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 47,337 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human peripheral blood monocytes were maintained in in vitro culture for periods up to 4 months using a non-human serum source. Monocytes were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium buffered with 20 mM HEPES and containing 10% horse serum and 10% foetal calf serum. The metabolic and morphological changes which occur in vitro were investigated using microtitre, Linbro and T 25 cultures. During culture, monocytes increased in size, had increased membrane activity as visualized by SEM, and differentiated into a morphologically heterogeneous population of fusiform and epithelioid shapes. These cell types retained the ability to phagocytose E glut and EA and to rosette with EA and EAC. Larger giant polynucleated cells were also observed during culture; many of these lacked the ability to bind or phagocytose inert or antibody-coated erythrocytes. Increases in lysozyme release and acid phosphatase activity also occurred during culture. Cultured monocytes exhibited characteristic profiles of leucine and uridine uptake with maximal activity observed by 5 days of culture. There was no detectable uptake of thymidine. Detailed analysis of regulatory processes involved in monocyte growth and differentiation could be performed with this in vitro system.
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PMID:Long-term human peripheral blood monocyte cultures: establishment, metabolism and morphology of primary human monocyte-macrophage cell cultures. 38 89

The effects of three widely used glutaraldehyde-based fixatives on cellular volume and structure have been studied utilizing TEM, SEM, time-lapse micrography during the fixation procedure, volumetry and demonstration of the lysosomal enzyme acid phosphatase. The cells used were in vitro cultivated human glia and glioma cells and suspensions of isolated rat liver parenchymal cells. The fixatives compared were the following: 2 per cent glutaraldehyde (GA) in 0.1 M Na-cacodylate-HCL buffer (cac) with 0.1 M sucrose (pH 7.2); total osmolality (T) 510 mOsmol; vehicle osmolality (V) 300 mOsm, 2 per cent GA in 0.1 M cac (pH 7.2; T = 410 mOsmol; V = 200 mOsmol) and 1.5 per cent GA in 0.067 M cac with 0.033 M sucrose (pH 7.2; T = 320 mOsmol; V = 170 mOsmol). It was found that the fixative with a vehicle osmolality of 300 mOsmol gave results which were interpreted as ideal while the two fixatives were hypotonic vehicles resulted in changes which were easily demonstrated during volumetry, time-lapse micrography, SEM and cytochemistry. However, the differences observed in the TEM were less obvious and difficult to interpret, the major alternations being changes in the configuration of the ER in the liver cells. In conclusion, our findings show that even small variations in the composition of a glutaraldehyde fixative can result in structural changes which do not correspond to the functional morphology of a living cell. Such changes make correct interpretation of micrographs difficult.
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PMID:A comparison of the effects of three widely used glutaraldehyde fixatives on cellular volume and structure. A TEM, SEM, Volumetric and Cytochemical Study. 40 40

The interaction between conidia of Fonsecaea pedrosoi and mouse resident peritoneal macrophages was observed by light microscopy and by scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. The conidia first attached to the surface of the macrophage and were then ingested. Prolonged incubation of the macrophage cultures showed proliferation of intracellular fungi as well as those which remained attached to the macrophage surface. The conidia were ingested by a typical phagocytic process, with formation of a phagosome. Macrophage lysosomes were observed to fuse with the phagosomes by immunofluorescence microscopy of macrophages previously labeled with acridine orange, by TEM of thin sections of macrophages labeled with albumin-gold, and by ultrastructural localization of acid phosphatase within the phagosomes.
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PMID:Fine structure and cytochemistry of the interaction between Fonsecaea pedrosoi and mouse resident macrophages. 228 84

The distribution patterns of acid phosphatase hydrolytic activity were studied in human peripheral blood cells with enzymocytochemical techniques together with light and scanning electron microscopy in the secondary and backscattered electron imaging modes. The acid phosphatase reaction product was seen in three different patterns of distribution: focal, granular and diffuse. These patterns were correlated with similar findings obtained with light microscopy. Acid phosphatase distribution patterns seen with SEM in the BEI mode were also correlated with the surface morphology of peripheral blood cells seen in the SEI mode. Cells exhibiting the focal pattern were smooth-surfaced with few microvilli; cells showing a granular pattern presented microvilli and microridges; ruffles were characteristic of cells with a diffuse pattern of activity. No reaction product was seen in cells bearing microvilli or ridges. Our findings demonstrate the correlation between acid phosphatase activity patterns and surface features in different subpopulations of peripheral blood cells.
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PMID:Distribution pattern of acid phosphatase activity in human peripheral blood leukocytes: a cytochemical scanning electron microscopy study. 240 37

