A quantitative analysis of the endocytic pathway in baby hamster kidney cells.

A morphological analysis of the compartments of the endocytic pathway in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells has been made using the fluid-phase marker horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The endocytic structures labeled after increasing times of endocytosis have been identified and their volume and surface densities measured. In the first 2 min of HRP uptake the volume density of the labeled structures increased rapidly and thereafter remained constant for the next 13-18 min. This plateau represents the volume density of endosome organelles and accounts for 0.65% of the cytoplasmic volume (or 6.8 microns 3 per cell). The labeled structures consist of tubular-cisternal elements which are frequently observed in continuity with 300-400 nm vesicles. After 15-20 min of internalization the volume density of HRP-labeled structures again increased rapidly and reached a second plateau between 30 and 60 min of labeling. This second increase corresponded to detectable levels of HRP reaching later, acid phosphatase (AcPase)-reactive compartments. These structures, comprising the prelysosomes and lysosomes, were mostly vesicular and collectively accounted for 3.5% of the cytoplasmic volume (or 37 microns 3 per cell). The absolute peripheral surface areas of the two classes of organelles (endosomes and prelysosomes/lysosomes) were estimated to be 430 and 370 microns 2 per cell, respectively. The volume of fluid internalized in the first 2 min of uptake was five- to sevenfold less than the volume of the compartment labeled in this time. To account for these results we propose that, after uptake from the cell surface, HRP is delivered to, and diluted in, endosomes that are preexisting organelles initially devoid of the marker. With increasing times of endocytosis the concentration of HRP in the early endosomes increases, as more of the marker enters this compartment. An elevation in HRP concentration in endosomes during the early time points was shown directly using anti-HRP antibodies and colloidal gold on cryosections. The stereological values given in the present study, in combination with earlier studies, provide a minimum estimate for both the total surface area of membranes and the rate of membrane synthesis in a BHK cell.

The dynamic nature of the Golgi complex.

The intracellular transport of newly synthesized G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus is blocked at 20 degrees C and this spanning membrane glycoprotein accumulates in the last Golgi compartment, the trans Golgi-network (TGN). Previous morphological evidence suggested that the TGN enlarged significantly under this condition. In the present study we have used stereological procedures to estimate the volume and surface area of the Golgi stack and the TGN of baby hamster kidney cells under different conditions. The results indicate that the increase in the size of the TGN at 20 degrees C is accompanied by a significant decrease in the surface area and volume of the preceding Golgi compartments. A similar effect is also seen in uninfected cells at 20 degrees C, as well as during normal (37 degrees C) infection with Semliki Forest virus. In the latter case, however, the decrease in the size of the Golgi stack and the increase in that of the TGN is not accompanied by inhibition of transport from the Golgi complex to the cell surface. The results indicate that the Golgi stack and the TGN are dynamic and interrelated structures that are capable of rapid alteration in total surface area in response to changes in the rates of membrane transport.

Bioaccumulation of mercury in pelagic freshwater food webs.

Current paradigms regarding the bioaccumulation of mercury are rooted in observations that monomethyl mercury (meHg) biomagnifies along pelagic food chains. However, mechanisms regulating the formation of meHg, its initial incorporation at the base of pelagic food chains, and its subsequent trophic transfer remain controversial. Here we use field data from 15 northern Wisconsin lakes, equilibrium aqueous speciation modeling, and statistical modeling to revisit several hypotheses about the uptake, distribution, and fate of inorganic Hg (HgII) and meHg in aquatic biota. Our field data comprise determinations of total Hg (HgT) and meHg in surface waters, sediments, microseston, zooplankton, and small fish in each of the study lakes. For these lake waters, strong positive correlations between DOC and aqueous concentrations of mercury along with negative correlations between DOC and the seston-water partitioning of mercury indicate that organic ligands bind HgII and meHg strongly enough to dominate their apparent aqueous speciation. In the microseston, zooplankton and fish, meHg concentrations and bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) increased with increasing trophic level while biotic concentrations of HgII decreased--indicating that meHg was indeed the biomagnified species of mercury. For all trophic levels, meHg concentrations varied positively with the calculated aqueous concentration of meHg+ (free ion), especially when coupled with pH, or meHgOH (hydroxide) species but not with meHgCl0, the neutral chloride complex. These findings suggest that: (1) the passive uptake of meHg does not control bioaccumulation at the base of aquatic food webs in nature (i.e. phyto- and bacterioplankton); (2) correlation with pH and DOC largely reflect the supply and bioavailability of meHg to lower trophic levels; and (3) meHg concentrations at higher trophic levels reflect uptake at low trophic levels and other factors, such as diet and growth. Low concentrations of meHg in surficial sediments indicate that the fates of biotic HgII and meHg are different. Most biotic meHg is demethylated rather than buried in lake sediments.

Radiographic evaluation of nonanesthetized and nonsedated dogs for hip dysplasia.

The use of chemical or gas restraint was unnecessary in most large breed dogs being evaluated radiographically for hip dysplasia. Of 100 large-breed dogs, 97 were successfully radiographed for hip dysplasia evaluation without the use of sedation or anesthesia.

Preferential incorporation of 3H-deoxycytidine into chicken bursal cells. Comparison of radiolabelled nucleosides as lymphoid cell markers in chickens and mice.

