• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.763-770
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• 2014

The effect of $CO_2$ on the opening of stomata in the intact leaf of Commelina communis has been investigated. Full opening of stomatal apertures(around $18{\mu}m$) was achieved in the intact leaf by addition of $CO_2$($900{\mu}mol\;mol^{-1}$). At 90 minutes, the stomatal apertures of leaves treated with $CO_2$ free air were reduced. In contrast, stomata opened most widely with the treatment of $CO_2$ air at 90 minutes. The effects of light, $CO_2$ air and $CO_2$ free air on the change of membrane potential difference(PD) were measured. Fast hyperpolarization of guard cell membrane PD was recorded reaching up to -12 mV in response to light. If $CO_2$ free air was given firstly, there was no response. When light was given after $CO_2$ free air, the light effect was very clear. At the onset of $CO_2$ air, the PD showed a dramatic hyperpolarization to about -25 mV. Changes in the pH of apoplast in intact leaves in response to $CO_2$ air were observed. $CO_2$ air caused a change of 0.4 pH unit. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that $CO_2$ flowing could stimulate proton efflux which is a necessary precursor of stomatal opening.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2010

To better understand the ecology of tetrade forming organisms (TFOs) floating in a large amount of dairy wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent (sequencing batch reactor [SBR]) during the inefficient phosphorus (P) removal process of an enhanced biological P removal system, the TFOs from the effluent of a full scale WWTP were separated and attempts made to culture the TFOs in presence/absence of oxygen. The intact TFOs only grew aerobically in the form of unicellular short-rods. Furthermore, to identify the intact TFOs and unicellular short-rods the DNAs of both were extracted, analyzed using their denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)-profiles and then sequenced. The TFOs and unicellular short-rods exhibited the same banding pattern in their DGGE-profiles, and those sequencing data resulted in their identification as Acinetobacter sp. The intact TFOs appeared in clumps and packages of tetrade cells, and were identified as Acinetobacter sp., which are known as strict aerobes and efficient P-removers. The thick layer of extracellular polymeric substance surrounding Acinetobacter sp. may inhibit phosphate uptake, and the cell morphology of TFOs might subsequently be connected with their survival strategy under the anaerobic regime of the SBR system.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1997

Leaf movements in nyctinastic plants are produced by changes in the turgor of extensor and flexor cells, collectively called motor cells, in opposing regions of the leaf movement organ, the pulvinus. In Samanea saman, a tropical tree of the legume family, extensor cells shrink and flexor cells swell to bend the pulvinus and fold the leaf at night, whereas extensor cells swell and flexor cells shrink to straighten the pulvinus and extend the leaf in the daytime. These changes are caused by ion fluxes primarily of potassium and chloride, across the plasma membrane of the motor cells. These ion fluxes are regulated by exogenous light signals and an endogenous biolgical clock. Inward-directed K$^+$ channels are closed in extensor and open in flexor cells in the dark period, while these channels are open in extensor and closed in flexor cells in the light period. Blue light opens the closed K$^+$ channels in extensor and closes the open them in flexor cells during darkness. Illumination of red light followed by darkness induces to open the closed K$^+$ channels in flexor and to close the open K$^+$ channels in extensor cells in the light. The dynamics of K$^+$ channels in motor cells that are controlled by light signals are consistent with the behavior of the pulvini in intact plants. Therefore, these cell types are an attractive model system to elucidate regulations of ion transports and their signal transduction pathways in plants. This review is focused on light-controlled ion movements and regulatory mechanisms involved in phosphoinositide signaling in leaf movements in nyctinastic plants.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 1993

Prolactin has been reported to be present in the tear film of humans and prolactin-like immunoreactivity has been detected by immunofluorescence in acinar cells of the lacrimal glands of humans and rats. The present study was aimed at clarifying the intracellular distribution of the prolactin-like immunoreactivity, using the electron microscope immunogold technique. The lacrimal gland acinar cells have two types of secretory granules: 1) Secretory granules containing flocculent materials irregularly shaped and are often coalesced. 2) Secretory granules are fairly round and contain homogenous materials of a moderate electron density. The density of the granular content varies even within a single cell. We found prolactin-like reactivity in secretory granules, some smaller cytosolic vesicles, Golgi cisternae and nuclei in acinar cells from intact glands of rat. Our present results are consistent with the conclusion that prolactin is present in lacrimal cells. The presence of prolactin reactivity in the nucleus suggests that prolactin may be a regulatory factor modulating gene expression.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.414-420
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• 1993

Escherichia coli mrdAts and mrdBts mutants forming spherical cells at 42C, were employed to investigate the possible role of both inner and outer membrance structures in the determination of cell shape of gram-negative cells. Spherical cells, but not rod-shaped wild types, were specifically killed by anionic detergents, such as sarkosyl, sodium dodecylsulfate and sodium deoxycholate. From the spherical intact cells grown overnight at 42C, much more proteins were released by sakosyl.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.263-265
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• 2006

A 15-year-old intact female poodle dog was referred to a local animal clinic showing signs of dyspnea. A radiographic examination revealed multiple nodules in the lung. The following day, the animal died and a necropsy examination revealed multiple nodular masses of varying sizes in the lung. Microscopically, the tumor cells were composed of round to polygonal cells resembling adipocytes with little or no collagenous stroma. Most of the cells contained clear cytoplasmic vacuoles with the nucleus at the periphery while the other cells contained varying numbers of smaller vacuoles. The immunohisto-chemical evaluation yielded a positive reaction to S-100 and vimentin. Negative results were obtained for pancytokeratin, smooth muscle actin, desmin, epithelial membrane antigen and CD68. This case was diagnosed as a well-differentiated liposarcoma.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.435-440
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• 2013

