• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.73 no.5
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• pp.258-265
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• 2012

Background: Vitamin D can translocate a vitamin D receptor (VDR) from the nucleus to the cell membranes. The meaning of this translocation is not elucidated in terms of a role in pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) till now. VDR deficient mice are prone to develop emphysema, suggesting that abnormal function of VDR might influence a generation of COPD. The blood levels of vitamin D have known to be well correlated with that of lung function in patients with COPD, and smoking is the most important risk factor in development of COPD. This study was performed to investigate whether cigarette smoke extracts (CSE) can inhibit the translocation of VDR and whether mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are involved in this inhibition. Methods: Human alveolar basal epithelial cell line (A549) was used in this study. 1,25-$(OH_2)D_3$ and/or MAPKs inhibitors and antioxidants were pre-incubated before stimulation with 10% CSE, and then nucleus and microsomal proteins were extracted for a Western blot of VDR. Results: Five minutes treatment of 1,25-(OH2)D3 induced translocation of VDR from nucleus to microsomes by a dose-dependent manner. CSE inhibited 1,25-$(OH_2)D_3$-induced translocation of VDR in both concentrations of 10% and 20%. All MAPKs inhibitors did not suppress the inhibitory effects of CSE on the 1,25-$(OH_2)D_3$-induced translocation of VDR. Quercetin suppressed the inhibitory effects of CSE on the 1,25-$(OH_2)D_3$-induced translocation of VDR, but not in n-acetylcysteine. Conclusion: CSE has an ability to inhibit vitamin D-induced VDR translocation, but MAPKs are not involved in this inhibition.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2015

This study was conducted to provide the microanatomical information of the heart-kidney complex of Tegillarca granosa. The heart-kidney complex was located in the pericardial cavity between the dosal visceral mass and posterior adductor muscle. The heart composed of two atrium and one ventricle. The kidney composed of a pair of left and right. The atrium and ventricle of the heart were composed of the epicardium, myocardium and endocardium. The epicardium of simple epithelial layer composed of cuboidal epithelial cells that had a strong basophilic nucleus located in the center. The myocardium composed of muscle fiber bundles. The myocardium in ventricle was denser than in the atrium. The endocardium of simple epithelial layer composed of squamous epithelial cell that had a strong basophilic nucleus was located in the center. The endocardium thickness of the atrium was $6.04({\pm}2.26){\mu}m$, endocardium thickness of the atrium was $7.36({\pm}3.21){\mu}m$, and appeared to be thicker in the ventricle. The kidney composed of numerous renal tubules. The renal tubule of simple epithelial layer composed of columnar epithelial cell with nucleus located in the basal zone and a number of cytoplasmic granules. The developed striated border was the inner epidermis.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the high voltage pulsed Current (HVPC) stimulation on the healing rate and the proliferative activity of keratinocytes and IGF-I mRNA expression of an incisional wound in rat skin. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats ($265{\sim}290g$) were randomly divided into HVPC (n=10) and control group (n=10). Rats received 10 mm length of full-thickness incision wound on the back under the anesthesia. The HVPC group received electrical stimulation with a Current intensity of 50 V at 100 pps for a duration of 30 minutes, while the control group was given the same treatment without electricity for a week. Polarity was negative in first three days and positive thereafter. The wound length was measured and evaluated as percentage. The mean number of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) per nucleus and level of IGF-I mRNA expression were calculated. The mean percent of wound closure were $51.17{\pm}17.76%$ and $80.71{\pm}11.91%$, respectively, in the sham treated control and HVPC stimulated groups (t=-4.308, P<0.001). The mean NOR number per nucleus of the keratinocytes in the control and HVPC group were $1.85{\pm}0.20$ and $2.70{\pm}0.23$, respectively (t=8.638, P<0.001). The IGF-I mRNA level were $0.76{\pm}0.44$ and $1.32{\pm}0.41$, respectively, in the control and HVPC stimulated wounds (t=2.906, P<0.01). There was a positive correlation between the mean NOR number per nucleus and IGF-l mRNA level with a Pearson product moment correlation coefficient of 0.72 (P<0.05). These findings suggest that the HVPC may activate the rRNA of the basal keratinocytes and upregulate the IGF-I mRNA levels by alteration of the electrical environment, and it may increase proliferative activity of the keratinocytes in the skin wound of the rat.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.185-198
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• 2007