Duodenogastric reflux has been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal disease but the relative toxicities of its constituents are not known. The suitability of the ex vivo rat gastric chamber model for systematic studies of bile acid gastrotoxicity was assessed using deoxycholic acid (DCA 0.2-5.0 mmol/l). Acute challenge with 5.0 mmol/l DCA produced significant loss of gastric transmucosal potential difference (delta PD = 25.9 +/- 3.3 mV: mean +/- SEM; p less than 0.01) compared with saline challenge (1.5 +/- 0.5 mV). Significant delta PD values were produced by DCA concentrations down to 0.5 mmol/l (16.0 +/- 2.8 mV). Challenge with 5.0 mmol/l DCA also caused significant increases in chamber fluid concentrations of nucleic acid (2.8 +/- 0.3 micrograms/ml; p less than 0.05) and acid phosphatase (130 +/- 23.4 microU/ml; p less than 0.01). This study demonstrates DCA gastrotoxicity at concentrations comparable to human intragastric total bile acid concentrations and the suitability of this model for studying the toxic components of refluxed duodenal contents.
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PMID:Is the ex vivo rat gastric chamber model suitable for studying the gastrotoxicity of refluxed duodenal contents? Initial results using deoxycholic acid. 324 Jun 4

Cell surface structures of isolated osteopetrotic (mi/mi) and normal murine (+/+ and +/mi) and human osteoclasts were examined in a microscope combining light and scanning electron microscopy (LM/SEM). Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TrAP) was used as an histochemical osteoclast marker. In osteopetrotic bone, as in normal murine bone, TrAP activity was exclusively seen in osteoclasts and preosteoclasts and was therefore judged a suitable marker for identification of isolated osteoclasts. A method was developed for preparation of LM/SEM specimens from osteoclast-enriched cell suspensions. In the LM/SEM isolated osteoclasts were easily recognized in the LM mode by TrAP contents. In specimens prepared from murine cells, but not human cells, LM identification of osteoclasts by TrAP was essential. This was in particular true for small, mononuclear, mi/mi osteoclasts. All osteoclasts examined had a villous appearance and were well spread over the glass substrate. There were no differences in cell surface morphology and in adherence to glass between osteopetrotic and normal osteoclasts.
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PMID:A morphologic study of osteoclasts isolated from osteopetrotic microphthalmic (mi/mi) mouse and human fetal long bones using an instrument permitting combination of light and scanning electron microscopy. 340 96

The histochemistry and ultrastructure (SEM and TEM) of the spermatheca of Biomphalaria glabrata was investigated to elucidate the function of this organ and to compare its structure and function to similar organs found in other species. The spermatheca has a debris-filled lumen surrounded by a thin wall of tissue. The cells adjacent to the lumen are of three columnar epithelial cell types. Two cell types have abundant microvilli and mammalian cell-like organelle distribution and morphology. The above cell types differ in the electron density of their cytoplasms, nuclear morphologies, and organelle content. The third cell type differs from the other two in its cytoplasmic makeup. However, the most distinctive difference is the presence of large numbers of cilia at the apical surface with no evidence of microvilli. These columnar cells rest on a basal lamina adjacent to a two to three cell thick muscle layer. The entire organ is surrounded by an adventitia of unusual morphology. Histochemical investigation demonstrated that DNAase, RNAase, and protease are present in the lumen, alkaline phosphatase is associated primarily with the microvilli, small amounts of acid phosphatase are concentrated in the midcell area of the columnar epithelium, and ATPase activity is localized in the muscle cells and just below the absorptive surface of the microvillous cells. The luminal contents and adventitial areas are Sudan Black B positive, all areas of the lumen and organ wall are PAS positive, the cell nuclei and amorphous masses in the lumen showed Feulgen staining, and large vesicles in the columnar cells were Oil Red O positive. Apparently, the spermatheca of B. glabrata is both a digestive and absorptive structure. Although this organ shares functional similarities with those found in opisthobranchs and terrestrial pulmonates, the epithelia of the spermatheca differ dramatically in these groups.
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PMID:Structure and function of the spermatheca in a snail host of schistosomiasis, Biomphalaria glabrata. 364 39

