A study on the origins of urinary serotonin and tryptamine.

A sensitive gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometric (GC/NICIMS) method was devised and by using deuterated L-tryptophan-3,3-d2(Trp-d2) as a tracer, the detailed in vivo metabolism of serotonin (5-HT) and tryptamine (TA) was investigated. A human was administered orally with 10 mg/kg Trp-d2 and rats were injected intra-peritoneally with 50 mg/kg Trp-d2. The ratios of the level of 5-HT-d2 derived from Trp-d2 to that of endogenous 5-HT-d0 and that of TA-d2 to that of TA-d0 were measured in urine and some organs of rats at times up to 4 hr after administration.

Distal myopathy.

Various types of the distal myopathy except Welander's late distal myopathy of Swedish type were described. There were many reports in the past concerning the varieties of the distal myopathy. Distal myopathy is a rather rare disorder and it may be difficult to diagnose these cases.

Immunohistochemical localization of AMP deaminase in rimmed vacuoles in human skeletal muscle.

High AMP deaminase reactivity was detected in the rimmed vacuoles in skeletal muscles in adult onset acid maltase deficiency and distal myopathy with rimmed vacuole formation histochemically as well as immunohistochemically. Acid phosphatase activity was positive but myosin ATPase activity was negative in the vacuoles. AMP deaminase found in rimmed vacuoles does not seem to be associated with myosin but is possibly bound to lysosomes or other related organelles in accordance with the proliferation of autophagic vacuoles.

Localization of calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP) in the peripheral nerve.

Localization of calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP) in the rat peripheral nerve was studied by an indirect immunofluorescent method, using rabbit antiserum against CANP extracted from chicken skeletal muscle. Its specificity to CANP, as well as its cross-reactivity with rat CANP, were confirmed by the Ouchterlony immunodiffusion procedure and immunoreplica method. CANP was demonstrated in the axon, but not in the myelin sheath or endoneurium.

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita: histochemical study of biopsied muscles.

Morphometric analysis was performed after histochemical staining on 12 biopsied muscles of the affected limbs from 12 patients with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. Except for one muscle, samples demonstrated variation in fiber size associated with abnormal fiber type distribution suggesting abnormal innervation: large groups of atrophic fibers in one muscle, either type 1 or 2 fiber predominance with occasional fiber type grouping in five, a complete lack of type 2 fibers in one, type one fiber atrophy in one, both type 2A and 2B fiber atrophy in two, and increased number of type 2C fibers in four. In most patients with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a defect in neural influence on the developing muscles may be responsible for the absence or maldevelopment of some muscle groups.

Promotion of Myoblast Proliferation by Hypoxanthine and RNA in Chick Embryo Extract: hypoxanthine/RNA/myoblast proliferation/embryo extract).

In the course of our attempt to clarify the growth-promoting activities of chick embryo extract (EE), its heat-stable activity was found to be due to hypoxanthine and its related substances including RNA. When added to a basal culture medium composed of Eagle's MEM, horse serum and Fe-saturated ovotransferrin hypoxanthine or adenine (10 μM) markedly promoted quail myoblast proliferation. The concentration of hypoxanthine in EE was very high (274±34μM) and increased 2-fold during incubation at 37°C, while that in horse serum was very low (<3 μM).

Partial Purification from Chick Embryos of a Factor which Promotes Myoblast Proliferation and Delays Fusion: (myoblast proliferation/myoblast fusion/embryo extract/fibroblast growth factor).

Chick embryo extract (EE) contained an activity which promoted myoblast proliferation and delayed fusion. Various tissue extracts prepared from 12-day embryos and adult chicken also showed the activity. We partially purified this active substance from 12-day embryos, following procedures which included extraction at pH 3.

Thalamic relay nucleus stimulation for relief of intractable pain. Clinical results and beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Deep brain stimulation (thalamic relay nucleus, periaqueductal gray and internal capsule) was applied to various cases of intractable pain, and the resulting degree of pain reduction and alteration in beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were compared. The following results were obtained. (1) The studies on intractable pain revealed that the levels of beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in the CSF were lower than those in the control group.

Further Studies on the Developmental Change in Myotrophic Activity of Chicken Serum: Relation between Activity and Transferrin: (developmental change/myotrophic activity/chicken serum/transferrin).

