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Biomedical subjects

S Aizawa

Publications and source records attributed to S Aizawa.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

A novel tyrosine kinase, hyk, expressed in murine embryonic stem cells.

To identify tyrosine kinases which play roles in mammalian early development, the 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) was performed on mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Among eight tyrosine kinases thus identified, we report here a novel tyrosine kinase, hyk (adhesion structures linked tyrosine kinase). The sequences of the 4.7 kb cDNA indicated the presence of RGD motif and three epidermal growth factor-like domains put between two immunoglobulin-like domains and three fibronectin type III domains in its extracellular region. It is strongly expressed in ES cells and later stages of embryos, but at low levels in midgestation embryos. It is also expressed at a low level in neural precursor cells from 10-day embryos, but at high levels in embryonic day 15 and neonatal brains. In adult tissues it is expressed ubiquitously.

Amino Acid Sequence

Tumour angiogenesis in prostatic carcinoma with and without bone marrow metastasis: a morphometric study.

One hundred and one cases of clinical prostatic carcinoma (PCa), primary site, were analysed to define the interrelationship between tumour angiogenesis, histological grade, and bone marrow metastasis. Tumour angiogenesis was determined by the blood capillary density ratio (BCDR; a/b), defined as the ratio between the area of the blood capillaries (a) and the area of the tumour (b). The BCDR was evaluated by a colour image analysis system employing a computerized morphometrical method. A total of 43 cases of PCa with bone marrow metastasis (stage D2) and 58 cases of PCa without metastasis (stage B, C) were utilized. The prostatic carcinomas were classified into three groups (low, intermediate, and high) using Gleason's grading system. The BCDR of the primary PCa with bone marrow metastasis was similar in each of the three histologically graded scores. On the other hand, in the cases of PCa without metastasis, the BCDR of high score PCa was higher than those of the low and intermediate score PCa (U-test; P < 0.001). The BCDR of the high score PCa without metastasis was similar to that of the PCa with bone marrow metastasis. The BCDR may provide help in predicting tumour progression with regard to bone marrow metastasis of PCa with low and intermediate Gleason's scores.

Bone Marrow

A new cell surface marker of aging in human diploid fibroblasts.

The relationship of cell surface changes to proliferative decline of human diploid fibroblasts was investigated using the concanavalin A-mediated red blood cell adsorption assay. The amount of the red blood cells adsorbed to human diploid fibroblasts via concanavalin A increased continuously from the early phases of cell passage up through cell senescence, while the amount of 3H-concanavalin A binding did not change to a significant extent. The red blood cell adsorption is not a function of cell cycle phase and time spent in culture. Cocultivation of young cells with old cells also did not affect the adsorption capacity of respective cells. Thus, the concanavalin A-mediated red blood cell adsorption can be expected to serve as a new cell surface marker for aging in vitro. Using this marker, it was revealed that transient cell size or 3H-thymidine incorporating capacity di not have a direct relationship with the division age of a cell. Small rapidly dividing cells in old populations resemble large slowly dividing or nondividing cells of the same populations and differ from small rapidly dividing cells in young populations, in terms of cell surface properties.

Cell Adhesion

Effects of glutaraldehyde and other drugs on concanavalin A-mediated red blood cell adsorption to nonsenescent, senescent and transformed human fibroblasts.

Concanavalin A (Con A)-mediated red blood cell (RBC) adsorption with the RBC coating method (in which Con A-coated RBC's are adsorbed to fibroblasts) was greatly increased by glutaraldehyde fixation of RBCs before Con A-coating and decreased by the fixation of fibroblasts. On the other hand, RBC adsorption with the fibroblast coating method (in which RBCs are adsorbed to Con A-coated fibroblasts) was decreased by the fixation of RBCs and increased by the fixation of fibroblasts before Con A coating. The fixation of RBCs or fibroblasts after Con A coating did not have these effects. In addition, the fixation of both RBCs and fibroblasts nearly completely abolished RBC adsorption with either method. However, the amount of [3H] Con A binding was not affected by the fixation. RBC adsorption with the fibroblast coating method was also affected by cytochalasin B, colchicine, NaN3 and dibucane treatments of fibroblasts. These drug treatments of fibroblasts, however, did not affect RBC adsorption with the RBC coating method, except cytochalasin B. In addition, the effects of drug treatments of fibroblasts examined occurred nearly to the same extent for nonsenescent, senescent, and transformed cells. Our results suggest that secondary processes after Con A binding, receptor mobility and receptor association with cytoskeletals, play important roles in RBC adsorption, but that the roles do not change with aging or transformation.

Aldehydes

Age-related cell surface changes in human diploid fibroblasts revealed by lectin-mediated red blood cell adsorption assay: a lectin survey.

