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Osteogenic potential of murine osteosarcoma cells: comparison of bone-specific gene expression in in vitro and in vivo conditions.

Bone tissue formation and the expression of osteoblast-specific genes were compared in vitro and in vivo for two well characterized murine clonal osteosarcoma cell lines (K7 and K8). In vitro studies were carried out under conditions that promoted extracellular matrix morphogenesis and mineralization. The K8 cells showed 8-fold greater alkaline phosphatase activity and mineral accumulation than did K7 cells during 21 days of in vitro growth. The K8 cell line showed high levels of bone sialoprotein (BSP), collagen type I (COL I), and alkaline phosphatase (APase) mRNA expression throughout its growth in vitro. In contrast, K7 cells showed an almost complete absence of BSP and COL I and very low levels of APase throughout the culture period. In vitro, both cell lines expressed very low levels of osteocalcin (OC). For in vivo studies, we used a three-dimensional culture device that permitted analysis of tissue formation by the cells after their implantation into syngeneic mice. The K8 cells consistently generated extensive mineralized woven bone after their subcutaneous implantation. The striking features distinguishing the bone formed by the implanted cells from normal recipient bone were the complete absence of osteoclasts or matrix resorption, the absence of OC protein, and very low levels of OC mRNA expression in the tissues formed by these cell lines. BSP, APase, and COL I expressions were maintained at high levels in the K8-produced tissues. In contrast to their near absence in vitro, APase, BSP, and COL I were expressed by K7 cells and increased with time in vivo. These findings demonstrate that the K7 cells in vitro are less differentiated than K8 cells, but that K7 cells in vivo undergo osteogenic maturation. Thus, expression of bone-specific genes in these osteogenic cell lines was dependent on systemic or local factors in recipient animals and was distinct for these cell lines when grown under in vitro conditions. OC protein does not appear to be needed for the mineralization of the extracellular matrix but may be needed to provide the necessary signals for the resorption and remodeling of the tissue.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Localisation of the hyaluronan receptor CD44 in porcine cumulus cells during in vivo and in vitro maturation.

Polyspermy is fairly common during porcine in vitro fertilisation (IVF), perhaps due to incomplete in vitro oocyte maturation (IVM). Porcine cumulus cells (CCs) layered around the oocyte produce large amounts of extracellular hyaluronan (HA) when forming an expanding cell cloud during the last phase of oocyte maturation. The specific actions of HA are mediated via HA-binding proteins (HABPs), such as CD44, which act as receptors. In this study using immunocytochemistry and western blotting we investigated the localisation of CD44 in CCs obtained from in vivo-matured pig cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) and compared it with that in CCs from immature COCs and of COCs subjected to IVM and IVF procedures. Immunolabelling of CD44 was absent or very weak in CCs from immature COCs but strongly present on the surface of the CCs obtained from in vivo, displaying a similar localisation in the in vitro-matured COCs. In the latter, the labelling decreased but did not disappear in CCs 4 h after sperm co-incubation during IVF. Immunoblotting detected bands of between 73 and 88 kDa, corresponding to CD44, in the protein extract from in vivo CCs collected immediately prior to, or following spontaneous ovulation. The in vitro-matured CCs, however, presented bands ranging from 81 kDa to 88 kDa. Also, the bands found in the in vivo-matured CCs showed a larger variation of intensity and migration among animals than did the batches of in vitro-matured CCs. No CD44 band was detected on aliquots of the frozen-thawed boar spermatozoa used for IVF. The results clearly demonstrate that the specific HA receptor CD44 is present in expanding CCs of in vivo-matured pig COCs, in relation to increasing amounts of inter-CC HA. The subtle differences in molecular weight and migration ability observed between in vivo and in vitro samples may relate to differences in glycosylation and thus explain differences in HA-binding ability, of consequence for optimising in vitro culture conditions.

Animals↗

Development potential of bovine oocytes matured in vitro or in vivo.

