Alteration of sensitivity and time scale in invertebrate photoreceptors exposed to anoxia, dinitrophenol, and carbon dioxide

The effects of hypoxia and intracellular acidification were examined on the mechanical properties of the non-pregnant and pregnant rat uterus. Isolated uteri were investigated during control conditions and in the presence of cyanide, to simulate hypoxia or the salts of weak acids and bases to change intracellular pH at constant external pH (pH 7.4). Both spontaneous contractions and high-K contractures (i.e. fully activated preparations) were investigated at 37 degrees C. In control solutions both pregnant and non-pregnant uteri were spontaneously active and gave a contracture when bathed with a high-K+ solution. When oxidative phosphorylation was inhibited by cyanide, spontaneous contractions were either greatly reduced or abolished. The effects on spontaneous contractions were more pronounced in the non-pregnant than the pregnant uterus. If high-K solution was added after cyanide had abolished spontaneous contractions, then a small amount of force was produced. High-K-induced contractures were not maintained in the presence of cyanide and quickly fell to baseline levels in both pregnant and non-pregnant uteri. All the effects of cyanide were fully reversible. When only intracellular pH was changed by adding weak acids (50 mM-butyrate or propionate), spontaneous contractions were greatly diminished or abolished in both pregnant and non-pregnant uteri. However, the application of weak acids had no effect upon the KCl-induced contractures in both pregnant and non-pregnant uteri. The effects of cyanide on the uterus include both an acidification and changes in metabolites, e.g. a fall in [ATP]. To investigate the changes in metabolites without a change in pHi, cyanide was applied with the weak base trimethylamine (40-50 mM). 31P Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to show that the alkalinization which occurs with trimethylamine alone abolished the acidification ordinarily associated with cyanide. Spontaneous and high-K-induced contractions were greatly reduced or abolished, i.e. the result was the same as with cyanide alone. This occurred in both pregnant and non-pregnant uteri. It is concluded that spontaneous force production is affected by both changes in metabolites (e.g. decreased [ATP] and increased inorganic phosphate) and pHi, and that both can depress activation of the uterus. Only the changes in metabolites can depress force production in fully activated preparation. The greater effect on force in the non-pregnant uterus compared to the pregnant uterus may be due to the lower initial levels of [ATP] and the greater fall in ATP seen in non-pregnant compared to pregnant uterus, and gestational changes in metabolism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A conditioning light can cause a decrease (adaptation) or an increase (facilitation) in the sensitivity of barnacle photoreceptors, as measured by the amplitude of the late receptor potential (LRP). We show that a net transfer of visual pigment from the rhodopsin (R) to the metarhodopsin (M) state induces a large facilitation whereas the reverse transfer results in a much smaller facilitation or even an adaptation. These effects were not due to the response to the conditioning light but to the pigment reactions. When the conditioning light did not alter the pigment population (i.e., M leads to M, R leads to R) it was followed by an intermediate degree of facilitation. These conclusions are correct for cells which have relatively low sensitivity. In sensitive cells, all pigment transitions produce adaptation. LRP facilitation and the prolonged depolarizing afterpotential (PDA) show several common characteristics with respect to pigment transitions: 1. Their magnitude increases with the amount of pigment transferred from R to M. 2. Both are depressed by the M leads to R transition. 3. Their production is impeded by the M leads to R transition. 4. The PDA itself is facilitated by the R leads to M transition and this facilitation decays with a time course comparable to that of LRP facilitation. These results suggest that there may be an underlying process common to LRP facilitation and PDA.

The effects of several metabolic inhibitors (50 microM) on the initial uptake rate of propranolol (0.5 to 500 micrograms mL-1) by the minced lungs (0.4 g) isolated from 7-week-old rats has been investigated in oxygenated, pH 7.4 Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer solution (20 mL) containing 3% BSA at 37 degrees C for 5 min. The effect of the incubation temperature was also examined. Metabolism of propranolol was almost insignificant (i.e. less than 1.3% of the initial load). The overall initial uptake rate was considered to be a combination of apparent linear transport and saturable processes. For the control uptake rate, the linear transport rate constant was 1.26 +/- 0.16 g-1 mL-1 min-1, while Vmax and Km' of the capacity limited uptake process were estimated as 0.727 +/- 0.074 mg g-1 min-1 and 24.8 +/- 2.71 micrograms mL-1, respectively. No metabolic inhibitor tested had an effect on the linear transport rate of propranolol but 2,4-dinitrophenol and potassium cyanide inhibited saturable uptake rate (i.e. Vmax) of propranolol significantly (P less than 0.01) while ouabain, phloridine and iodoacetic acid did not do so significantly. Reduction of the incubation temperature to 15 degrees C decreased and at 25 degrees C tended to decrease, both linear transport and saturable uptake rates.

The postnatal development of the rod photoreceptor of normally-reared and dark-reared pigmented rabbits was studied using physiological and anatomical methods. The late receptor potential (LRP) was recorded in vitro and the threshold and maximum amplitude determined. The same specimens used in the electrophysiological studies were then prepared for microscopy, and rod cell outer and inner segment dimensions and photoreceptor spacing were determined. In the light-reared animals a small LRP was first recorded at 5 days, but only at very high stimulus intensities. Thereafter, there was a rapid decrease in the threshold and an increase in the amplitude of the LRP. The threshold and amplitude of the LRP reached adult values at 14 days. Of the anatomical parameters, maturation of inter-receptor spacing (14 days) is clearly associated with the attainment of the adult LRP amplitude levels. Outer segment length was also adultlike by 14 days of age and thus paralleled physiological maturity of the photoreceptor. Changes over time in the mean diameter and length of rod cell inner segments (adultlike at 21 days) follows the pattern of ontogenetic maturation of the LRP. These findings imply a close relationship during ontogeny between the LRP and development of the outer segment. In dark-reared pups there is a delay in the maturation of the photoreceptor mosaic, but by 4 weeks of age, physiological characteristics of the photoreceptor are adultlike.

