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Photopigments of dogs and foxes and their implications for canid vision.

Electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry was used to examine the photopigment complements of representatives of four genera of Canid: domestic dog (Canis familiaris), Island gray fox (Urocyon littoralis), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus). These four genera share a common cone pigment complement; each has one cone pigment with peak sensitivity of about 555 nm and a second cone pigment with peak at 430-435 nm. These pigment measurements accord well with the conclusions of an earlier investigation of color vision in the dog, and this fact allows some predictions about color vision in the wild canids. An additional set of measurements place the peak of the dog rod pigment at about 508 nm.

Animals↗

A comparison of the 40-Hz response in man, and the properties of macaque ganglion cells.

Visually evoked field potentials in human subjects and single-cell responses from retinal ganglion cells in the macaque monkey were compared in closely similar stimulus situations. The classical heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) technique was used to measure spectral sensitivity in man, both psychophysically and by recording the 40-Hz response, and to measure the spectral sensitivity of magnocellular (MC-) pathway cells of the macaque. The three measures gave closely similar spectral-sensitivity curves. Close agreement between the three measures was also found when the variable-modulation HFP technique was used to measure spectral sensitivity. When the relative phase between red and green lights was varied, the point of minimum subjective flicker for human observers was close to a sharp minimum found in the amplitude of the 40-Hz response in human and was also close to a minimum in the response of MC-pathway neurons in the monkey. The human 40-Hz response saturated at between 10 and 30% modulation depth, and so did the response of MC-pathway cells in the monkey. The 16-Hz response in human showed none of the above correlations with MC-pathway properties. On the other hand, parvocellular (PC-) pathway cells responded vigorously to constant-luminance, chromatic modulation, at frequencies higher than can be detected by human observers. The human 16-Hz response also was strong in that stimulus situation. In addition, the response of PC-pathway cells on increasing modulation depth showed little saturation, and this behaviour was paralleled by the human 16-Hz response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Regional variations in the relative sensitivity to UV light in the mouse retina.

About 3% of all mouse photoreceptors are cones. An earlier electrophysiological study indicated that there were two classes of cone in the mouse retina having peak sensitivities (lambda max) of about 360 nm and 511 nm. Recent immunocytochemical results show there are two types of cones that have distinctive regional segregation patterns. We used regional stimulation of the retina in conjunction with electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry to see if the two cone types identified electrophysiologically are regionalized in a fashion suggested by the anatomical results. We find they are. Relative sensitivity to ultraviolet and visible light stimulation qualitatively parallels that predicted by immunocytochemical labelling. One result of this remarkable regionalization of cone types is that the mouse retina is relatively more sensitive to ultraviolet light stimulation when that light is directed toward the ventral half of the retina.

Animals↗

Spectral properties and retinal distribution of ferret cones.

The spectral mechanisms of the ferret (Mustela putorious furo) were studied with electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry. Variations in adaptation state and flicker rate were used to define corneally based spectral sensitivities for the three classes of receptor present in the retina of this mustelid-rods (lambdamax = 505 nm), S cones (430 nm), and L cones (558 nm). The retinal distributions of the two classes of cone were determined using opsin antibody labeling. Ferret retinas contain a total of about 1.3 million cones with L cones outnumbering S cones in a ratio of approximately 14:1. ERGs were also recorded using 18.75-Hz flickering stimuli that were designed to isolate signals from individual cone classes. The contrast/response functions for signals originating from both S and L cones were linear over low-to-moderate levels of contrast, but with greatly different slopes for the two cone types. The L:S contrast gain ratio derived from a comparison of these slopes, as well as inferences drawn from another experiment in which responses to various combinations of L- and S-cone activation were analyzed, suggest that contributions of these two cone types to the flicker ERG have a relative weighting of about 4:1 to 5:1 (L/S).

Animals↗

Chromatic VEP assessment of human macular pigment: comparison with minimum motion and minimum flicker profiles.