Bovine oocytes matured in vivo or in vitro were evaluated after sperm-oocyte incubation for frequency of sperm penetration, frequency of male pronuclei formation, and embryonic development. The frequency of sperm penetration was not different for in vitro matured oocytes (216/295, 73%) vs. in vivo matured oocytes (119/176, 70%). However, formation of male pronuclei was reduced (p less than 0.05) for oocytes matured in vitro (149/216, 69%) vs. in vivo (104/119, 88%). Early embryonic development was evaluated 48 h after the onset of sperm-egg incubations. In vitro matured and fertilized oocytes failed to develop to the 2-cell stage (3/88, 3%), whereas oocytes matured in vivo showed normal development (23/56, 40%) to the 2- and 4-cell stage. Development to the blastocyst stage was evaluated after 5 days in ovine oviducts (in vivo). Morulae and blastocysts were obtained only after in vitro fertilization from oocytes that were in vivo-matured (recovered from oviduct, 14/56, 25%; recovered from follicle, 36/80, 45%). Oocytes that were matured in vitro and fertilized in vitro failed to develop to morulae (0/33) in vivo.

Animals↗

Comparative transfection studies of human ovarian carcinoma cells in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo with poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-based polyplexes.

BACKGROUND: Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (p(DMAEMA)) can be used successfully for in vitro transfection of different cell lines, including the OVCAR-3 human ovarian carcinoma cell line. The aim of this study was to investigate whether it is possible to transfect OVCAR-3 cells in vivo with polyplexes containing p(DMAEMA). METHODS: In order to understand the generally observed gap between in vitro and in vivo transfection, we gradually went from in vitro to in vivo transfection of OVCAR-3 cells, while keeping the exposure conditions the same, as far as possible. To find the reason for the negligible degree of in vivo transfection, in vitro cultured OVCAR-3 cells were transfected in the presence of peritoneal ascites fluid. Next, the influence of hyaluronic acid, one of the ascites components, on the transfection efficiency was studied. RESULTS: P(DMAEMA)-containing polyplexes can transfect OVCAR-3 cells in vitro with an overall transfection efficiency of 10%. Cells grown in vivo can be transfected ex vivo with p(DMAEMA)/plasmid complexes with an overall transfection efficiency of approximately 1-2%. When transfection complexes are injected i.p. into nude mice bearing OVCAR-3 cells in the peritoneal cavity, the degree of in vivo transfection efficiency achieved is negligible. In vitro cultured OVCAR-3 cells were also transfected with polyplexes in the presence of peritoneal ascites fluid. The results indicate that one or more components of ascites had a negative effect on the transfection efficiency of p(DMAEMA)-containing polyplexes. To elucidate which component(s) of ascites may have interfered, the influence of hyaluronic acid, one of the ascites components, on the transfection efficiency was studied. The outcome suggests that hyaluronic acid may have induced a negative effect on the transfection capability of p(DMAEMA)-containing polyplexes. CONCLUSION: P(DMAEMA) is an efficient transfectant in vitro and ex vivo. However, transfected cells were not detected in vivo which may be caused by a negative influence of components of the ascites fluid.

Animals↗

Sequential culture medium promotes the in vitro development of Macaca fascicularis embryos to blastocysts.

In vitro production of blastocyst stage embryos from Macaca fascicularis (Mf) has not previously been demonstrated without cell support. Historical data indicates that a large proportion of Mf embryos arrest at the morula stage in nonsequential culture medium (NSM) lacking serum supplementation and/or cell support. Here we report the application of a sequential culture system supporting in vitro production of Mf blastocysts. Mf embryos produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF; n = 69) were subjected to in vitro culture without cell support in either a commercial sequential embryo culture medium (SM) or an NSM. At 24 hr post-insemination (PI) embryos generated from in vivo and in vitro matured oocytes and cultured in the NSM cleaved to two or more cells in significantly greater proportions (15/23; 65%) compared to embryos cultured in SM (14/46; 30%). However, by day 3 PI embryo development beyond eight cells was not different in NSM (9/23; 39%) compared to SM (25/46; 54%). At day 5 PI embryo development to the morula stage was slightly lower in NSM (8/23, 35%) compared to SM (21/46, 45%), and embryo degeneration was slightly higher in NSM (9/23, 39%) compared to SM (9/46, 20%). After 7-9 days of in vitro culture, embryo development to the blastocyst stage and embryo degeneration were significantly lower and higher, respectively, in NSM (0/23, 0%; and 23/23, 100%) compared to SM (9/46, 20%; and 26/46, 56%). In this study the sequential culture system was better able to support in vitro development of Mf embryos compared to nonsequential culture systems.

Animals↗

Aroclor 1254 pretreatment effects on DNA repair in rat hepatocytes elicited by in vivo or in vitro exposure to various chemicals.

