Unscheduled DNA synthesis was observed in primary rat liver cell cultures treated with members of five different classes of chemical procarcinogens requiring enzymatic activation as well as with a direct-acting carcinogen. In total, ten carcinogens and one related analog not commonly accepted as carcinogenic were active, while one weak carcinogen and four noncarcinogens were inactive. The produ...

Primary cells are derived directly from tissue and are thought to be more representative of the physiological state of cells in vivo than established cell lines. However, primary cell cultures usually have a finite life span and need to be frequently re-established. Fibroblasts are an easily accessible source of primary cells. Here, we discuss a simple and quick experimental procedure to establ...

Neurons in primary cell cultures provide important experimental possibilities complementing or substituting those in the nervous system. However, Drosophila primary cell cultures have unfortunate limitations: they lack either a range of naturally occurring cell types, or of mature physiological properties. Here, we demonstrate a strategy which supports both aspects integrated in one culture: In...

In light microscopy, refractive index mismatches between media and sample cause spherical aberrations that often limit penetration depth and resolution. Optical clearing techniques can alleviate these mismatches, but they are so far limited to fixed samples. We present Iodixanol as a non-toxic medium supplement that allows refractive index matching in live specimens and thus substantially impro...

Nuclear transfer offers a new cell-based route for introducing precise genetic modifications in a range of animal species. However, significant challenges, such as establishment of somatic gene targeting techniques, must be overcome before the technology can be applied routinely. In this report, we describe targeted deletion at the GGTA1 (alpha 1,3-galactosyl transferase) and PrP (prion protein...

Parietal epithelial cells (PECs) are crucially involved in the pathogenesis of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) as well as in focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). In this study, transgenic mouse lines were used to isolate pure, genetically tagged primary cultures of PECs or podocytes using FACsorting. By this approach, the morphology of primary glomerular epithelial cells...

Dissociated Aplysia neurons will regenerate neurites and form functional connections in primary cell cultures. The specificity of intercellular connectivity in these cultures was investigated by coculturing neurosecretory bag cells with neurons dissociated from the buccal ganglion. It was found that bag-bag and buccal-buccal electrotonic synapses form with high frequency, consistent with previo...

A series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the effect of zeranol on release and synthesis of growth hormone (GH) by anterior pituitary cells established in either static or continuous flow cultures. Young adult male rats, slaughter-age lambs and juvenile lambs were used as sources of pituitary cells. In static primary cell cultures, no consistent effect of zeranol at 10(-7), 10(-9) or 10...

Although it is generally believed that the product of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene (RB1) is an important regulator of cell proliferation, the biochemical mechanism for its action is unclear. We now show that the RB protein is found in a complex with the E2F transcription factor and that only the under phosphorylated form of RB is in the E2F complex. Moreover, the adenovirus E1A protei...

background. the most common species isolated from primary endodontic infections are black-pigmented bacteria. these species are implicated in apical abscess formation due to their proteolytic activity and are fastidious in nature. therefore, the present study was carried out to evaluate the presence and identification of various pigmented porphyromonas and prevotella species in the infected roo...