3H-deoxycytidine, 3H-thymidine and 125I-deoxyuridine were injected intravenously into different groups of chickens and mice, and lymphoid organs and intestine of the animals sampled one hour later. Incorporation of the isotopes into proliferating cells was evaluated after nucleic acid extraction and determination of specific activity of the isotopes in counts per minute per microgram of DNA (cpm/mug DNA). Labelled deoxycytidine was incorporated much better into bursal cells than the other isotopes, indicating that this isotope may preferentially label bursal lymphocytes, or a subpopulation of them.

Characterization of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor-enriched prelysosomal compartment in NRK cells.

The structure of a late endosomal compartment, which contains the bulk of the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (MPR) in NRK cells, is documented using immunocytochemistry and cryo-sections, as well as conventional Epon sections. This compartment, which we refer to as the prelysosomal compartment (PLC), has a complex three-dimensional structure consisting of tubuloreticular domains in continuity with vesicular parts. The latter are characterized by a high density of internal membranes, which may be either tubular or sheet-like, that label extensively for the MPR. This structural organization was also maintained after fractionation in sucrose gradients. The amount of MPR immunolabelling was then quantitated with respect to the membrane surface areas of the four compartments where it is found: namely, the plasma membrane, early endosomes, the trans Golgi network and the PLC. The results showed that in NRK cells 90% of the labelling for the receptor was found in the PLC, with the rest distributed over the other three compartments. Cytochemical studies indicated that the PLC is the first structure along the endocytic pathway that gives a significant reaction for acid phosphatase. However, the PLC is clearly distinct from the MPR-negative lysosomes, which are also acid phosphatase-positive, since the two organelles could be physically separated from each other after fractionation on Percoll gradients.

On the preparation of cryosections for immunocytochemistry.

The key preparation steps in the Tokuyasu thawed frozen section technique for immunocytochemistry, namely freezing, sectioning, thawing, and drying, were studied. A spherical tissue culture cell was used as a model system. The frozen hydrated section technique indicated that glutaraldehyde-fixed, 2.1 M sucrose-infused pellets of cells were routinely vitrified by immersion in liquid nitrogen but water was crystallized when lower sucrose concentrations (0.6-1 M) were used. Quantitative mass measurements showed that the fixed cells are freely permeable to sucrose. The frozen hydrated sections were severely compressed but cell profiles regained their circular appearance upon thawing. The average section thickness of our frozen-hydrated sections was 110 nm: this was reduced to 30-50 nm upon thawing, washing, and air-drying. This change was accompanied by severe drying artifacts. By using the methyl cellulose drying technique, this collapse upon air-drying could be significantly reduced, but not completely prevented, giving an average thickness of 70 nm.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determination of hypoxanthine in cord plasma.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the analysis of hypoxanthine in cord plasma. Cord plasma was precipitated with ammonium sulphate and after centrifugation the supernatant was injected into the chromatographic system. Separation of hypoxanthine was optimal with phosphate buffer (20 mmol/l, pH 7.65-7.75) as the mobile phase. Limit of determination using 200 microliter of the sample was found to be 1 mumol/l with a coefficient of variation of less than 10%. The imprecision of this method at the 10 mumol/l level was about 2%. The method described in this report for determination of hypoxanthine in cord plasma would also be suitable for determination of hypoxanthine in other biological fluids in clinical investigations. We have also determined reference values for hypoxanthine in citrate-preserved cord plasma. Rigorous sampling conditions and sample handling are important to achieve accurate results.

Early changes in the distribution and organization of microfilament proteins during cell transformation.

During the onset of transformation, Rous sarcoma virus-infected cells undergo characteristic morphological changes that reflect the biochemical events induced by the viral src gene. Temperature downshift experiments using chick embryo cells infected with transformation-defective temperature-sensitive viral mutants have shown two major morphological changes occurring at different times in the transformation process: ruffle-like flowers appear on the dorsal cell surface as early as 15 min after temperature shift, while later, between 6 and 12 hr, cytoskeletal stress fibers disappear and the cells round up. We report that flowers contain large accumulations of the cytoskeletal proteins actin, alpha-actinin, myosin and tropomyosin. Furthermore, since flowers stain very intensely with fluorescein-labeled phalloidin, a cyclopeptide that selectively binds to F-actin and not to G-actin, we suggest that these structures result from an early reorganization of microfilaments.

Distribution and fluxes of total and methylmercury in Lake Superior.

Despite the importance and size of Lake Superior, little is known regarding the biogeochemical cycling or distribution of mercury within its waters. We present the results from two research cruises on total Hg (HgT) and methylmercury (MeHg) distributions in aqueous and particulate phases, and in offshore sediments. Open waters of Lake Superior are similar in HgT content to Lakes Michigan and Ontario (sub-ng L(-1)), whereas MeHg was only 1% of HgT. Seasonality in aqueous HgT distribution was observed, most likely from tributary inputs during Spring snowmelt. Suspended particles were enriched in MeHg relative to water and surficial sediments, suggesting enhanced particle partitioning followed by demethylation in the water column and in surface sediments. Distribution coefficients for mercury in surficial sediments were lower than those in suspended material, likely due to remineralization. Preliminary estimates of mass balance indicate that air-water exchange processes such as evasion and wet deposition dominate the HgT budget, due to the basin's relatively small watershed area relative to lake area. In contrast, methylmercury cycling within Lake Superior is influenced more strongly by watershed sources, as well as by sedimentary sources and photodemethylation. The Hg cycle in Lake Superior is unique in that it is more similar in many aspects to that in marine systems than in small lakes, where management data for freshwaters typically originates.