Inducers of liver mixed function oxidase (MFO) activities have profound effects on the genotoxicity of substances that undergo metabolic activation by the MFO system. The polychlorinated biphenyl mixture Aroclor 1254 is a broad-spectrum inducer of liver MFO activities that has been employed as a pretreatment to augment the metabolic activation capabilities of rat liver fractions used in a number of short-term tests for genotoxicity, including the Ames Salmonella/bacterial mutagenicity assay. The present study was designed to characterize the effects of Aroclor pretreatment of rats on the DNA repair responses elicited by various chemicals in the in vitro hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair (HPC/DR) assay as well as the in vivo/in vitro HPC/DR assay. The amount of DNA repair produced in vitro by diethylnitrosamine (DEN), benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF), o-aminoazotoluene (o-AT), and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was significantly greater in hepatocytes derived from Aroclor-pretreated rats than in control rat hepatocytes; in vitro responses to dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA), benzidine (BZ), and 2-naphthylamine (2-NA) were not significantly affected by Aroclor pretreatment. DNA repair elicited by the direct-acting alkylating agents methyl methanesulfonate and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine was also not increased by Aroclor pretreatment, which indicated that Aroclor does not exert a general stimulatory effect on the hepatocellular DNA repair capacity. Therefore, the pretreatment-related potentiation of DNA repair observed for 6 out of 12 compounds tested in vitro was considered to be due to enhanced metabolic activation. These results suggested that pretreatment with Aroclor may increase the sensitivity of the in vitro HPC/DR assay to certain compounds. In contrast, Aroclor pretreatment had little effect on the amount of hepatocellular DNA repair elicited by in vivo administration of DMN, DEN, o-AT, 2-AAF, 3-MC, or AFB1, which indicated that this pretreatment regimen may have little utility for improving the sensitivity of the in vivo/in vitro HPC/DR assay.

Animals↗

Changes in the flexibility characteristics of the ankle complex due to damage to the lateral collateral ligaments: an in vitro and in vivo study.

This study was part of a long-term effort to develop a reliable diagnostic procedure for ankle ligament injuries. Earlier efforts led to the development and validation of a six-degrees-of-freedom instrumented linkage capable of measuring the flexibility characteristics of the ankle complex in vitro and in vivo. The major goal of the present study was to determine if these flexibility measurements are sufficiently sensitive to detect the presence of damage to the lateral collateral ligaments of the ankle joint both in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro testing was conducted on the legs from six fresh cadavers before and after serial sectioning of the anterior talofibular ligament and the calcaneofibular ligament. The flexibility in inversion-eversion, anterior drawer, and internal-external rotation was measured before and after resection of the ligaments. The in vivo testing was conducted on five patients with unilateral injuries to the ankle ligament. The flexibility evaluation used for in vitro specimens was also performed on both the injured and the intact ankles. For the in vitro testing, the data analysis was based on comparison of flexibility values before and after resection of the ligaments, whereas the data analysis for the in vivo testing was based on comparison of the flexibility of the injured joint with that of the intact contralateral joint. The results of the in vitro study indicated that both an isolated rupture of the anterior talofibular ligament and combined damage of the anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments produce statistically significant changes in flexibility. Furthermore, the most sensitive parameters to the presence of ligament injuries were found to be early flexibility in anterior drawer, early flexibility in inversion, and the amount of coupling between internal rotation and inversion. These parameters provided a basis for differentiating between an isolated injury to the anterior talofibular ligament and a combined anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligament injury. For an isolated anterior talofibular ligament injury, a significant increase in flexibility in anterior drawer was present, whereas the increase in inversion flexibility or in the amount of coupling was insignificant. However, the increases in inversion flexibility and the amount of coupling became significant when both ligaments were involved. The results of the in vivo study indicated that significant changes in flexibility can be detected in patients with lateral ankle injuries. Finally, both the in vitro and in vivo results suggest that development of a reliable diagnostic test for ankle ligament injury based on changes in passive flexibility may be possible.

Adult↗

A systematic examination of the in vitro Ussing chamber and the in situ single-pass perfusion model systems in rat ileum permeation of model solutes.

