Direct excitation of neck flexor motoneurons by the interstitiospinal tract.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S Rapoport.
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Cerebral glucose utilization is markedly increased in most areas of the cerebral cortex and reduced in many subcortical structures during spreading cortical depression. During recovery, cortical glucose utilization is still elevated, but the increased metabolic activity is distributed in columns running perpendicularly through the cortex.
1. The reflex connexions from muscle afferents and ventral root fibres to the motoneurones of the muscles biventer-cervicis, complexus, sternocleidomastoid, trapezius and splenius, the principal muscles involved in head movement in the cat, were studied with the technique of intracellular recording. 2. Electrical stimulation of homonymous muscle afferents of biventer-cervicis and complexus, sternocleidomastoid and trapezius, at strengths below 1.6 times threshold of the dorsal root afferent volley, produced monosynaptic e.p.s.p.s in the corresponding motoneurones. Recruitment of higher threshold muscle afferents produced additional p.s.p.s with longer central delays. 3. Stimulation of low-threshold muscle afferents did not produce any p.s.p.s in the motoneurones of the ipsilateral antagonist. Stimulation of higher threshold afferents evoked i.p.s.p.s with central delays longer than 1.6 msec, or mixed e.p.s.p.-i.p.s.p.s in the ipsilateral antagonist. 4. Mixed e.p.s.p.-i.p.s.p.s or i.p.s.p.s with central delays longer than 1.5 msec were evoked in trapezius motoneurones upon stimulation of high threshold afferents from biventer-cervicis and complexus, while stimulation of low-threshold biventercervicis and complexus afferents evoked no p.s.p.s in trapezius motoneurones. 5. Stimulation of contralateral low-threshold biventer-cervicis and complexus afferents evoked a sequence of i.p.s.p. disinhibition in sternocleidomastoid motoneurones, and vice versa, with central delays longer than 1.7 msec. 6. Stimulation of the deafferented biventer-cervicis, complexus, splenius, sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscle nerves frequently activated interneurones in the ventral horn at monosynaptic central delays. Activation of homoynmous ventral root fibres rarely evoked p.s.p.s in biventer-cervicis, complexius, splenius or sternocleidomastoid motoneurones, while it produced disynaptic i.p.s.p.s in 80% of trapezius motoneurones. 7. It is concluded that Ia reciprocal inhibition and recurrent inhibition, two reflex circuits which are so prominent in limb segments of the spinal cord, do not play a major role in the generation of head movement. Rather, head movement may be primarily controlled from supraspinal centres.
Whereas the lipoxygenase from rabbit reticulocytes caused a large formation of malonyl dialdehyde (MDA) with rat liver mitochondria, erythrocyte ghosts were attacked only slightly independently of their type of preparation. The formation of MDA was not enhanced by release of spectrin-actin from the ghosts. The lipoxygenase did not give rise to hemolysis of intact erythrocytes. The formation of MDA was increased by heat treatment of the ghosts. Addition of cholesterol to a phospholipid emulsion inhibited the formation of MDA by the reticulocyte lipoxygenase. These results indicate that both lipid-protein interactions and the cholesterol content of the membranes may be involved in the preferential attack of the lipoxygenase on mitochondrial membranes.
Studies have been carried out on human erythrocytes in vitro to clarify the deficit of pyruvate formation under conditions when 2,3 DPG is degraded. The results lead to the conclusion that there exist a cross connection between the glycolytic and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway which is mediated by the NADP/NADPH couple. NADPH serves as additional reducing equivalent in the reaction of the LDH. In the absence of glucose the pool of the metabolites of the pentose phosphate pathway is able to supply glucose-6-phosphate for the production of NADPH by recombination. The reaction of NADPH at the LDH is probably of significance under in vivo conditions.
Ouabain exerts only a minor effect on ATP breakdown at 37 degrees C and practically none at 4 degrees C. The effect is less at higher pH values. At 4 degrees C the rates of breakdown at ATP, AMP and of 2,3 P2G are nearly two orders of magnitude less than at 37 degrees C.