To assess the effects of macular pigment optical density (MPOD) on isoluminant stimuli and to quantify MPOD electrophysiologically, MPOD distribution profiles were obtained in normal subjects using minimum motion and minimum flicker photometry. Isoluminance of VEP stimuli was determined using minimum flicker and tritan confusion lines were determined using a minimum distinct border criterion. Onset-offset and reversal VEPs to isoluminant red/green, blue/green, and subject-specific tritan gratings of different diameters were recorded from the same 14 subjects tested psychophysically. VEPs were additionally recorded to annular gratings. Chromatic VEP selectivity was assessed by Fourier analysis and as an index; onset negativity/(onset negativity + onset positivity). Peak MPOD varied between 0.2-0.8. Chromatic onset VEPs to all isoluminant 3-deg fields were predominantly negative. Larger blue/green and tritan stimuli elicited VEPs with additional positive, achromatic components; for 9-deg gratings, peak MPOD showed negative correlation with the power of the VEP fundamental (r = -0.70) and with the selectivity index (r = -0.83). Annular gratings elicited chromatic-specific B/G VEPs but only when isoluminance was determined for the annulus. Chromatic selectivity loss in VEPs to large B/G or Tritan gratings can be used to estimate subject-specific MPOD. An important implication is that isoluminant Tritan stimuli with short-wavelength components must be restricted in size in order to optimize koniocellular selectivity.

Color↗

Normal and dichromatic color discrimination measured with transient visual evoked potential.

It would be informative to have an electrophysiological method to study, in an objective way, the effects of mercury exposure and other neurotoxics on human color vision performance. The purpose of the present work was to study human color discrimination by measuring chromatic difference thresholds with visual evoked potential (VEP). Six young normal trichromats (24 +/- 1 years old) and one deutan (26 years old) were tested. The stimuli consisted of sinusoidal isoluminant chromatic gratings made from chromaticity pairs located along four different color directions centered on two reference points. Heterochromatic flicker photometry (HFP) protocol was used to obtain the isoluminance condition for every subject and for all chromaticity pairs. Spatial frequency was 2 cycles/deg. Presentation mode comprised onset (300 ms)/offset (700 ms) periods. As previously described, we found a negative deflection in the VEP which was related to the chromatic difference: as chromatic difference increased, amplitude increased and latency decreased. VEP response amplitude was plotted against distance in the CIE 1976 color space between the grating chromaticities and fitted with a regression line. We found color thresholds by extrapolating the fitting to null amplitude values. The thresholds were plotted in the CIE 1976 color space as MacAdam ellipses. In normal trichromats the ellipses had small size, low ellipticity, and were vertically oriented. In the deutan subject, the ellipses had large size, high ellipticity, and were oriented towards the deutan copunctal locus. The VEP thresholds were similar to those obtained using grating stimuli and psychophysical procedures, however smaller than those obtained using pseudoisochromatic stimuli (Mollon-Reffin method). We concluded that transient VEP amplitude as a function of contrast can be reliably used in objective studies of chromatic discrimination performance in normal and altered human subjects.

Adult↗

Photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision in cows, goats, and sheep.

Electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry was used to measure the spectral properties of cones in three common ungulates-cattle (Bos taurus), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries). Two cone mechanisms were identified in each species. The location of peak sensitivity of an S-cone mechanism varied from about 444 to 455 nm for the three species; analogous values for an M/L-cone were tightly clumped at about 552-555 nm. Each of these three species has the requisite photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision and they are, thus, similar to other ungulates examined earlier.

Animals↗

Cone receptor variations and their functional consequences in two species of hamster.

Results from earlier experiments indicate that different species of rodent vary both in the number of cone types found in their retinas and in the spectral sensitivities of the cone pigments. These features have now been examined in two types of hamster commonly used for research purposes: Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) and Siberian dwarf hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). Electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry, behavioral discrimination tasks, and opsin antibody labeling were used to investigate hamster photoreceptors and their visual consequences. Results from the three approaches support the following conclusions: (1) The retinas of both species have an abundant population of rods containing a photopigment with peak sensitivity of about 498-500 nm; (2) Siberian dwarf hamsters have two classes of cone: one with maximum sensitivity in the ultraviolet (c. 360 nm), the other with peak sensitivity closely similar to that of its rod; and (3) Syrian golden hamsters have a class of cone with peak sensitivity at about 506 nm, but they lack a second cone type. Implications of these alternative arrangements are discussed.

Animals↗

Calcium influx, fertilisation potential and egg activation in Fucus serratus.

Fertilisation in the marine alga Fucus serratus is accompanied by increased influx of Ca2+ from the external medium. The onset of this increase, monitored with the Mn2+ fluorescence quench technique, corresponded with the depolarisation phase of the fertilisation potential. External Ca2+ was necessary for the onset of the fertilisation potential and the early activation events, including cell wall exocytosis. Removal of Ca2+ from, or addition of Sr2+ to, the external medium during the fertilisation potential reduced the magnitude of the depolarisation and prolonged its duration. While fertilisation potentials could not be elicited in the presence of 0.1 mM Ca2+, addition of Ba2+ in the presence of 0.1 mM Ca2+ allowed normal fertilisation potential and egg activation. Microinjection of ryanodine or cyclic guanosine 5' -monophosphate (cGMP) did not induce cytoplasmic Ca2+ elevation or egg activation. Inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] produced a transient elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+, monitored using ratio photometry, but did not cause cell wall exocytosis except at the site of microinjection. The results demonstrate an essential role for Ca2+ influx during Fucus egg activation. The relative importance of influx and intracellular Ca2+ release in Fucus egg activation is discussed.