In situ and in vitro intestinal absorption in the rat ileum was systematically studied and mechanistically quantified in terms of permeability coefficients (P) of a series of [(3)H]steroids as model transcellular permeants, [(3)H]taurocholate utilizing the active membrane transport systems to define the aqueous boundary layer (ABL), and [(14)C]urea and [(14)C]mannitol as pore-hindered paracellular diffusants. In situ single-pass perfusion experiments were performed in isolated ileal segments and blood samples were collected from the cannulated mesenteric vein. For the in vitro experiments, an excised, serosal and muscular layer-removed, ileal tissue was mounted in the Ussing chamber diffusion cells. In situ and in vitro P values versus logarithm of the partition coefficient in n-octanol/water (log K) of the steroids were characterized by a sigmoidal-shaped curve in which plateau values were attained for the highly lipophilic steroids with log K greater, similar 2.5. The in situ and in vitro transport barriers in series were viewed as ABL/mucosal epithelium and ABL/mucosal epithelium/submucosal tissue, respectively. Within this framework and the use of experimental strategies and theoretical reasoning, the transport barriers of the steroids were quantitatively delineated and the rate-determining barriers identified. In the plateau region, the analyses indicate that the in situ absorption of the lipophilic steroids was essentially ABL controlled, whereas the in vitro absorption was about equally controlled by diffusion across the ABL and submucosal tissue. The in situ and in vitro pore radii of the paracellular route were 7.2 and 9.2 A, respectively, and the difference was likely the result of perturbation of the tight junctions during the in vitro preparation of the ileal tissue.

Algorithms↗

Effect of speed of development on mRNA expression pattern in early bovine embryos cultured in vivo or in vitro.

Recent data have demonstrated that fast-cleaving embryos produced in vitro are more likely to develop to blastocyst stage, and that the postfertilization culture system used impacts considerably on the mRNA expression and quality of blastocysts produced. The present study is the first to investigate the relationship between the developmental speed of embryos produced in vivo or in vitro and the temporal transcription pattern. Genes related to important preimplantation events are monitored during the first 4 days of embryo development in embryos with fast or slow development. The set of genes analyzed in the present study characterizes several important physiological processes including: transport and metabolism of fructose (Glut-5), stress (SOX), mitochondrial activity and detoxification of reactive oxygen species (MnSOD), cell communication (Cx43), maternal recognition of pregnancy (IFN-tau), imprinting (IGF-II), apoptosis (Bax), growth factor binding and metabolism (IGF-IR), and oxidative stress (G6PD). Using real time PCR, we have found that for all the genes analyzed there are differences in mRNA expression between embryos with fast and slow developmental speed produced both in vitro and in vivo. Frequently, genes that may be stress induced such as SOX, MnSOD, BAX, IFtau, and G6PD were highly transcribed in in vitro produced embryos and in embryos with slow developmental speed. On the other side, transcripts from genes related with metabolism, growth, and differentiation (Glut-5, Cx 43, IGF-II, and IGF-IR) were detected in higher amounts in in vivo produced embryos and in embryos with fast developmental speed. Moreover, it is interesting to stand out that for some genetic markers (such as SOX and G6PD) there are in vivo and in vitro differences that can be observed even before materno-zygotic transition, which probably reflects a differential mRNA degradation. These transcription patterns reflects the embryonic response to the adverse in vitro culture conditions, and connect the low quality of embryos which slow developmental speed produced in vivo and in vitro, with the mRNA expression pattern of some embryonic genes.

Animals↗

Prion protein conversion in vitro.

The infectious agents of prion diseases are composed primarily of an infectious protein designated PrPSc. In cells infected with prions, a host glycoprotein termed PrPC undergoes induced conformational change to PrPSc, but the molecular mechanism underlying this structural transition occurs remains unknown. The prion-seeded conversion of PrPC to protease-resistant PrPSc-like molecules (PrPres) has been studied both in crude and purified in vitro systems in order to investigate the mechanism of protein conformational change in prion disease. Conversion of purified PrPC into PrPres is specific with respect to species-dependent and polymorphic differences in PrP sequence as well as biophysical variations between prion strains, recapitulating the specificity of prion propagation in vitro. The protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) technique, which utilizes crude brain homogenates, produces much higher yields of PrPres than conversion of purified PrP molecules, suggesting that additional cellular factors may stimulate PrPres formation. In a modified version of the PMCA technique, PrPres from diluted prion-infected brain homogenate can be amplified > ten-fold when mixed with normal brain homogenate without sonication or the anionic detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Under these conditions, PrPres amplification in vitro depends upon both time and temperature, has a neutral pH optimum, and does not require divalent cations. In vitro PrPres amplification is inhibited by both reversible and irreversible thiol blockers, indicating that the conformational change from PrPC to PrPres requires a thiol-containing factor. Stoichiometric transformation of PrPC to PrPres in vitro also requires specific RNA molecules, suggesting that host-encoded catalytic RNA molecules may play a role in the pathogenesis of prion disease. Heparan sulfate stimulates conversion of purified PrPC into PrPres in vitro, and heparan sulfate proteoglycan molecules are required for efficient PrPres formation in prion-infected cells. Future studies using in vitro PrPres conversion and amplification assays promise to provide new mechanistic insights about the PrP conversion process, and to generate clinically useful tools.

