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P. CORNEJO*, E.L. CAMADRO**, R.W. MASUELLI*
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 413-421, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.413
Abstract The Endosperm Balance Number (EBN) is an important concept for potato breeding and has evolutionary importance in tuber-bearing Solanum species. The EBN is part of the post-zygotic hybridization barriers in the group and represents a reproductive isolating mechanism. Few genes have been proposed to be involved in its genetic control; until now, however, neither specific genes nor its molecular basis have been well established. Histological observations of embryo and endosperm development in inter-EBN crosses in tuber-bearing Solanum revealed phenotypes similar to those recently described in Arabidopsis seed mutants. The common feature between them is that the endosperm… More >

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H.R. CONTRERAS¹, V. PAREDES¹, B. URQUIETA², L. DEL VALLE⁴, E. BUSTOS-OBREGÓN³
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 423-429, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.423
Abstract Parathion® is an organophosphorate pesticide amply used in agriculture. Many alterations induced by organophosphorate pesticides have been described, such as: cytogenetic alterations in germinal cells, oligozoospermia and teratozoospermia in the mouse. The effect of Parathion®, both pure (PP) and commercial (PC), on mouse interstitial cell testosterone production was evaluated in vivo and in vitro. Male mice were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of 1/3 LD50 of Parathion®, both PP and PC. The animals were sacrificed at 1, 8 and 40 days post injection to evaluate the impact of disrupting testosterone production on spermatogonia, spermatocytes and elongated… More >

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MARTA B. CASANOVA, LIVIA LUSTIG, EMILCE S. DIAZ, ELIANA H. PELLIZZARI*, SELVA B. CIGORRAGA*, BERTA DENDUCHIS
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 431-438, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.431
Abstract Caveolin-1, the first member of caveolin family reported, is recognized as the structural component of caveola, a plasma membrane invagination or vesicles that are a subcompartment distinct from clathrin-coated pits. This protein is also known to be involved in cholesterol trafficking.
The aim of this study was to determine the expression of caveolin-1 in adult rat Leydig cells. Testis sections incubated with an antibody to caveolin-1 showed, by immunohistochemistry, a moderate number of Leydig cells with different degrees of immunoreaction and a strong reaction in endothelial cells and in the lamina propia of seminiferous tubules.… More >

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ANDREA BOZZO*, CARLOS ALBERTO SOÑEZ*, MARÍA TERESA MUGNAINI*, ISABEL CECILIA PASTORINO*, ALICIA NÉLIDA ROLANDO*, MARÍA CRISTINA ROMANINI*, HÉCTOR FERNANDO GAUNA**
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 439-445, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.439
Abstract Chronic stress by immobilization during gestation can alter several mechanisms that maintain homeostasis in adrenal gland. The aim of this work was to quantify the apoptotic index of adrenal cortex during mid-pregnancy and to prove cytological characteristics by electron microscopy. The apoptotic index did not present significant differences between the adrenal cortex areas of control and experimental rats in any of the three ages studied. The day of gestation influenced significantly on the apoptotic index in both groups. This index increased as gestation progressed. It may be concluded that chronic stress by immobilization might induce More >

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ALICIA VIVIANA LAPIERRE, MARIA ELENA ARCE, JOSÉ RAUL LOPEZ, GLADYS MARÍA CIUFFO.
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 447-455, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.447
Abstract Essential hypertension is considered a multifactorial trait resulting from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The angiotensin II type 1 receptor mediates the vasoconstrictor and growthpromoting effects of Ang II. The A¹¹⁶⁶C polymorphism of the AT₁ receptor gene may be associated with cardiovascular phenotypes, such as high arterial blood pressure, aortic stiffness, and increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated the association between this A¹¹⁶⁶C polymorphism and hypertension in hypertense and normotense subjects from San Luis (Argentina) by mismatch PCR-RFLP analysis. Hypertense patients exhibited significant increases in lipid related values and body mass index. The frequency of occurrence… More >

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C. DAMBORENEA*, F. BRUSA*, A. PAOLA**
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 457-468, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.457
Abstract Pomacea canaliculata is a common gastropod in freshwater habitats from Central and Northern Argentina, extending northwards into the Amazon basin. Several Platyhelminthes have been reported associated to P. canaliculata, sharing an intimate relationship with this gastropod host. The objectives of this study were to describe the symbiotic species assemblages associated to P. canaliculata in the study area, and to disclose differences among them. Samples were taken in three typical small streams and one artificial lentic lagoon, all connected with the Río de la Plata estuary. The 81.53% were infested with different symbiotic (sensu lato) species. Among the Platyhelminthes, the… More >

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MARISA L. ZALLOCCHI^*1, MARIA C. DAMASCO¹, JUAN C. CALVO^1,2, CARLOS P. LANTOS¹, LAURA B. MATKOVIC¹
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 469-477, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.469
Abstract Prior to this work, we found that adrenal as well as extra-adrenal factors activate the response of renal 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 to stressful situations. These results -showing ways through which the organism hinders the pathological occupation of mineralocorticoid receptors by glucocorticoids leading to sodium retention and hypertension- prompted the present study on the nature of the above-mentioned extraadrenal factors. Serotonin was chosen because of its properties as a widely distributed neurohormone, known to interact with glucocorticoids at many sites, also exhibiting increased levels and effects under stressful situations. We studied serotonin effects on 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase… More >

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GREGOR KOSEC^*¶, VANINA ALVAREZ^**¶, JUAN J. CAZZULO**
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 479-490, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.479
Abstract Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite causing Chagas disease, contains a number of proteolytic enzymes. The recent completion of the genome sequence of the T. cruzi CL Brener clone suggests the presence of 70 cysteine peptidases, 40 serine peptidases (none of them from the chymotrypsin family), about 250 metallopeptidases (most leishmanolysin homologues), 25 threonine peptidases, and only two aspartyl peptidases, none of them from the pepsin family. The cysteine peptidases belong to 7 families of Clan CA, 3 families of Clan CD, and one each of Clans CE and CF. In Clan CA, the C1 family is represented by More >

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KARINA M. MICHETTI^1,2, PATRICIA I. LEONARDI^1,3, EDUARDO J. CÁCERES^1,4
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 491-496, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.491
Abstract Nonspecific acid phosphatases are a group of enzymes whose activity increases the availability of exogenous and endogenous orthophosphate either through extra- or intracellular hydrolysis of phosphate compounds. Our study demonstrates the activity of acid phosphatases in the filamentous freshwater alga Stigeoclonium tenue. These enzymes were detected following a cerium-based method in which cerium was used as an orthophosphate-capture reagent. In thalli from S. tenue from the natural environment, acid phosphatases were found in the longitudinal cell wall, plasmalemma, and vacuole. In thalli from Bold’s Basal Medium culture, these enzymes were found mainly in the plasmalemma; they were More >

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NÉSTOR CURVETTO1^1,2, PABLO MARINANGELI^1,2, GABRIELA MOCKEL²
BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 497-500, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.497
Abstract The micropropagation of Lilium longiflorum requires adequate equipment which may not be afforded by small laboratories or producers. In this work we compared traditional methodology with a protocol that included easily available elements to sterilize materials and culture media, together with addition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂ ) into the nutrient media as chemical sterilizer. A series of H₂O₂ concentrations (0.005, 0.010, 0.015 and 0.020% p/v) was used to control contamination during in vitro establishment and subsequent cultivation; the explant organogenic response was also examined and compared to the traditional micropropagation technique. The level of culture contamination was within… More >

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