Spermiogenesis in Japanese white-toothed shrew. Crocidura dsinezumi was investigated by transmission electron microscope. Spermiogenesis was divided into 12 phases 14 steps, based on the morphological features of the nucleus and change of organelles in cytoplasm. The nucleus of spermatids in Golgi (step $1{\sim}2$) phase were spherical; however, they were changed into oval in the cap (step $3{\sim}6$) phase. Flagellum appeared in the middle of acrosomal phase; on the other hand, slender and long spermatid head was formed in maturation phase. The head of spermatids faced the lumen in step 1 to step 6 (from Golgi to cap phase), but, in step 7 to step 14 (from acrosomal to spermiation phase), it turned its head to the basal lamina of the seminiferous epithelium. The nucleus and acrosome were elongated maximally in step 10. The condensation of chromatin started in late acrosomal (step 10) phase, and it was completely finished and homogenized in the middle of maturation (step 12) phase. Multivesicular body appeared near the acrosomal vacuole during the middle cap (step 5) phase, and a large number of them were observed near the Golgi apparatus in the late cap (step 6) phase. Considering all the results, the spermiogenesis might be useful information to analyse the differentiation of spermatogenic fells.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.51-87
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• 1987

The incorporation of ³H-proline by epithelial and connective tissue elements of rat palatal mucosae was studied in order to investigate the relative levels of protein synthesis by the epithelium and underlying connective tissue cells. Following a sixty minutes incorporation of the radioactive tracer in vitro, it was found that the suprabasal cells had most grains per unit area. Furthermore, the grains were more concentrated over the cytoplasm than the nucleus. This was in contrast with the labeling of basal cells which had twice as many grains over the nucleoplasm than that over the cytoplasm. In intermediate cells; i.e., the spinous layer, the number of silver grains per unit area was decreased from that of the suprabasal cells. In areas where desmosomes were more prominent, many grains were in touch with such desmosomes. However, the labeling appeared to be reduced as soon as the cells became flattened. Moreover, the epidermal keratohyalin granules were relatively free of grains. Except for certain intercellular surfaces the keratinized cells were generally free of grains. On the connective tissue side, silver grains were primarily localized over the fibroblasts with occasional grains being found over palatal muscle cells, neural elements and so on. Most grains over collagenous fibers were found in relation to mature collagen fibrils. Thus, protein synthesis in isolated mucosae of the rat palate appeared to take place both in epithelial and connective elements. There were no apparent tissue alterations caused by the in vitro incorporation procedure utilized under conditions of this study.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.448-454
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• 2020

Nine free-living heterotrophic flagellates were cultured from marine intertidal sediments and freshwater sediments from Korea. These species are described with uninterpreted records based on light microscopy of living cells and reported taxonomically for the first time from Korea. Diagnostics of these species are as follows; Notosolenus hemicircularis: 9-11.8 ㎛ long with flagellar reservoir, ventrally flattened and dorsally convex with hyaline semicircular collar around short anterior neck, and 8 ridges on cell surface. Thecamonas tranhens: 4.5-7.1 ㎛ long, plastic with proboscis comprising an anterior flagellum surrounded by membranous sleeve. Bodomorpha minima: 4.5-7.0 ㎛ long, rigid with small rostrum in anterior end and active anterior flagellum. Cercomonas hiberna: 5.6-10.9 ㎛ long, very plastic with pseudopodia, cytoplasmic strand and 1 or 2 contractile vacuoles. Cercomonas pellucida: 7.5-13 ㎛ long, plastic with pseudopodia, cytoplasmic strand and single contractile vacuole. With nucleus closely connected to basal bodies. Eocercomonas echina: 4.7-6.5 ㎛ long, plastic with pseudopodia, cytoplasmic strand and 1 or 2 contractile vacuoles. Paracercomonas astra: 5.7-7.3 ㎛ long, moderately metabolic with pseudopodia, cytoplasmic strand and 1 or 2 contractile vacuoles. Paracercomonas minima: 5-9 ㎛ long, metabolic with pseudopodia, cytoplasmic strand and single contractile vacuole. Paracercomonas producta: 6.1-9.9 ㎛ long, very metabolic with pseudopodia, long cytoplasmic strand and single contractile vacuole.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2006

