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Alicia B. Penissi*, María I. Rudolph**, Ramón S. Piezzi*
BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 163-172, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.163
Abstract The purpose of this review, based on studies from our laboratory as well as from others, is to summarize salient features of mast cell immunobiology and to describe their associations with gastrointestinal mucosal defense. Gastrointestinal mast cells are involved in many pathologic effects, such as food hypersensitivity. On the other hand, they also play a protective role in defense against parasitic and microbial infections. Thus, they have both positive and negative effects, but presently the mechanisms that control the balance of these various effects are poorly known. It has been suggested that stabilization of mast… More >

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T.L. Rose*, V.M. Gomes*, M. Da Cunha**, K.V.S. Fernandes***, J. Xavier-Filho***
BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 173-179, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.173
Abstract Vicilins (7S storage proteins) found in various legume seeds have been previously shown to interfere with the germination of spores or conidia of phytopathogenic fungi and inhibit yeast growth and glucose stimulated acidification of the medium by yeast cells. In the present work vicilins from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds were added to the growth medium of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and Fusarium oxysporum conidia. Helix pomatia lectin, wheat germ agglutinin and Ulex europaeus lectin were used to identify differences in the binding of the vicilins to the surface of cells of S. cerevisiae and F. oxysporum treated with this protein. After the growth More >

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José M. Estevez*, Eduardo J. Cáceres**
BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 181-187, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.181
Abstract The present study analyzed several characters of the red seaweed Gymnogongrus torulosus, such as cellular structure of the thallus, cuticle, pit plug and cell wall ultrastructure, and morphology of some organelles like plastids, Golgi bodies and mitochondria. Also, anomalous chloroplasts with thylakoid disorganization were found in medullary cells. The significance of this thylakoid disposition is still unclear. This is one of the first studies focused on the fine structure of a red alga recorded in Argentina. More >

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Norma Risler, Claudia Castro, Montserrat Cruzado, Susana González, Roberto Miatello
BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 189-196, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.189
Abstract Remodeling of large and small arteries contributes to the development and complications of hypertension. Artery structural changes in chronic sustained hypertension include vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) modifications. Extracellular constituents such as proteoglycans (PGs), may modulate vascular stiffness and VSMC growth and differentiation. We examined the effect of growth factors on secreted and membrane-bound PGs synthesis by cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) from 12- to 14- week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched Wistar rats. After stimulation with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB), 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) or 0.1%… More >

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Ana Carolina Faraldo, Edy Lello
BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 197-203, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.197
Abstract The defense reactions against biological (Histoplasma capsulatum and Escherichia coli) and non-biological materials (China ink and nylon thread) were tested in vivo in third instar larvae of Dermatobia hominis. The cellular defense performed by larval hemocytes was observed under electron microscopy. China ink particles were phagocytosed by granular cells 5 h after injection. E. coli cells were internalized by granular cells as early as 5 min after injection and totally cleared 180 min post-injection, when many hemocytes appeared disintegrated and others in process of recovering. H. capsulatum yeasts provoked, 24 h after being injected, the beginning of nodule formation. Nylon More >

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C. Luna, P. Sansberro*, L. Mroginski, J. Tarragó
BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 205-212, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.205
Abstract Micropropagation of Ilex dumosa var. dumosa R. (“yerba señorita”) from nodal segments containing one axillary bud was investigated. Shoot regeneration from explants of six-year-old plants was readily achieved in ¹/₄ strength Murashige and Skoog medium (¹/₄ MS) plus 30 gr·L^-1 sucrose and supplemented with 4.4 µM BA. Further multiplication and elongation of the regenerated shoots were obtained by subculture in a fresh medium of similar composition with 1.5 gr·L^-1 sucrose. Rooting induction from shoots were achieved in two steps: 1) 7 days in ¹/₄ MS (30 gr·L^-1 sucrose, 0.25 % Phytagel^®) with 7.3 µM IBA and 2) 21 days in More >

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Lidia M. Lopez*, Marta Dubin**, Patricia H. Carrizo**, Mario H. Burgos***, Amanda Pellegrino De Iraldi*, Andrés O. M. Stoppani**
BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 213-224, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.213
Abstract CG 10-248 (3,4-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-9-chloro-2H-naphtho[1,2b]pyran- 5,6-dione; CG-NQ), a β-lapachone analogue, modified the ultrastructure of rat hepatocytes, as demonstrated by light and electron microscopy. After 4 h incubation with 100 µM CG-NQ, the following effects were observed: (a) nuclear chromatin condensation; (b) chromatin fragmentation; (c) displacement of mitochondria, concentrated around the nucleus; (d) disruption or expansion of mitochondrial outer or inner membranes, respectively; (e) displacement and alteration of endoplasmic reticulum (rough and smooth); (f) decrease of microvilli; (g) blebbing of plasma membrane and production of apoptotic bodies formed by folding of plasma membrane fragments around mitochondria or peroxysomes; More >

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