This study evaluates osteoblast and osteoclast cell numbers and cell activities determined from quantitative histology of trabecular bone in human iliac crest bone biopsies. Subjects studied were postmenopausal osteoporotic patients (aged 53-81) for whom total body calcium and urine and serum clinical data were also available. Only 39% of the osteoclasts identified by acid phosphatase content were multinucleate; however, a significant correlation between multinucleate osteoclasts and the total number of osteoclasts was found (r = 0.87; p less than 0.001). The mean number of osteoclasts per square millimeter of total tissue area was 0.96 (+/- 0.14, SEM, n = 36); the mean number of osteoblasts was 6.8 (+/- 1.5, n = 14)/mm2 tissue area. Computed osteoclast activity (square millimeter bone resorbed per osteoclast nucleus per day) was 2.6 X 10(-4) +/- 1.0 X 10(-4) (n = 13). Computed osteoblast activity (square millimeter bone formed per osteoblast per day) was 2.9 X 10(-5) +/- 8.8 X 10(-6) (n = 13). Calculated mean rate of bone resorption was 1.6 X 10(-4) +/- 3.4 X 10(-5) mm2 bone resorbed per mm2 total tissue area per day (n = 19). These data indicate that although osteoclasts are not numerous in the iliac crest of postmenopausal osteoporotics, the individual osteoclast activity (in square millimeter bone resorbed osteoclast cell unit per day) is significantly greater (p less than 0.001) than the osteoblast activity (in square millimeter matrix deposited per cell per day). These data also point out that greater consideration should be given to the role that osteoclast cell activity may play in human postmenopausal osteoporosis.
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PMID:Osteoblast and osteoclast cell number and cell activity in postmenopausal osteoporosis. 376 11

According to current concepts, soluble phosphatidic-acid phosphatase, converting phosphatidic acid into a diglyceride, is a rate-limiting enzyme in the hepatic biosynthesis of triglycerides. The present paper is the first report on this enzyme in human liver. The enzyme activity was assayed in ammonium sulphate precipitates of cytosol obtained from human liver biopsies. The activity was stimulated by preincubation with alkaline phosphatase and inhibited by Mg-ATP, suggesting that phosphorylation-dephosphorylation may be of some importance for the expression of the activity of the enzyme. When assayed under optimal conditions, the activity obtained in liver biopsies from normal-weight gallstone patients averaged 12.8 +/- 2.0 nmol min-1 (mg protein)-1 (mean +/- SEM) (n = 17). The enzyme activity was slightly higher in liver biopsies from morbidly obese subjects 16.4 +/- 2.8 nmol min-1 (mg protein)-1 (n = 14). The difference between the two groups of subjects was probably in part sex-dependent and was not statistically significant. A similar small and insignificant difference between the two groups of subjects was found when the enzyme activity was assayed in the maximally stimulated state--i.e. after incubation with alkaline phosphate. These findings suggest that an increased capacity of the soluble phosphatidic-acid phosphatase is not of major importance for the increased triglyceride synthesis known to occur in obesity. Other factors (i.e. availability of substrate and cofactors) may be of greater importance.
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PMID:Triglyceride metabolism in human liver: studies on hepatic phosphatidic-acid phosphatase in obese and non-obese subjects. 608 51

Natural killer (NK) cells were obtained from C3H mouse spleens according to a modified version of the method of Kuribayashi et al. [Kuribayashi, K., Gillis, S., Dern, D. E. & Henney, C. S. (1981) J. Immunol. 126, 2321-2327]. These cells retain in vitro cytotoxicity against certain model tumor cell targets and appear homogeneous by morphological criteria. NK cells, YAC (tumor) cells, and NK cell-YAC cell conjugates have been examined with scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. SEM experiments have shown that: (i) NK cells are large and possess various shapes in contrast to the YAC target cells which are smaller and round, (ii) YAC cells have uniformly distributed microvilli whereas the NK cell microvilli are most prominent in the area of effector-to-target contact, and (iii) in the absence of target cells, NK cell microvilli are found in a small number (usually 1-3) of cell surface locations. The region of NK cell-tumor cell contact has also been examined with TEM. The cells were stained with ruthenium red/OsO(4). The electron-dense ruthenium red/OsO(4) reaction product was consistently found in regions of close cell-cell contact, suggesting that carbohydrates were not completely cleared from areas of contact and that target and effector membranes do not fuse extensively. TEM observations indicate that NK cells have structurally unique granules. The granules are composed of at least two distinct compartments. The outer compartment contains the lysosome-associated enzymes acid phosphatase and inorganic trimetaphosphatase. No enzymatic activities have been found associated with the inner compartment. NK cells appear to degranulate when incubated with YAC cells. Under those circumstances, limited areas of the NK cytoplasm contain vacuole-like areas possessing granules and apparent granular debris. Degranulation appears to be involved in the cytotoxic function of NK cells.
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PMID:Electron microscopic study of natural killer cell-tumor cell conjugates. 629 Oct 36


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