Mature spermatozoa of dark chub Zacco temmincki (Temminck and Schlegel), were examined under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The spermatozoa have a spherical, homogeneously electron-dense nucleus with an axial nuclear fossa containing two laterally oriented centrioles. The centrioles, which are arranged at about a $120^{\circ}$ angle to each other, have the 9+2 microtubule structure typical of flagella. The mature spermatozoon is of the primitive anacrosomal aquasperm type. The nuclear envelope is strongly undulated and contains nuclear vacuoles of different sizes and positions. The midpiece contains six or more mitochondria and encircles the basal body of the flagellum with an axoneme covered by the plasma membrane. Cytoplasmic vesicles lie between the axonemal doublets and the plasma membrane, and encircle the anterior part of the tail. The plasma membrane of the flagellum extends laterally and forms a pair of side fins. The species showed minor differences in number and structure of mitochondria, the angle between centrioles, and total length and occurrence of the fins. These characters, especially the side fins, appear to be apomorphic and useful for determining phylogenetic relationships at the genus or family level.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.69-79
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• 1985

Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies of the root hair cell and the trichoblast were undertaken with light and electron microscopes to clarify the type of root hair, fine structure and the activities of acid phosphatase and ATPase. The root hair was differentiated from the middle portion of the cell, and perpendicularly to the long axis of the cell. Consequently, the type of root hair comes under the panicoid type. In the trichoblast, nucleus and cytoplasm are located in the vicinity of cortex. On the contrary, after the root hair is formed, they migrate to the apical region of the root hair, and the basal region of the root hair is filled with numerous vacuoles. Cell walls of actively growing root hairs are subdivided into two layers on the basis of the arrangement of cellulose microfibrils. New cell wall of the root hair is presumptively formed from Golgi complex-derived vesicles. Activity of acid phosphatase appeared on tonoplast, plasma membrane, and nuclear envelope, whereas ATPase activity appeared on the plasma membrane, heterochromatin, and mitochondrial cristae.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.417-422
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• 2009

Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) are known to get activated during various stress signals and transduce the message from the cell membrane to the nucleus for appropriate cellular reorganization. Though, a certain basal activity of MAPK is often observed in the control plants. Prolonged exposure of rice plants to lowered or elevated temperature exhibited a rhythm in the activation of MAPKs. We analyzed existence of a possible endogenous rhythm in the activity of MAPKs in rice plants. The plants growing at constant temperature entrained in 16/8 h day-night cycle showed diurnal rhythm in activity. When the activation of MAPK was tested under continuous conditions by shifting plants to continuous darkness for a period of 72 h, the periodic rhythm persisted and followed a circadian pattern. Analysis of the transcripts of group A, B and C members of MAPKs under above conditions by quantitative real time PCR revealed that the members of group C exhibit periodic rhythm. Our data indicates that the MAP kinase activity in rice follows rhythmic expression in a circadian manner.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.269-279
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• 2010

Some characteristics of germ cell differntiations and the function of accessory cells during spermatogenesis, and mature sperm ultrastructure in male Protothaca (N.) jedoensis were investigated by transmission electron microscope observations. The morphology of the spermatozoa of this species has a primitive type and is similar to those of other species in the subclass Heterodonta. Accessory cells, which are connected to adjacent germ cells, are involved in the supplying of the nutrients for germ cell development. The morphologies of the sperm nucleus and the acrosome of this species are the cylindrical type and cap shape, respectively. Spermatozoa are approximately $46{\sim}50{\mu}m$ in length including a long sperm nucleus (about $2.44{\mu}m$ in length), an acrosome (about $0.45{\mu}m$ in length), and tail flagellum (about $42{\sim}46{\mu}m$). The axoneme of the sperm tail shows a 9+2 structure. As some characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle structures, the basal and lateral parts of basal rings show electron opaque part (region), while the anterior apex part of the acrosomal vesicle shows electron lucent part (region). These characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle were found in the family Veneridae and other several families in the subclass Heterodonta. These common characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle in the subclass Heterodonta can be used for phylogenetic and systematic analysis as a taxonomic key or a significant tool. The number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm of this species are four, as one of common characteristics appear in most species in the family Veneridae and other families in the subclass Heterodonta. However, exceptionally, only three species in Veneridae of the subclass Heterodonta contain 5 mitochondria. The number of mitochondria in the sperm midpiece can be used for the taxonomic analysis of the family or superfamily levels as a systematic key or an important tool.