Animals↗

Fine structure of bovine morulae and blastocysts in vivo and in vitro.

The ultrastructure of bovine morulae and blastocysts developed from in vitro-matured and -fertilized oocytes in a serum-supplemented medium was compared with that of morulae and blastocysts collected non-surgically from superovulated cows. In the in vivo-derived morulae, two characteristic cells types could be identified by the electron-density of their cytoplasm and by their ultrastructural features. One type appeared light in color with low electron-dense cytoplasm. These cells were located in the peripheral layer of the cluster of blastomeres, possessed numerous cellular organelles such as mitochondria and Golgi apparatus and had microvilli projecting into the perivitelline space. The other cell type was distinguished by cytoplasm that stained more densely than that of the lighter-appearing cells. The darker-appearing cells generally possessed fewer organelles than the lighter cells, but many lysosome-like structures were present in the cytoplasm. The in vitro-developed morulae also contained two types of cells similar to those observed in the in vivo morulae. However, most of the in vitro-developed cells possessed numerous lipid droplets and contained fewer lysosome-like structures than the cells of the in vivo-derived morulae. The blastocysts, both in vivo and in vitro, showed a clear differentiation of trophoblast cells and inner cell mass (ICM)-cells. In the in vivo-derived blastocyst, the apical membrane of trophoblast cells was covered with large, numerous microvilli and well-developed junctional complexes were observed. Lipid droplets were present in the cytoplasm of trophoblast and ICM-cells but were not abundant. In vitro-developed blastocysts showed less well-developed junctional complexes between trophoblast cells, less well-developed apical microvilli on the trophoblast cells, and contained large numbers of lipid droplets. This accumulation of lipid droplets was higher in the trophoblast cells than in the ICM-cells. The zonae pellucidae of in vitro-developed embryos were thinner than that of the in vivo-derived embryos. This study demonstrates conspicuous differences in the ultrastructural features between the in vivo-derived and in vitro-developed embryos, suggesting that the ultrastructure may reflect the various physiological anomalies observed in previous studies.

Animals↗

Experimental methyl mercury neurotoxicity: similar in vivo and in vitro perturbation of brain cell-free protein synthesis.

Perturbation of brain protein synthesis by methyl mercury chloride (MeHg) was compared in vivo and in vitro. MeHg-stimulated and/or inhibited brain cell-free protein synthesis following in vivo or in vitro administration. Although pretreatment with GSH protected the postmitochondrial supernatant (PMS) from the in vitro inhibition, direct addition of -SH compounds did not reverse the in vivo or in vitro perturbations in synthesis induced by MeHg. Inhibition of synthesis induced by both in vivo and in vitro methyl mercury administration resulted in inactivation of component(s) in brain pH 5 enzymes. Stimulation of amino acid incorporation following in vivo administration of MeHg was apparently associated with the ribosome fraction, but in vitro preincubation of PMS with MeHg produced stimulation associated with the pH 5 enzyme fraction. A model of MeHg neurotoxicity was proposed providing a common molecular locus of interaction in vivo and in vitro.

Age Factors↗

Production of viable Giardia cysts in vitro: determination by fluorogenic dye staining, excystation, and animal infectivity in the mouse and Mongolian gerbil.

The purpose of this research was to document the formation of viable Giardia cysts in vitro. Viability staining, using fluorogenic dyes that required metabolic conversion for detection, and immunocytochemistry at the light microscopic level provided information on viability and for the identification of formed in vitro. Analysis of cysts formed in vivo and in vitro showed similar morphologic appearances by both light and electron microscopy. Cysts formed in vitro were capable of establishing infections in both mouse and gerbil models for giardiasis. Trophozoites obtained from mice experimentally infected with in vitro-formed cysts could be maintained in culture and induced a second time to form cysts in vitro. This model for the production of viable Giardia cysts in vitro should facilitate research on controlling the complete life cycle of Giardia outside an animal host.