Calcium↗

Trace gas measurement with an integrated porous tube collector/long-path absorbance detector.

Porous membrane tubes filled with an absorbing solution that change colors upon selective reactions with specific gases provide high sensitivity inexpensive gas sensors. These can be routinely used for ambient monitoring in a fully automated manner. We consider both stopped and continuous flow operations and show the superiority of the stopped flow mode theoretically and experimentally. Light throughput through various membrane tubes is presented, and superior performance of such tubes over Teflon AF is shown. Sensors for NO2 and for O3 were based on Griess-Saltzman and indigotrisulfonate chemistries, respectively. A computer-controlled two-LED absorbance measurement system (one wavelength monitors the signal, the other references the system) that also governs automated reagent refilling was implemented. Sub-parts-per-billion-volume detection limits are attainable within a few minutes for both gases. Comparative data with a commercial UV-photometry-based ozone monitor showed excellent agreement with the response pattern of the present instrument. Low cost, ready applicability to the measurement of different gases by merely changing the light source and chemistry, and high sensitivity makes this instrument attractive for both pedagogic and practical purposes.

Journal Article↗

Soap bubbles in analytical chemistry. Conductometric determination of sub-parts per million levels of sulfur dioxide with a soap bubble.

Soap bubbles provide a fascinating tool that is little used analytically. With a very low liquid volume to surface area ratio, a soap bubble can potentially provide a very useful interface for preconcentration where mass transfer to an interfacial surface is important. Here we use an automated system to create bubbles of uniform size and film thickness. We utilize purified Triton-X 100, a nonionic surfactant, to make soap bubbles. We use such bubbles as a gas-sampling interface. Incorporating hydrogen peroxide into the bubble provides a system where electrical conductance increases as the bubble is exposed to low concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas. We theoretically derive the conductance of a hollow conducting spherical thin film with spherical cap electrodes. We measure the film thickness by incorporating a dye in the bubble making solution and laser transmission photometry and find that it agrees well with the geometrically computed thickness. With the conductance of the bubble-making soap solution being measured by conventional methods, we show that the measured values of the bubble conductance with known bubble and electrode dimensions closely correspond to the theoretically computed value. Finally, we demonstrate that sub-ppm levels of SO(2) can readily be detected by the conductivity change of a hydrogen peroxide-doped soap bubble, measured in situ, when the gas flows around the bubble.

Journal Article↗

A flow injection renewable surface technique for cell-based drug discovery functional assays.

A novel flow injection-renewable surface (FI-RS) technique is introduced for the execution of automated pharmacology-based assays on living cells. Cells are attached to microcarrier beads, which serve as the disposable and renewable surface with which the assay is performed. The feasibility of this FI-RS technique is demonstrated by performing a functional assay using Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with the rat muscarinic receptor (M1). The intracellular calcium elevation resulting from the agonist-receptor interaction is measured via a calcium-sensitive fluorescent probe (fura-2) and a fluorescence microscope photometry system. The FI apparatus allows reproducible and precise control of the concentration gradient of chosen muscarinic receptor agonists (carbachol, acetylcholine, pilocarpine) delivered to cells attached to microcarrier beads. The RS methodology eliminates problems associated with diminishing biological response vis-à-vis traditional functional assays that are performed repetitively on the same group of cells. Using this technique, reproducible responses are measured and pharmacologic parameters quantified that compare favorably to literature values. In addition, the use of the FI-RS functional assay as an analytical method for discrimination of agonists based on kinetic parameters is proposed.

Animals↗

Equilibrium and kinetic measurements of muscarinic receptor antagonism on living cells using bead injection spectroscopy.

Bead injection spectroscopy (BIS) techniques are introduced for automated measurement of pharmacological antagonism by functional assay. Chinese hamster ovary cells that express the rat type 1 muscarinic receptor are cultured on microbeads and used as a renewable biological target for muscarinic receptor antagonist ligands. A flow injection instrument is used to reproducibly sample and capture the cells in a jet ring chamber. The effect of the antagonist pirenzepine on the carbachol-induced intracellular calcium response of the cells is measured with a fluorescence microscope photometry system. The BIS functional assay is used to quantify both equilibrium and kinetic pharmacological values for pirenzepine. In addition, two muscarinic receptor antagonists (pirenzepine and atropine) are assayed to compare their relative efficacy at diminishing the calcium response. Due to the precision of the automated fluid/bead handling protocols, and reproducibility of the measured calcium response, the quantification of useful pharmacological information from living cells by BIS techniques is demonstrated.