Two types of age-related cell surface changes could be demonstrated in human diploid fibroblasts with the two methods of the lectin-mediated red blood cell (RBC) adsorption assay: the fibroblast coating method (in which RBCs are adsorbed to lectin-coated fibroblasts) and the RBC coating method (in which lectin-coated RBCs are adsorbed to fibroblasts). With the fibroblast coating method, concanavalin A and agglutinin L from Phaseolus vulgaris gave a change in RBC adsorption which did not occur throughout the phase II period, but increased with the advance of the phase III period (type I). With the RBC coating method, these lectins gave another type of change in RBC adsorption which increased continuously from early phases of cell passage up through cell senescence (type II). Ricinus communis agglutinin 120 also gave the type I change in RBC adsorption with the fibroblast coating method. On the other hand, even with the fibroblast coating method, Phaseolus vulgaris agglutinin E and wheat-germ agglutinin gave the type II change in RBC adsorption. Soy bean agglutinin and Bauhinia purpurea agglutinin gave only a restricted amount of RBC adsorption. Lens culinaris agglutin, pokeweed mitogen, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin, Lotus tetragonolobus agglutinin, Limulus polyhemus agglutinin and divalent succinylated concanavalin A did not give any RBC adsorption throughout the life span of human diploid fibroblasts.

Cell Membrane

In-vitro differentiation of type A spermatogonia in mouse cryptorchid testis.

Cryptorchid testes from adult mice were incubated in calf serum-supplemented medium. There was an effective differentiation of adult type A spermatogonia up to the pachytene stage of meiotid division whcih resembled the process of spermatogenesis in vivo. In the absence of calf serum, type A spermatogonia did not differentiate at all. They differentiated when the serum was present for the first day, but was absent for the rest of cultivation. These results indicate that serum is necessary for only the early process of spermatogenesis from type A spermatogonia in vitro and not for the further processes of germ cell differentiation. Type A spermatogonia cultured in serum-free medium retained the ability to differentiate for at least 3 days.

Animals

Capsimycin, a new antibiotic. I. Production, isolation and properties.

Capsimycin is a new antifungal antibiotic produced by a strain of Streptomyces sp. C 49--87. The active substance in the fermented broth was isolated by solvent extraction followed by silica gel column chromatography. The antibiotic melts at 186 degrees C (decomp.) and has a molecular formula C30H40N2O6. It exhibits marked inhibitory activity against Phytophthora capsici (Leaf blight disease of cucumber) and Pythium debaryanum (Damping-off disease of cucumber).

Animals

Temperature sensitivity of DNA synthesis in mouse testicular germ cells in vitro.

The effect of temperature on testicular DNA synthesis in mice was studied in vitro. By using cultures of cryptorchid testis, DNA synthesis of differentiated germ cells, such as intermediate and type B spermatogonia and resting primary spermatocytes, was shown to be temperature-sensitive, while that of undifferentiated type A spermatogonia was not. DNA synthesis of non-germ cells was not temperature-sensitive. This temperature sensitivity of germ cells in DNA synthesis may be one cause of the thermal inhibition of germ cell differentiation.

Animals

Testicular germ cell differentiation in vivo.

The effects of artificial cryptorchidism and surgical reversal on spermatogenesis were examined in mice. Only undifferentiated type A spermatogonia were present as germ cells in cryptorchid testes. The surgical reversal of cryptorchidism resulted in regenerative differentiation of mature germ cells as judged by testicular weight, histologic examination, and increase in the specific activity of lactate dehydrogenase-X. Leydig cell function was also examined by assessment of the weight of target tissues of androgen. They showed a unique change following the surgical reversal. Thirty days after surgical reversal, hyperfunction of the Leydig cells was observed, and the testes became normal after 60 days.

Animals

Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary: light and electron microscopic studies.

Twelve cases of ovarian clear cell carcinoma were studied histologically. Four cases were examined electron microscopically and compared with other conditions. Five tumors were directly connected with ovarian endometriosis. They were histologically classified into a tubular type with hobnail cells and a solid type without tubular pattern or hobnail cells. Electron microscopic figures of the tumor cells are identical having large nuclei, abundant glycogen, lamellated RER, few lipid droplets, and sparse but well-developed microvilli. The basophilic dark cells frequently encountered in the tubular type are morphologically quite similar to clear cells excepting for sparsity of glycogen and lipid droplets. Alveolar arrangement of 6 to 10 tubular structures (honeycomb structure) resembling alveolate structure seen in late secretory endometrium was found in tumor cells of one case. Ultrastructural feature of clear cell carcinoma closely resemble those of Arias-Stella endometrium and clear cell carcinoma of endocervix suggesting their Muellerian origin.

Adenocarcinoma

An autopsy case of type II glycogenosis.

An autopsy case of Type II glycogenosis was reported with detailed description of ultrastructural findings. In addition to two typical patterns of glycogen deposition, membrane-bound lysosomal glycogen and membrane-free cytoplasmic glycogen, we observed numerous vacuolar structures in liver cells and a large deposition of nomogeneous materials between fragmented myocardial fibrils. These findings were briefly discussed in this manuscript.

Autopsy