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Biomedical subjects

T L Jahn

Publications and source records attributed to T L Jahn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

High speed cinemicrographic studies on rabbit tracheal (ciliated) epithelia: determination of the beat pattern of tracheal cilia.

High speed cinemicrographs reveal that the ciliary configuration and beat pattern of rabbit tracheal cilia differ significantly from classid descriptions, although the basic forward and return pattern is still observed. The tracheal cilia are short and stout (about 6 mum in length) and are of a slightly bent original configuration bent original configuration. At the start of the forward stroke, the cilia bear about 75-90 degrees to the epithelial surface in the direction of the forward stroke. The forward stroke is planar and consists of a simple "bowing" movement, without showing any progressive bending and without changing the original ciliary configuration. The complete forward stroke sweeps through an arc of about 35-40 degrees, with the tips of the cilia penetrating the bottom of the mucous layer through an arc of about 5-8 degrees at the start of each forward stroke. The return stroke starts from close to the epithelial surface and returns to the starting position of the forward stroke by reversing the planer forward pathway at a reduced speed. The stout nature of the cilia, the original bent ciliary configuration, the near vertical starting position of the forward stroke, the extent of the angular sweeps of the strokes, the peculiar "bowing" forward stroke movement, and the nature of the return stroke all serve to enhance efficiency in moving fluid forward. It has been documented that each forward stroke of the tracheal cilia caused and maintains a swift forward movement of the intermediate serous (liquid) layer of the mucociliary system. This movement, in turn, reacts hydrodynamically with the top mucous layer, and together with the clawing action of the tips of the cilia at the start of the forward stroke, causes the mucous layer to move cephalad in the manner of a conveyor belt.

Animals↗

High speed cinemicrographic studies on rabbit tracheal (ciliated) epithelia: cytolytic effect of cystic fibrosis serum on tracheal epithelial cells.

High speed cinemicrographs are made on the ciliary activity of rabbit tracheal cilia with the aid of Nomarski optics. The detailed nature of the ciliary beat pattern is determined from slow motion analysis of the high speed cinemicrographs (1-3). Such documented forms of ciliary beat pattern and the physiologic state of the tracheal epithelia are utilized as basic reference controls to investigate the physiologic effects of cystic fibrosis serum on ciliated epithelia and the cystic fibrosis tracheal mucus stagnation phenomenon. Careful analyses of the high speed cinemicrographs reveal that cystic fibrosis serum has no effect on the rhythm and beat pattern of rabbit tracheal cilia. However, it is shown in controlled procedures that cystic fibrosis serum has a cytolytic effect on the tracheal epithelial cells and also at the cell junctions. Ciliary dyskinesis, as described in previous reports (6-9), is actually a secondary effect of cytolysis and cell destruction.

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Studies on cystic fibrosis using isoelectric focusing. I. An assay for detection of cystic fibrosis homozygotes and heterozygote carriers from serum.

We have developed a standardized biophysical assay for the rapid detection of individuals homozygous or heterozygous for cystic fibrosis (C/F). The assay employs isoelectric focusing in thin layer polyacrylamide gels to analyze microliter quantities of whole serum for the presence of a C/F factor protein and for deletions in a group of proteins called proteins B, C, and D (Fig, 1). A pH 5-10 gradient is used (Fig. 2) and each sample is screened using a serum volume which contains 300 micrograms immunoglobulin G (IgG). Individuals homozygous or heterozygous for C/F are distinguished from normal unaffected individuals on the basis of the presence of a C/F factor protein band (Table 1). Heterozygous carriers for C/F are distinguished from C/F homozygotes 75 percent of the time, on the basis of a deletion in either band B, C, or D (Table 2). On the basis of screening 65 patients with cystic fibrosis, 61 heterozygous carriers for C/F, and 105 normal control subjects, it was concluded that no obvious correlation existed between either sex, age, or severity of the disease in the individual C/F patient, and the absolute presence or absence of the C/F factor. In addition, no correlation existed between sex or age and the presence of the C/F factor or deletions in proteins B, C, and D in the individual heterozygous carrier for C/F or normal control subjects. Analysis of serum samples from 68 patients with a variety of other diseases, many with clinical symptoms resembling those seen in the patient with cystic fibrosis (Table 3), indicated that the C/F factor protein described in this study appears to be diagnostic for C/F genotypes, with the possible exception of patients with certain types of leukemia.

Adolescent↗

The mechanism of the water expulsion vesicle of the ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis.

Analysis of high-speed (150 frames/sec) cinematographs of the filling and expulsion of the water expulsion vesicle of Tetrahymena pyriformis shows that the vesicle fills as water is pumped into it by contractions of at least four ampullary sacs which are continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum. When filled, the vesicle is pressed against its two excretory pores by cyclotic movements of the cytoplasm. This pressure closes the apertures of the ampullae, preventing backflow from the vesicle into them, and also spreads the pellicle of and at the pore, thereby stretching and rupturing the pore-sealing membrane. The vesicle is then invaginated by the cytoplasmic pressure, driving fluid out of the pore. The pore-sealing membrane then reforms, apparently by constriction, and the vesicle is again filled. Electron micrographs show that crisscrossed pore-microtubules extend from the pore to the openings of the ampullae, anchoring the vesicle in place. Each pore is surrounded by a stack of at least 11 ring-microtubules, to which the anchoring pore-microtubules are attached. The pore-microtubules appear to exert tension which assists in spreading the pore, aiding cyclotic pressures in rupturing the pore-sealing membrane. A possible mechanism for the cyclotic pressure and ampullary contraction is proposed.

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