where the wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase complex has been used as a retrograde tracer. All injections were made at the level of the caudal pole of the inferior olive. The medial and descending vestibular, and the perihypoglossal nuclei were found to project to the spinal trigeminal nucleus. The projection to the lateral reticular nucleus reaches its medial-most part only, and originates in the lateral vestibular nucleus. The lateral part of the reticular formation also appears to be the target for some vestibular efferent fibres, mainly from the descending vestibular nucleus. The retrogradely labelled cells within the medial and descending vestibular nuclei are of all sizes and distributed throughout their entire territory. Certain observations furthermore indicate that the fibres reaching the lateral reticular nucleus are collaterals only from the vestibulospinal tract. The projections are bilateral. The observations confirm and extend previous observations on the afferent projections to the spinal trigeminal and lateral reticular nuclei.

Animals↗

Observations on the projection from the perihypoglossal nuclei to the cerebellar cortex and nuclei in the cat. A retrograde WGA-HRP and fluorescent tracer study.

The origin and distribution of cerebellar cortical and nuclear afferents from the perihypoglossal nuclei have been studied by means of retrograde transport after implants and injections of the wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase complex in the cat. The projection reaches all the cerebellar nuclei as well as vermal, intermediate and lateral parts of the cerebellar cortex. It is bilateral with an ipsilateral predominance and originates from all the perihypoglossal nuclei. The majority of the projecting neurons are situated caudally in the nucleus prepositus, while smaller numbers of projecting neurons are located in the rostral part of this nucleus, in the rostral nucleus intercalatus and in the nucleus of Roller. Small and medium-sized spindle-shaped to round cells located throughout the nucleus prepositus and in the rostral nucleus intercalatus have widespread projections, reaching all parts of the cerebellar cortex and nuclei, whereas large multipolar cells located in the caudal ventromedial part of the nucleus prepositus and in the nucleus of Roller have projections only to the flocculus and nodulus and the lateral and intermediate cortices. Retrograde fluorescent double-labelling experiments were made to investigate possible axonal branching of the perihypoglosso-cerebellar fibres. In experiments with injections of rhodamine-B-isothiocyanate (RITC) in the left cerebellar hemisphere and implants of crystalline Fluoro-Gold in the right hemisphere, single- and double-labelled cells were found intermingled throughout the perihypoglossal nuclei. Experiments with cerebellar cortical injections of RITC and implants of crystalline Fluoro-Gold in the underlying nucleus, demonstrated single- and double-labelled cells in the nucleus prepositus and the rostral nucleus intercalatus, while only single-labelled RITC neurons were seen in the group of large neurons in the ventromedial part of the nucleus prepositus and the nucleus of Roller. After injections of RITC in the cerebellar cortex and implants of crystalline Fluoro-Gold in the abducent nucleus on the same side, double-labelled neurons were found only in the rostral nucleus prepositus.

Afferent Pathways↗

The nuclear membrane prevents replication of human G2 nuclei but not G1 nuclei in Xenopus egg extract.

We have used synchronized HeLa cells to investigate the role of the nuclear membrane in preventing rereplication in a single cell cycle. Nuclei were prepared with intact nuclear membranes using streptolysin-O or digitonin and assayed for replication in Xenopus egg extracts. Intact G1 nuclei replicate semiconservatively, but intact G2 nuclei do not replicate in egg extract. However, permeabilizing the nuclear membranes of G2 nuclei by treatment with NP-40 allows them all to replicate in egg extract under cell cycle control, suggesting that integrity of the nuclear membrane is required to distinguish G2 from G1 human nuclei and to prevent rereplication within a single cell cycle. The results are discussed in terms of the previously proposed licensing factor model.

Animals↗

A method for isolating intact mitochondria and nuclei from the same homogenate, and the influence of mitochondrial destruction on the properties of cell nuclei.

1. An improved type of ground glass homogenizer for soft tissues has been described which brings about a high degree of cell disruption and liberation of nuclei without causing appreciable damage to mitochondria. The gentleness and effectiveness of the new homogenizer in respect to isolation of mitochondria have been ascertained by comparing the ATP-ase activities of mitochondria isolated in 0.25 M sucrose solution without pH adjustment using a previous type of homogenizer with those of mitochondria isolated under the same conditions with the aid of the new homogenizer. In these experiments sucrose of 0.25 molarity without pH adjustment has been used in order to maintain the mitochondria in a rather sensitive state so as to make slightly deleterious effects of homogenization readily apparent. 2. A new method is described for the isolation of morphologically intact mitochondria and cell nuclei from the same homogenate. In this procedure the pH of the homogenate in 0.44 M sucrose is maintained at 6.0-6.2 with citric acid during the homogenization. An alternative method employing 0.44 M sucrose plus 0.005 M CaCl(2) is given for the isolation of nuclei from tumor cells. However, the latter method does not produce unaltered mitochondria. 3. The alpha-ketoglutarate, malate, succinate, and hexanoate oxidases of the "intact" mitochondria isolated in 0.44 M sucrose adjusted to pH 6.0-6.2 with very dilute citric acid as described in this paper have been investigated, and it has been shown that the mitochondria compare favorably to those isolated in 0.25 M sucrose by a previously described method. 4. Mitochondria have been found to contain an enzyme which causes nuclei to lose their ability to form gels in dilute alkali. This enzyme is released from the mitochondria when the latter are disrupted. 5. Some properties of nuclei isolated by the new method have been briefly discussed.

Cell Nucleus↗

Transcriptional activities of the chloroplast-nuclei and proplastid-nuclei isolated from tobacco exhibit different sensitivities to tagetitoxin: implication of the presence of distinct RNA polymerases.

We examined the effects of tagetitoxin, a potent inhibitor of RNA polymerases from chloroplasts and Escherichia coli, on the transcriptional activities of chloroplast- and proplastid-nuclei (nucleoids) isolated from mature tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves and cultured tobacco cells (line BY-2), respectively. Transcription by the isolated chloroplast-nuclei was effectively inhibited by tagetitoxin (95-99% reduction at 10 microM tagetitoxin), but transcription by the isolated proplastid-nuclei was only partially inhibited (40-50% reduction) by this compound. Southern hybridization experiments revealed that the transcription of various plastid genes (psbA, atpA, rpoB, psaA/B, atpB, rbcL, petB, rpl16, and rrn23) was sensitive to tagetitoxin in the isolated chloroplast-nuclei, whereas the transcription of the same genes was relatively resistant to this compound in the isolated proplastid-nuclei. These results suggest that; (i) distinct RNA polymerase activities with different sensitivities to tagetitoxin are present in plastids, (ii) a tagetitoxin-sensitive RNA polymerase is the major RNA polymerase in chloroplasts whereas a tagetitoxin-insensitive enzyme is major in proplastids, and (iii) both RNA polymerases can transcribe various plastid genes.

Aurintricarboxylic Acid↗