Animals↗

Simultaneous internalization and binding of calcium during the initial phase of calcium uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca pump.

The kinetics of Ca2+ transport mediated by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca-ATPase were investigated by rapid kinetic techniques that either measure the disappearance of Ca2+ from the medium [stopped-flow photometry of Ca2+ indicators or rapid filtration (method 1)] or directly detect the changes in the accessibility of Ca2+ to the exterior of the membrane, i.e., occlusion of Ca2+ within the Ca pump and Ca2+ transport into the lumen of SR vesicles [EGTA quench (method 2)]. SR vesicles were preincubated in micromolar Ca2+ to form the E.2Cacyt intermediate of the Ca-ATPase, and then Ca2+ transport was initiated by addition of ATP. It was found that Ca2+ uptake measured by method 1 began with no lag phase, in spite of the prediction of kinetic models of the Ca-ATPase. Instead, the time course of Ca2+ uptake was found to have two components: a fast and a slow phase, similar to that obtained using method 2, although the rate constant of the fast phase determined by method 1 was considerably lower than that measured by method 2. The fast phase of Ca2+ uptake measured by method 1 was not influenced by either Ca2+ ionophore or detergent treatment, whereas the slow phase was diminished.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Novel Cl(-)-dependent intracellular pH regulation in murine MDR 1 transfectants and potential implications.

Previously [Luz et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 7239-7249], we determined that Cl(-)- and -HCO3-dependent pHi homeostasis was perturbed in multidrug resistant (MDR) cells created by transfecting LR73 Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts with wild-type mu (murine) MDR 1 (Gros et al., 1991). Via single-cell photometry experiments performed under various conditions, we are now able to separate Na(+)-dependent and Na(+)-independent components of Cl-/-HCO3 exchange in the MDR transfectants and the parental LR73 cells. Cl(-)-dependent, Na(+)-independent reacidification of pHi, mediated by the anion exchanger 2 isoform in LR73 cells, is dramatically inhibited by mild overexpression of MDR protein. Analysis of H+ flux at different pHi shows that Cl(-)-dependent reacidification approaches 0.2 mM H+/s for LR73 cells at pHi = 8.0 but is at least 10-fold slower for MDR 1 transfectants that were never exposed to chemotherapeutics (EX4N7 cells). MDR 1 transfectants selected on the chemotherapeutic vinblastine (1-1 cells), which express approximately 10-fold more MDR protein relative to EX4N7 cells, exhibit similar behavior; however, alterations in Cl(-)-dependent pHi regulation are more severe. Hypotonic conditions, which have been shown to increase anomalous Cl- conductance in some cells overexpressing MDR protein (Valverde et al., 1992), are found to amplify the altered pHi homeostasis features in the primary transfectants that express lower levels of MDR protein such that they then mimic the behavior of the drug-selected cells that express substantially more MDR protein. Verapamil reverses the anomalous behavior.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Proton-dependent dissociation equilibrium of hemoglobin. 1. A 700-nanometer light-scattering study on horse methemoglobin in the pH range 4.8 to 7.2.

The effect of proton concentration upon the subunit dissociation of horse methemoglobin has been investigated at two ionic strengths by light scattering photometry at 700 nm. Differential refractometry revealed a slight but systematic decrease of the specific refractive index increment with decreasing protein concentration for solutions in dialytic equilibrium with the solvent. In the pH range 4.8-7.2 the dissociation can be described by a simple equilibrium between tetramers and dimers. The dissociation constant Kd of the met derivative is found to be very similar to those of the O2- and CO-ligated states. From the slope of a plot of log Kd vs. pH, the number of protons bound is n = 1.3 +/- 0.1 resulting from an increase in the pK values of two groups upon dissociation. These two groups must be identical because the dissociation is symmetrical.

Animals↗

Gln212, Asn270, and Arg301 are critical for catalysis by adenylosuccinate lyase from Bacillus subtilis.