Animals↗

Sites and mechanisms of action of neuropeptides on canine gastric motility differ in vivo and in vitro.

Motilin, pentagastrin and substance P (SP), injected intra-arterially into the canine gastric corpus in vivo increased the amplitude of contractions by an action dependent on activation of cholinergic nerves; i.e. atropine or tetrodotoxin (TTX) completely blocked the responses to motilin and pentagastrin and increased the ED50 of SP. TTX and atropine were not equally effective in increasing the ED50 for SP in vivo and the effect of combining them depended on the order of their addition. Both were much more effective than the SP analog D-Pro2, D-Trp7,9 SP (DSP) which appeared to be a weak antagonist of actions dependent on neural activity. In strips from the same region in vitro no receptors dependent on cholinergic nerve activation could be demonstrated for any peptide; i.e., all were atropine- and TTX-insensitive. Motilin, as expected in the absence of such receptors caused no contractile response in vitro. SP, also as predicted, caused contractions suggesting that a smooth muscle receptor, independent of nerve activation was present. However contrary to expectation pentagastrin induced an atropine and TTX-insensitive increase in the amplitude and frequency of contractions. These results show that 1) the most sensitive sites of action of a number of excitatory peptides depend on cholinergic nerve function in vivo; 2) such sites or the nerve activity on which they depend cannot be demonstrated in vitro; 3) SP has an additional site of action on smooth muscle demonstrable in vivo and in vitro, but motilin does not; 4) pentagastrin has only an action dependent on nerve function in vivo, but manifests an action independent of nerve function in vitro. We conclude that sites and mechanisms of action of peptides cannot be assumed to be identical in vivo and in vitro. Actions dependent on nerves are often lost in vitro and not all smooth muscle actions can be demonstrated in vivo.

Animals↗

Free fatty acid metabolism and obesity in man: in vivo in vitro comparisons.

We have examined the relationship of free fatty acid (FFA) turnover and lipid oxidation rates in vivo to the size of body triglyceride stores and compared these findings with the in vitro lipolytic rates of isolated abdominal fat cells. The studies were performed in 20 Pima Indian women 18 to 35 years of age, both lean and obese. FFA turnover rate was measured using a 1-14C-palmitate infusion, lipid oxidation rate by indirect calorimetry using a ventilated hood, body composition by underwater weighing with correction for residual lung volume, and fat cell lipolytic rates in vitro by published methods. Both FFA turnover and lipid oxidation rates, expressed per kg of body fat, decreased with increasing degree of obesity (as measured by percent body fat) (r = -0.90, and r = -0.75, P less than or equal to 0.0001, respectively). In contrast, the rate of lipolysis determined in vitro, expressed per kg of fat, increased with increasing degree of obesity (r = 0.58, P less than 0.01). A ratio of FFA turnover/lipolysis, which directly compares these in vivo and in vitro measurements, decreased significantly with increases in the degree of obesity (r = -0.81, P less than or equal to 0.0001). Furthermore, there were no positive correlations between the measures of in vivo FFA metabolism and in vitro lipolysis when both were expressed per fat mass, per fat cell number, or per fat cell surface area. The in vivo data also demonstrated that lipid oxidation could only account for 50% of the FFA disappearance rate. While lipid oxidation rate adjusted to the metabolic size increased with increasing plasma FFA concentration (r = 0.75, P less than 0.0003), the nonoxidative component of the FFA turnover failed to increase with increases in plasma FFA concentration (P = 0.5). We conclude that FFA is not available in vivo in proportion to the size of the triglyceride stores. The reason for this is not due to an inability of fat cells to release their stored triglyceride as assessed in vitro. Hence, in vitro measurements of fat cell lipolysis cannot be used to directly predict in vivo FFA metabolism. The large nonoxidative FFA disposal is likely to be important in the regulation of plasma FFA concentrations.

Adipose Tissue↗

Lipid metabolism and in vitro production of progesterone and prostaglandin F during induced regression of porcine corpora lutea.

