Assessment of Ultrastructural Neuroplasticity Parameters After In Utero Transduction of the Developing Mouse Brain and Spinal Cord.

The present study combines in utero transduction with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) aiming at a precise morphometrical analysis of ultrastructural parameters in unambiguously identified topographical structures, affected by a protein of interest that is introduced into the organism via viral transfer. This combined approach allows for a smooth transition from macrostructural to ultrastructural identification by following topographical navigation maps in a tissue atlas. High-resolution electron microscopy of the in-utero-transduced tissue reveals the fine ultrastructure of the neuropil and its plasticity parameters, such as cross-sectioned synaptic bouton areas, the number of synaptic vesicles and mitochondria within a bouton profile, the length of synaptic contacts, cross-sectioned axonal areas, the thickness of myelin sheaths, the number of myelin lamellae, and cross-sectioned areas of mitochondria profiles.

Activities of cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase isozymes in colon cancer: determination using selective, fluorimetric assays.

Activities of two principal cytosolic forms of human aldehyde dehydrogenase, ALDH1A1 and ALDH3AI in colon tumor homogenates and surrounding tissue fragments were measured, using isozymeselective, fluorimetric assays. The assays are based on two fluorogenic substrates, 6-methoxy-2-naphthaldehyde and 7-methoxy-l-naphthaldehyde, and are independent of NADH determinations. The results show high variability of ALDH levels in colon tumors, with several samples below sensitivity level (< 0.