Previous studies, including our own, have demonstrated that the intratesticular injection of hypertonic saline (20%) decreased serum testosterone level which was similar to the surgical castration in the rat, showing the state of chemical castration. In the present study, we further verify the efficacy of this less invasive method as an alternative of surgical orchidectomy in the andrological field. Sterilized 20% saline was directly injected into the adult male rats (750 ${\mu}l$ per testis). The tested rats were divided into 3 groups including intact group (intact), orchidectomy group (ORX) and saline injection group (SAL) after bilateral orchidectomy was performed at the same day of injection. All rats were sacrificed at 4 weeks after injection. The reproductive organs (testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostates) were collected and used for DNA and protein pattern analyses. Also, patho-histological studies on the testes were performed. In contrast to the intact group, similar DNA damages of testis and seminal vesicle were appeared in ORX group and SAL group. The DNA degradations seemed to be the results of necrosis rather than apoptosis. In the protein pattern analysis, all the testing tissues exerted similar patterns in the ORX group and the SAL group compared to the those of intact group. Patho-histological studies revealed that severe degenerative changes in testicular seminiferous tubules and massive infiltration of immune cells in SAL group. The present study confirmed that direct injection of hypertonic saline into the testis caused the equivalent biochemical changes in the accessory sex organs as shown in the orchidectomized animals. These results suggest that hypertonic saline injection model could be a useful castration model which can substitute for surgical castration when its safety is secured through further study in the future.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1998

In order to improve the cryopreservation by vitrification or slow freezing of nuclear transplant rabbit embryos, the effects of factors affecting embryo cryopreservation such as cryoprotectants, equilibration, cooling rate and post-thaw dilution on post-thaw survial and development were determined using intact embryos of morular stage. And the post-thaw development of nuclear transplanted embryos cryopreserved under the optimal conditions examined was compared between vitrification and slow freezing. The cryoprotectant solution used was ethyleneglycol-ficoll-sucrose (EFS) or ethyleneglycol-poly-vinylpyrrolidone-galactose- I (EPG- I ) for vitrification, and EPG- II for slow freezing. To examine the viability of frozen-thawed embryos, the nuclear transplanted embryos were co-cultured in TCM-199 plus 10% FBS with bovine oviduct epithelial cells(BOEC) for 24 hrs and the intact morulae were co-cultured with BOEC for 5 days and 3 days to hatching blastocyst stage in 39 ˚C 5% $CO_2$ incubator. The results obtained were as follows: Following vitrification with EFS, the post-thaw development of rabbit morulae to hatching blastocyst was significantly(P<0.05) higher in compacted stage(82.4%) than in early morular stage(60.0%). The post-thaw development of compacted morulae to hatching blastocyst was similarly high in vitrification with EFS(82.4%), EPG- I (85.0%) and in slow freezing with EPG- II (83.3%). Following vitrification with EPG- I, the post-thaw development of intact rabbit morulae to hatching blastocyst was similar as 78.0% and 85.0% in 1-step and 2-step post-thaw dilution, respectively. The post-thaw development of nuclear transplanted rabbit embryos of compacted morulae stage to hatching blastocyst was similarly 43.6% and 40.0% in vitrification with EPG- Iand slow freezing with EPG- II, respectively. These results indicated that the rabbit nuclear transplant and intact embryos of morulae stage could be well cryopreserved with either vitrification or slow freezing procedure.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.666-672
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• 2003

Vacuolar degeneration of the gastric epithelial cells is a characteristic feature of the derangement of mucosa where Helicobacter pylori colonizes, and H. pylori vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) has been suggested to playa key role in it. To elucidate the VacA-involved degenerative mechanism, VacA was purified, and its impact on degeneration of HeLa cells was determined. In the presence of ammonium chloride, cell vacuolation by VacA was dose-and time-dependent, however, no detectable degeneration of the cells was observed with the VacA concentration tested. A further increase of vacuolation was shown in cells pre-treated with diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) , and this resulted in a change of the cell morphology to become spherical. Similar phenomena were also observed when HeLa cells were co-cultivated with intact H. pylori cells. It was remarkable to note that the degree of growth inhibition was proportional to the increase in vacuole formation, suggesting that the vacuolation rate would be critical for cell degeneration. Surprisingly, although VacA was itself inhibited by DEPC, its uptake was markedly increased by this agent, similar to that found in cells with Nabutyrate. These data indicate that the cell's tolerance of VacA transport may be critical for vacuolar degeneration and may be changeable during H. pylori inhabitation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.531-536
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• 2013

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) from the urinary bladder regulate detrusor smooth muscle activities. We cultured ICCs from the urinary bladder of mice and performed patch clamp and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) imaging to investigate whether cultured ICCs can be a valuable tool for cellular functional studies. The cultured ICCs displayed two types of spontaneous electrical activities which are similar to those recorded in intact bladder tissues. Spontaneous electrical activities of cultured ICCs were nifedipine-sensitive. Carbachol and ATP, both excitatory neurotransmitters in the urinary bladder, depolarized the membrane and increased the frequency of spike potentials. Carbachol increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ oscillations and basal $Ca^{2+}$ levels, which were blocked by atropine. These results suggest that cultured ICCs from the urinary bladder retain rhythmic phenotypes similar to the spontaneous electrical activities recorded from the intact urinary bladder. Therefore, we suggest that cultured ICCs from the urinary bladder may be useful for cellular and molecular studies of ICCs.