The effects of Cloprostenol administration on porcine luteal lipid and arachidonic acid accumulation were examined in relation to luteal in vitro progesterone and prostaglandin F synthesis in 18 mature gilts at day 12 of the estrous cycle. Basal and net in vitro release of progesterone from luteal tissue was depressed at 8 hr after treatment whereas net in vitro release of prostaglandin F was elevated at 8 hr. Inclusion of copper dithiothreitol or reduced glutathione in the incubation media resulted in minor alterations of in vitro release of progesterone and prostaglandin F and no changes in composition of luteal lipids or fatty acids. Luteal contents of triglyceride had increased by 8 hr after treatment whereas contents of free and esterified cholesterols had increased by 32 hr after Cloprostenol administration. Luteal contents of phospholipid and free fatty acids were not affected by Cloprostenol administration. At 32 hr after treatment, percentages and content of arachidonic acid had increased in luteal cholesterol esters and triglycerides. Although arachidonic acid percentages increased in luteal free fatty acids and phospholipids, calculated arachidonic acid contents did not change following Cloprostenol administration. Induced luteal regression was associated with decreased in vitro progesterone release, increased in vitro prostaglandin F release, and accelerated lipid and arachidonic acid accumulation within the corpus luteum. The effects of altered lipid metabolism on release of prostaglandin F could not be defined. However, availability of arachidonic acid did not appear to be rate-limiting in relation to luteal in vitro prostaglandin F synthesis.

Animals↗

Radiosensitivity and differentiation of ganglion cells within fetal mouse retinal explants in vitro.

Fetal mouse retinas were explanted at 13-14 days of gestation, and exposed to gamma radiation in vitro. Not all regions of the retina were equally susceptible to radiation-induced necrosis; when exposed to 5000 rads soon after explanation, each explant had a single small radioresistant nubbin of apparently intact tissue, located near the optic nerve-head. This region of radioresistant tissue was larger when the dose of radiation was reduced and when the explants were exposed at later times in vitro, indicating the existence of a gradient of radioresistance across retinal explants which spread outward through at least the first week in vitro, the period examined. Based upon the extensive in situ literature which has correlated the emergence of radioresistance with the differentiation of retinal neurons, we conclude that the in situ central-to-peripheral sequence of cellular differentiation continues in vitro within our retinal explants. Whereas the ganglion cell axonal outgrowth from control retinas grown in isolation on collagen substrates underwent a gradual disintegration over 3 weeks in vitro, the sparse axonal outgrowth from explants exposed to 5000 rads disintegrated abruptly at 5-7 days in vitro. This did not appear to be due to direct damage from radiation, but instead reflected the fact that axons in irradiated cultures arose from central retinal regions only, while many axons in control cultures emerged from later-differentiating peripheral regions. We suggest that disintegration of individual axons in the outgrowth may occur rapidly and in a central-to-peripheral sequence. These findings should be useful in designing assays for trophic factors which may prevent ganglion cell axon disintegration in this in vitro model system.

Animals↗

Comparison between in vitro radiosensitivity and in vivo radioresponse in murine tumor cell lines. II: In vivo radioresponse following fractionated treatment and in vitro/in vivo correlations.

Survival in the low-dose region of in vitro radiation survival curves for human tumor cell lines may be correlated with the expected clinical radiocurability of tumors of similar histopathological type. The present investigation examined this hypothesis using a series of transplantable murine solid tumors. The in vivo radioresponse of the tumors following fractionated dose (10 fractions of 2 Gy given at 4 hr intervals) and single dose (20 Gy) radiation treatment was measured by growth delay and tumor cell survival assays. The measurements of tumor cell survival were initiated either immediately or 8 hr after the end of radiation treatment. There was no evidence for repair of potentially lethal damage in vivo in any of the tumors. The measurements of in vivo response were compared to parameters of in vitro radiation survival curves for the same tumor cell lines, which were measured concurrently. The tumor cell survival following 10 fractions of 2 Gy correlated best with the measured in vitro survival at 2 Gy, although good correlations were also observed with two parameters calculated from the in vitro data; the value of alpha from fitting the linear-quadratic (LQ) model and the mean inactivation dose (MID). Correlations were also observed between specific growth delay measured in vivo following 10 fractions of 2 Gy and these in vitro parameters. Despite the correlations observed, the measured survival values following 10 fractions of 2 Gy in vivo did not agree quantitatively with the theoretical values predicted from the in vitro survival data assuming equal effect for each fraction. This discrepancy indicates that other factors also contribute to the overall response of a tumor to fractionated irradiation. Nevertheless, these findings support the idea that intrinsic radiosensitivity plays a significant role in determining the overall response of a tumor to fractionated irradiation and provides strong support for the concept of testing the in vitro radiation sensitivity of biopsy specimens as a predictive assay of clinical radiocurability.

Animals↗