1) The rate of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate breakdown is independent of pH value. 2) The adenine nucleotide pattern at alkaline pH values with its characteristic lowering of ATP and the accompanying accumulation of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate is caused by a relative excess of the activity of the hexokinase-phosphofructokinase system as compared wity pyruvate kinase. 3) The breakdown of adenine nucleotides proceeds via AMP mainly through phosphatase and not via AMP deaminase. 4) The constancy of the sum of nucleotides as long as glucose is present is postulated to be due to resynthesis via adenosine kinase which competes successfully with adenosine deaminase. 5) A procedure is given to calculate ATPase activity of glucose-depleted red cells. The results indicate that the ATPase activity is less at lower pH values and declines with time. An ATPase with a high Km for ATP is postulated. 6) During glucose depletion ATP production is mostly derived from the breakdown of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate and the supply from the pentose phosphate pool both of which proceed at a constant rate. The contribution of pentose phosphate from the breakdown of adenine nucleotides amounts to 40% of the lactate formed at pH 6.8 and is about twice the lactate at pH 8.1.
With a simple experimental system the changes of endogenous, antimycin A-suppressed, oligomycin-suppressed and antimycin A-resistant oxygen consumption are studied during the maturation of intact cells of the 6th day of bleeding. All functional characteristics of oxygen consumption decrease during maturation. The rate of decrease is strongly increased by high inorganic phosphate concentrations (125 mM). This effect is most obvious for the oligomycin-suppressed and the endogenous respiration. The degree of uncoupling of non-incubated cells is 14%. During 24 h incubation it rises to 75%. Inorganic phosphate accelerates the increase of uncoupling during maturation. Reticulocytes of the 4th day of bleeding are characterized by a higher respiratory capacity and also by a higher rate of maturation of antimycin A-suppressed and endogenous respiration. The degree of uncoupling does not increase during maturation. This may be attributed to the low lipoxygenase activity of these cells. 25% of the endogenous oxygen consumption of unmatured cells are antimycin A-resistant. This type of respiration declines by 50% in 4 h incubation irrespective of inorganic phosphate concentrations and day of bleeding. In nitrogen all functional characteristics of respiration during the maturation decline more rapidly than in oxygen. The antimycin A-resistant respiration, however decreased more slowly and reached 50% after 12 h. A pH dependence of maturation (maximum at pH 8.4) was found for the endogenous and the antimycin A-suppressed respiration. The degree of uncoupling rises most quickly at pH 7.4. This is possibly related to the pH maximum of lipoxygenase.
The supernatants of the 440 000 . g . min centrifugation of homogenates of rat, bull and boar testicles and sperm inhibit the NADH-oxidase activity of non-phosphorylating submitochondrial particles (ETP). Whereas no inhibitory activity was observed with young rats (150 g), a marked inhibition was detected with heavier animals. The inhibitory activity of testicles was located in the microsomal fraction. The reaction of the testicular inhibitor with the ETP is initiated by an instant reversible binding followed by a slow irreversible inhibition of the electron transport. The reason of the time-dependence is neither an interaction between the enzymes of the ETP and those of the microsomal electron transport nor a slow degradation of the ETP by microsomal phospholipases. Some observations indicate an indirect involvement of phospholipase via the formation of free fatty acids (FFA). The inhibitory fraction could be solubilized from the microsomes both by sodium cholate treatment and by ethanol extraction. After separation of the lipid classes by chromatography on silica gel and gas-chromatographic analysis the inhibitory fraction was identified as a mixture of free fatty acids (FFA) of different chain lengths and degree of saturation. Thus a new effect of FFA on the mitochondrial electron transport has been detected which is different from other actions known up till now. The degradation of the phospholipids of the endoplasmic reticulum in the spermatozoa may be the source of the enhanced formation of FFA. An inhibition of the cell respiration presumably does not occur in vivo. The high FFA level in the testicular homogenates of sexually mature animals is a consequence of an intensive FFA metabolism, especially of high phospholipase activity.
Different substrate mixtures were investigated for their effect on energy metabolism using sections of the rat renal cortex. Simultaneous determination of adenine nucleotide concentrations and determination of the damage quotient of oxidative phosphorylation proved to be appropriate parameters for selecting substrate mixtures that have a favorable effect on energy metabolism. A mixture of albumin (1 mM) and octanoate (5.6 mM) with electrolytes proved to be adequate. The extent of oxygen consumption (60%) and 14CO2 formation (75%) argues in favor of the metabolization of this mixture; a damage quotient of 23% and general constancy of the concentration of high-energy compounds render prospective their testing in animal experiments. Addition of dicarbosylic acids increase the antimycin A resistant oxygen consumption without any energy conservation being demonstrable. Therefore, these substrates should not be used for conservation.