DELAY in the decay of the late receptor potential (late RP) of monkey retina has been demonstrated accompanying a progressive increase in the intensity of a 20 μsec flash1. This delayed decay of the late receptor potential is accompanied, in the same retina, by a delayed decay of the d.c. component of the local electroretinogram2. The d.c. component is thought to originate in the inner nuclear layer, and the late receptor potential in the receptor layer1,3, and so the authors suggest that “the late receptor potential of the receptors is a crucial event which controls the activity of cells of the inner nuclear layer”. They indicate further than other off-responses of the visual system might be similarly related to the late receptor potential if they could be delayed by increases of stimulus intensity. With this in mind, I observed a relevant effect of stimulus intensity on the discharge pattern of cat ganglion cells. The on-response, at high intensities, continued into the off-period instead of terminating at the “off” of the flash. In addition, this ganglion cell effect seemed to be related to the behaviour of the d.c. component of the local electroretinogram.

The time courses of late receptor potentials from monkey cones and rods

Rapid effects of light and dark adaptation upon the receptive field organization of S- potentials and late receptor potentials

The effects of metabolic inhibitors on amino acid uptake and the levelsof ATP, Na +, and K + in incubated slices of mouse brain

Summary 1. The effects of metabolic inhibitors on the survival and growth of Entamoeba histolytica, DKB strain, with 3 different associate bacterial floras have been studied and evaluated. 2. Inhibitors active against enzymes containing sulfhydryl groups, as iodoacetic acid and sodium arsenite, are effective in inhibiting the survival and growth of E. histolytica. 3. Inhibitors active against phosphorylation, such as sodium arsenate are effective in inhibiting the survival and growth of E. histolytica. 4. Glycolytic inhibitors including iodoacetic acid and sodium arsenate are effective against the survival and growth of E. histolytica. Their inhibitory effects on the amebae are most likely direct. Sodium fluoride, another glycolytic inhibitor seems not to be effective against the survival and growth of the amebae. 5. Inhibitors active against the enzymes of Krebs tricarboxylic acid cycle, such as potassium cyanide, sodium azide, and sodium fluoroacetate are not effective against the survival and growth of E. histolytica.

The peripheral innervation of murine skin was vitally stained with methylene blue and the effects of various metabolic inhibitors on the staining process were investigated. The observed effects suggest that uptake of the dye is dependent on the integrity of a membrane-associated adenosine triphosphatase and an unidentified metallo-enzyme. Glycolysis, the citric acid cycle and the cytochrome system are not necessary to the process of vital staining, which also does not involve the conduction of nervous impulses or the rapid axoplasmic transport of protein.

Comparative Studies on C4 and C3 Photosynthetic Systems: Effect of Metabolic Inhibitors and Biochemical Intermediates on Carbon Metabolism

The effect of various metabolic inhibitors (carbonylcyanid-m-chlorophenylhydrazone, nigericin, valinomycin, dicyclocarbodiimide, arsenate, NaF, etc.) and lipid-soluble synthetic ions (tetraphenylphosphonium bromide and tetraphenylboron sodium) on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) entry during transformation of Ca2+-treated Escherichia coli cells with plasmid DNA and on cell viability was investigated. In contrast to intact cells, Ca2+-treated E. coli cells were permeable to nigericin, valinomycin, and the other drugs tested. The inhibitors differentially affected [14C]proline active transport, and whereas some drugs inhibited transformation, the effects did not correlate with the effects on transport. The most potent inhibitors of transformation were nigericin, dicyclocarbodiimide, and tetraphenylboron sodium. Carbonylcyanid-m-chlorophenylhydrazone, tetraphenylphosphonium bromide, and valinomycin were relatively inactive. Tetraphenylboron sodium- and nigericin-treated cells bound were plasmid [14C]DNA in the deoxyribonuclease-resistant form than the control and other sample cells. Nevertheless, te penetration of exogenous plasmid DNA into the cell was greatly reduced, at least in case of nigericin. Unlike the other drugs, nigericin and dicyclocarbodiimide drastically affected the cell viability, the former within very short times of interaction. It is concluded that proton motive force does not play any significant role in DNA entry into Ca2+-treated E. coli cells. The results also suggest that adenosine 5'-triphosphate is not required for DNA entry either. The inhibitory effect of certain drugs is discussed in terms of structural perturbations induced by the drugs in cell envelope membranes.

The in vivo effects of aerobic and anaerobic metabolic inhibitors on renal Na and K transport and concentrating ability were studied in dogs. Two aerobic inhibitors (sodium cyanide and hydroxylamine) and two anaerobic inhibitors (iodoacetate and triethyleneiminotriazine) were infused into one renal artery. Urine was collected separately from both kidneys and urine osmolality, Na, and K concentrations were measured. In addition, stop-flow experiments were done before and after infusion of NaCN and iodoacetate into one renal artery. Aerobic inhibitors resulted in a decrease in urine osmolality associated with a large increase in Na excretion. Anaerobic inhibitors resulted in a similar decrease in urine osmolality with only a minimal increase in Na excretion. In stop-flow experiments cyanide blocked Na and K transport in the distal tubule. Iodoacetate had no demonstrable effect on distal Na or K transport, but did abolish K secretion which was presumed to take place in the collecting ducts. These results suggest that Na and K transport in medullary regions is largely dependent on energy derived from anaerobic glycolysis.

Effect of metabolic inhibitors on microcycle conidiation of Aspergillus niger

Effect of metabolic inhibitors on bone lipid synthesis from [ 14c]glycerol