In adenylosuccinate lyase from Bacillus subtilis, Gln(212), Asn(270), and Arg(301) are conserved and located close to the succinyl moiety of docked adenylosuccinate. We constructed mutant enzymes with Gln(212) replaced by Glu and Met, Asn(270) by Asp and Leu, and Arg(301) by Gln or Lys. The wild-type and mutant enzymes were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. The specific activities of the Q212M and the 270 and 301 mutant enzymes were decreased more than 3000-fold as compared to the wild type. Only Q212E retained sufficient activity for determination of its kinetic parameters: V(max) was decreased approximately 1000-fold, and K(m) was increased 6-fold, as compared to the wild-type enzyme. Adenylosuccinate binding studies of the other mutants revealed greatly weakened affinities that contributed to, but did not account entirely for, the loss of activity. These mutant enzymes did not differ greatly from the wild-type enzyme in secondary structure or subunit association state, as shown by circular dichroism spectroscopy and light-scattering photometry. Incubation of pairs of inactive mutant enzymes led to reconstitution of some functional sites by subunit complementation, with recovery of up to 25% of the specific activity of the wild-type enzyme. Subunit complementation occurs only if the two mutations are contributed to the active site by different subunits. Thus, mixing Q212E with N270L enzyme yielded a specific activity of approximately 20% of the wild-type enzyme, while mixing Q212M with R301K enzyme did not restore activity. As supported by computer modeling, the studies presented here indicate that Gln(212), Asn(270), and Arg(301) are indispensable to catalysis by adenylosuccinate lyase and probably interact noncovalently with the carboxylate anions of the substrates 5-aminoimidazole-4(N-succinylocarboxamide)ribonucleotide and adenylosuccinate, optimizing their bound orientations.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Analysis of ion transport perturbations caused by hu MDR 1 protein overexpression.

In previous work [Luz et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 7239-7249; Roepe et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 11008-11015] we measured changes in Cl- and HCO3--dependent pHi regulation for LR73 Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts overexpressing mu MDR 1 protein. However, only one clonal cell line overexpressing the protein but not previously exposed to chemotherapeutic drug (i.e., a "true" transfectant) was examined, since very few MDR cell lines of this nature have been constructed. Recently [Hoffman et al. (1996) J. Gen. Physiol. 108, 295-313] we derived a series of true LR73/hu MDR 1 transfectants that are valuable for defining the MDR phenotype mediated by MDR protein alone, without the additional complexities introduced by exposing cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. Several independently derived clones from these and additional transfection experiments exhibit expression of MDR protein that is higher than that found in other true transfectants, and that is similar to the highest level of overexpression yet recorded for drug selected MDR cells. We examined altered Cl--dependent pHi regulation for these clones using improved single-cell photometry (SCP) techniques. Short-term isotonic Cl- substitution experiments performed in the presence of CO2/HCO3- reveal that mild overexpression of hu MDR 1 protein alters anion exchange (Cl-/HCO3- exchange or AE) for LR73 cells, as expected on the basis of previous work [Luz et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 7239-7249]. Interestingly, we now find that several independently selected high-level MDR 1 overexpressing clones acidify quite extensively upon isotonic exchange of Cl- and then rapidly alkalinize upon restoring normal [Cl-]. These data suggest that MDR protein may effectively compete against AE. The MDR protein effect is not dependent on HCO3-/CO2 or K+, is partially inhibited by verapamil, is completely inhibited by substituting K+ or N-methylglucamine (NMG+) for Na+ in the SCP perfusate but is not affected by 100 microM levels of amiloride, bumetanide, chlorothiazide, or stilbene. ATP depletion inhibits the MDR 1 effect. We are unable to restore normal AE activity for the MDR clones via manipulation of Cl- or HCO3- gradients. We thus suggest that MDR protein overexpression provides a novel Na+- and Cl--dependent pathway for transmembrane H+ transport. From analysis of ion dependency and inhibitor sensitivities, we conclude the transport is not via altered regulation of any known K+/H+, Na+/H+, or Cl-/HCO3- antiporters, Na+:K+:2Cl-, Na+:K+:2HCO3-, K+:HCO3-, or Na+:HCO3- co-transporters, or any combination of these. Thus, it appears to represent a novel ATP and Na+-dependent Cl-/H+ antiport process that (1) may be directly mediated by the MDR protein, (2) may represent the modulation of one or more currently unidentified ion transport proteins by MDR protein, (3) may be due to some combination of direct ion transport and regulation of ion transport, or (4) may represent unusual passive H+ movement in response to a novel Cl--dependent electrical perturbation that occurs during our Cl- substitution protocol. The results have important implications for understanding drug resistance mediated by MDR 1 overexpression, as well as the physiologic function of endogenously expressed MDR protein.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