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Highly purified GAPD preparations from human erythrocytes and skeletal muscle have been used as immunogenes in rabbits. The antibodies produced readily precipitated their antigens and also inhibited their enzymatic activities. An immunochemical evaluation of the precipitability of both enzymes exhibited no immunochemical differences between them. Furthermore, the antibodies were tested against several tissue homogenates from man and revealed an identical precipitability. The identical cross-reactivity indicating a lack of antigenic differences support the absence of GAPD-isoenyzmes in man. The amount of GAPD in several organ extracts was estimated by the technique of single radial immunodiffusion. Furthermore it was demonstrated that the GAPD is bound to the membrane only under hypotonic conditions of hemolysis, while under approximated intracellular conditions of hemolysis the GAPD is not membrane bound.
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The influence of the positive effectors AMP, sulphate, glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and the negative effector 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate on rat erythrocyte phosphofructokinase has been investigated. The kinetic data have been fitted to the Monod-Wyman-Changeux model as well as to a model based on a closed association-dissociation equilibrium. The application of the fitting procedure yeilds for both models a good corresponding between theoretical and experimental data and equal results with respect to the action of the effectors on the enzyme. The corresponding dissociation constants for the binding of the positive effectors to the active state are: AMP 35 micronM, sulphate 0.43 mM and glucose 1,6-bisphosphate 15 micronM. 2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate as in inhibitor stabilizes the inactive state (dissociation constant: 1.4 mM). A preliminary discrimination between the Monod-Wyman-Changeux model and the association-dissociation model has been attempted.
A systematic study of the pH-dependent changes in the range 6.6--7.4 of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate and the adenine nucleotides was performed in the presence and absence of glucose during transitional and steady states. 1. The results indicatethat 2,3-gisphosphoglycerate phosphatase breaks down 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate nearly independent of pH at a rate of 480 mumol 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate x1 cells-1xh-1.2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate mutase is practically completely inhibited below pH value increases in long-term experiments with lower 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate levels. The formation of pyruvate corresponds to the breakdown of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate afterconsumption of an unknown reducing substance.
1. Unitary synaptic potentials evoked by the activity of single vestibulocollic neurones were recorded by means of spike-triggered signal averaging in neck extensor motoneurones of decerebrate cats. Properties of the vestibulocollic neurones which produced the potentials were examined.2. Vestibulocollic neurones were first identified as projecting to the C3 grey matter by antidromic microstimulation within the C3 extensor motoneurone pool. The spontaneous or glutamate-driven activity of the vestibulocollic neurones was then used to trigger the averaging computer. In this way ten inhibitory and two excitatory neurones were identified (20% of neurones tested).3. Action potentials in local branches of vestibulocollic neurones were usually recorded in the vicinity of motoneurones. Mean orthodromic conduction time from the foot of the extracellular spike, recorded in the vestibular nuclei, that triggered the averager was 0.72 msec. Mean synaptic delay was 0.4 msec.4. I.p.s.p.s had a mean time to peak of 0.81 msec and were readily reversed by injection of hyperpolarizing current. These data, together with the shape indices of i.p.s.p.s indicate that they are generated proximally on motoneurones.5. All vestibulocollic neurones making synapses with motoneurones were monosynaptically driven by stimulation of the ipsilateral vestibular nerve. Four out of seven tested were inhibited by stimulation of the contralateral vestibular nerve (commissural inhibition).6. Two excitatory neurones were located in Deiters' nucleus or on the Deiters'-descending border. Inhibitory neurones were found relatively medially in the vestibular complex in the medial, descending and Deiters' nuclei.7. Vestibulocollic neurones acting on motoneurones were tested for axon branching to more caudal levels of the spinal cord with electrodes placed at C5-7. Both of the excitatory and two out of nine inhibitory neurones branched.
On 5 blood samples of newborns, whose reticulocytes had been enriched by density gradient centrifugation, and on 25 blood samples of different reticulocytoses of man were determined: the extent of intra- and extramitochondrial respiration, coupling of the electron transfer with the oxidative phosphorylation and the electronmicroscopic appearance, and the number of mitochondria. The reticulocytes occurring in the flowing human blood are in general relatively stiff and are characterized by the following properties:--low respiration--low capacity of the respiratory chain enzymes--weakened Pasteur effect --varying proportion of intramitochondrial respiration and total respiration--decoupling of a major part of the intramitochondrial respiration--low number of mitochondria--qualitative changes of mitochondria. However, there are situations of erythropoiesis where immature reticulocytes are discharged in man (similar to the socalled "stress reticulocytes" of rabbits). On the other hand, it could be shown that the reticulocytes of rabbits are mature in the normal state.