Biomedical subjects

T Barka

Publications and source records attributed to T Barka.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1976

Cell differentiation in the terminal tubule of fetal rat submandibular gland in organ culture.

Submandibular glands from 17-day-old rat fetuses were maintained in organ culture for five days in a medium consisting of Eagle's MEM (87%), horse serum (10%), and chick embryo extract (3%). Each day of the culture period explants were incubated for the demonstration of peroxidase activity and processed for light and electron microscopic observations. In some experiments cultures were exposed to 3H-thymidine one hour prior to fixation and incubation for the demonstration of peroxidase activity. Labelling index was determined using radioautographs of 1 mu Epon-embedded sections. At the time of explantation the submandibular gland rudiment consisted of undifferentiated epithelial cells arranged in cords. On day 3 of culture two additional cell types could be distinguished: terminal tubule cells and proacinar cells. The proacinar cells were characterized by peroxidase activity in their granules and cytoplasm. By day 4 acinar cells begin to appear. On the fifth day of culture the four cell types of the terminal tubule were present in the following proportions: undifferentiated cells, 44%; terminal tubule cells, 19%; proacinar cells, 31%; acinar cells, 6%. These results indicate that the cytodifferentiation of the secretory unit of rat submandibular gland in vitro is comparable to the differentiation in vivo.

Animals↗

PubMed1976

Stimulated growth of submandibular gland.

The effects of chronic isoproterenol (IPR) administration on the growth of submandibular gland were studied. Treatment of female rats with IPR, 0.02 mg. per gm. of body weight, twice daily between 13 and 29 days of age resulted in a 3.6-fold increase in the weight of the submandibular gland, with a 4-fold increase in ribonucleic acid and 1.8-fold increase in deoxyribonucleic acid content. Incorporation of tritiated thymidine was stimulated by two injections of the drug but it was below the control level after 5 days of IPR administration. When the administration of IPR was discontinued, the weight of the gland rapidly declined and within 11 days it reached the control level. However, the average deoxyribo-nucleic acid content of the glands of IPR-treated rats remained 20 to 25% above the control level. IPR treatment altered the cellular composition of the gland and influenced the proliferation of the various cell types differently. Between 14 and 30 days of age, the frequency of acinar cells increased from 29% to 44%. Concomitantly, the frequency of terminal tubule cells declined from 30% to 15%. There were no significant changes in the relative frequencies of other cell types during this developmental period. Chronic administration of IPR led to an increase in the frequency of acinar cells. At the same time the relative proportion of terminal tubule cells declined. During the observation period, the proliferative activities (labeling indices) of all cell types, except that of the ductal cells, declined. IPR treatment ahd the most pronounced, depressing effect on the proliferation of the acinar cells. At the same time, the drug accelerated the differentiation of acinar cells and it caused their marked hypertrophy. Administration of IPR to growing rats affords a favorable system for analysis of the relationship between normal and drug-induced growth.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Distribution of concanavalin A binding sites on the surface of dissociated rat submandibular gland acinar cells.

The submandibular glands of 4-week-old rats were dissociated by a procedure involving digestions with collagenase and hyaluronidase, chelation of divalent cations and mechanical force. A suspension of single cells was obtained in low yield by centrifugation in a Ficoll-containing medium. Immediately after dissociation and after a culture period of 16-18 hr the dissociated cells were tested for agglutinability by concanavalin A (Con A). Using ferritin (tfer)-conjugated Con A the lectin binding by the isolated acinar cells was also studied. The dissociated cells were agglutinated by low concentrations of Con A and bound Fer-Con A molecules on their entire surface without any indication of polarization of the cell membrane. There was a considerable cell to cell variation in the amount of Fer-Con A binding which was, in general, sparse and patchy. The contact surfaces between agglutinated cells revealed a dense binding of Fer-Con A molecules irrespective of the types of cells participating in the agglutination reaction. Cells cultured for 16-18 hr were no longer agglutinated by Con A. As compared to the freshly dissociated cells the cultured acinar cells revealed a more uniform and denser binding of Fer-Con A molecules. Furthermore, there were more lectin molecules bound to the cell surface corresponding to the basal part of the cell, where the nucleus and most of the rough surface endoplasmic reticulum were located, than to the apical cell surface. It is suggested that the higher density of lectin-binding sites on the cell surface in the vicinity of the cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum indicates insertion sites of newly synthesized membrane glycoproteins.

Agglutination Tests↗

PubMed1975

Short term culture of dissociated rat submandibular gland cells.

Submandibular glands of 4-week-old rats were dissociated by a procedure involving digestions with collagenase and hyaluronidase, chelation with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and mechanical force. The isolated cells were purified by centrifugation in a Ficoli solution and were maintained in culture for 36 hours. On the basis of trypan blue exclusions, about 70 per cent of the dissociated cells were viable. Electron microscopic observations indicated that the isolated acinar cells and intercalated and striated duct cells retained their essential in situ ultrastructural characteristics. During a 36-hour culture period the number of viable cells declined to about 40 per cent, and the various cell types formed mixed aggregates. The ultrastructural features of the intercalated and duct cells changed relatively little, but the acinar cells revealed several structural alterations. These included a decrease in the number of the secretory granules, fusions of the secretory granules, and an increase in the rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. In general, the polarity of acinar cells became less distinct. The endogenous peroxidase activity in the acinar cells gradually diminished during the culture. Isoproterenol when added to the cultured cells failed to stimulate the incorporation of radioactive thymidine or the discharge of the secretory material from the acinar cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1975

Dissociation of rat parotid gland.

Rat parotid gland was dissociated by sequential collagenase and hyaluronidase digestions, chelation with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and mild shearing force to yield predominantly single cells. The isolated acinar cells retained their morphologic characteristics and their amylase activity. The functional integrity of the isolated cells was assessed by measuring their secretory response to isoproterenol, epinephrine, and carbamylcholine and by their ability to incorporate radioactively labeled leucine and thymidine. The discharge of amylase from the dissociated cells was not effected by isoproterenol or norepinephrine and the response to carbamylcholine was minimal. The data indicate a destruction or perturbation of hormone receptors during the dissociation procedure. The maintenance of the cells in culture for up to 18 hours failed to restore the responsiveness of the isolated parotid gland acinar cells to isoproterenol. The isolated cells incorporated 14C-leucine into proteins at a linear rate between 30 and 180 minutes. Chromatographic and electrophoretic profiles of newly synthesized proteins indicated that all major proteins synthesized in vivo were also synthesized by the isolated cells. The isolated cells incorporated tritiated thymidine into DNA. Furthermore, stimulation of DNA synthesis by isoproterenol in vivo was reflected by a higher rate of thymidine incorporation by the isolated cells as compared with controls. The dissociated parotid gland cells offer a convenient system for studying various cellular processes, particularly the synthesis of macromolecules with high specific activity. However, some functions, notably the response to beta- adrenergic agonists, are lost during the dissociation procedure.

Amylases↗

PubMed1974