As an extension of previous studies, we reexamined the developmental change in trophic activity of chicken serum on chicken myogenic cells in vitro and attempted to elucidate it on the basis of possible changes in serum transferrin (Tf), the myotrophic activity of which depends both on its concentration and on the level of its iron-saturation. The myotrophic activity was found to be low until the second week in ovo, then to increase rather abruptly to a plateau at about the time of hatching, and then to decrease to the adult level. Determination of the concentration and level of iron-saturation of serum Tf suggested that the change in myotrophic activity was mainly caused by these two parameters, though another factor(s) may also be involved.

Developmental Change in Microheterogeneity of Serum Transferrin of Chickens: (developmental change/microheterogeneity/transferrin/chicken serum).

Developmental change in microheterogeneity of chicken serum transferrin (Tf) was investigated by polyacrylsmide-gel isoelectric focusing, direct immunofixation, and densitometry. Three main Tf species (Tf-0, Tf-1, and Tf-2, which have 0, 1, and 2 sialic acid residues per molecule, respectively) were resolved and their relative ratios were determined. As development proceeded, a relative increase occurred in the most acidic species (Tf-2) with decreases in the less acidic ones (Tf-0 and Tf-1).

Indispensability of Iron for the Growth of Cultured Chick Cells: (iron/transition metal/transferrin/chick embryonic cell/myogenesis).

In order to clarify the role of iron in the growth promoting effect of transferrin (Tf), the effects of the following substances were examined in cultured chick skeletal myogenic cells: transition metal ions (Fe , Fe , Cr , Cu , Mn , Co , Cd , Zn and Ni ), Tf complexes with these metals and metal-free apoTf. The cells did not grow well when incubated in a culture medium composed of Eagle's minimum essential medium and horse serum. But they grew well in the presence of Fe or Fe (10-100 μM) or iron-bound Tf (10-500 nM) in the medium.

Class Specificity of Avian and Mammalian Sera in Regards to Myogenic Cell Growth in vitro: POSSIBLE ROLE OF TRANSFERRIN IN THE SPECIFICITY (class specificity of serum/cell growth/culture medium/muscle cell culture).

Chick myogenic cells grew in the presence of a small amount of avian serum in a culture medium composed of Eagle's minimum essential medium (MEM) and horse serum. Mammalian sera, except for fetal bovine serum at high concentrations, could not substitute for the avian serum. Rat myogenic cells grew in the presence of a small amount of mammalian serum in a culture medium composed of MEM and chick serum: avian sera, except for dove serum at high concentrations, could not substitute for the mammalian serum.

Transferrin Receptor on Chick Fibroblast Cell Surface and the Binding Affinity in Relevance to the Growth Promoting Activity of Transferrin: (transferrin/receptor/cultured fibroblast/molecular recognition/class dependent specificity).

We examined the transferrin (Tf) receptor of chick skin fibroblasts using chick I-Tf. When the cells were incubated with I-Tf on ice, most of the cell-associated I-Tf was found on the cell surface; on the other hand, a large part of it was located inside the cells when incubated at 37°C. By equilibrium binding assay, the number of Tf receptors per cell was determined as 6.

Indispensability of Iron-bound Chick Transferrin for Chick Myogenesis in Vitro: (myogenesis/transfrrin/iron).

Myotrophic activity of highly purified chick transferrins (Tfs) to chick primary myogenic cells has been studied in a culture medium containing horse serum. Iron-binding to Tfs is indispensable for the activity. The removal of iron from Tfs gives rise to a complete loss of the activity and it is restored by iron-rebinding depending on the amount of bound iron.

Chick Embryo Extract, Muscle Trophic Factor and Chick and Horse Sera as Environments for Chick Myogenic Cell Growth.

Chick myogenic cells grew in a medium composed of Eagle's minimum essential medium (MEM), horse serum (HS), and one of the essential factors needed for myogenic cell growth (EFMG), that is, chick embryo extract (EE), chick serum (CS), or the muscle trophic factor (MTF). But they did not grow in the absence of the EFMG. In the absence of HS, they scarcely grew in a medium composed of MEM, and EE or MTF.