Application Of Colchicine Research Articles

Effects of two mitosis inhibitors (colchicine and vinblastine) on the distribution and axonal transport of noradrenaline storage particles, studied by fluorescence and electron microscopy.

The lumbar sympathetic ganglia and the interganglionic interconnecting nerves of untreated rats and rats treated with Colchicine (COL) or Vinblastine (VIN) were studied with the help of the Falck-Hillarp fluorescence technique and electron microscopy. Both in untreated and drug treated rats there was a good correlation between the distribution of noradrenaline (NA) specific fluorescence and granular vesicles supporting the previous view that the granular vesicles represent the main intraneuronal NA storage sites. The granular vesicles were present both in the cell bodies—mainly in the peripheral part of the cytoplasm— and in the axons of untreated rats. After local application of COL or VIN on the ganglia there was a marked increase in fluorescence intensity and number of granular vesicles in many cell bodies. Often increased number of granular vesicles were found in the neighbourhood of the Golgi apparatus, in which region only few such vesicles are found in untreated rats. In some cell bodies high numbers of granular vesicles could be found all over the cytoplasm.

Review: Colchicine, current advances and future prospects

Abstract. Ade R, Rai MK. 2010. Colchicine, current advances, and future prospects. Nusantara Bioscience 2: 90-96. Colchicine is a toxic natural compound and secondary metabolite commonly produced by plants like Colchicum autumnale and Gloriosa superba. It is originally used to treat rheumatic complaints, especially gout, and still finds its uses for these purposes today despite dosing issues concerning its toxicity. It is also prescribed for its cathartic and emetic effects. Initially, oral colchicine has not been approved as a drug by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But now FDA approved colchicine as a drug for some disorders. Colchicine's present medicinal use is in the treatment of gout and familial Mediterranean fever. It is also being investigated for its use as an anticancer drug. In neurons, axoplasmic transport is disrupted by colchicine. Due to all the pharmacological application of colchicine, there is an urgent need to enhance the properties and increase the production of colchicine with the help of in vitro technologies. The present review is mainly focused on the chemistry of colchicine, its medicinal uses, and toxicity.

Effect of colchicine on transport of amine storage granules in sympathetic nerves of rat

Local application of colchicine to adrenergic ganglia and axons seems to interrupt the fast proximo-distal transport of amine storage granules. This effect may be due to destruction of neurotubules, which possibly take part in granular transport.

A histochemical-physiological correlation of frog skeletal muscle fibers.

A histochemical-physiological correlation of frog skeletal muscle fibers.

The effects of colchicine on the ultrastructure of dividing plant cells, xylem wall differentiation and distribution of cytoplasmic microtubules

To clarify the possible functions of microtubules in plant cells, actively growing tissues of the wheat seedling were treated with colchicine. In dividing cells, microtubules disappeared from the spindle, no matter what stage in the mitotic cycle had been reached prior to colchicine application. Invasion of the spindle by microtubules and endoplasmic reticulum at metaphase was not evident, and no metaphase plate configuration was found. Anaphase chromosomes become scattered throughout the cytoplasm. At telophase, cell plate formation did not occur; binucleate cells, dumbbell-shaped nuclei, and incomplete older walls between cells were sometimes seen. In xylem cells, most wall microtubules disappeared in younger cells, those few remaining being found in invaginations of the wall. With slightly older cells, wall thickenings were formed, but these entirely lacked any regularity in size or distribution along the wall. The few microtubules present were generally found beside the thickenings. Later still in the developmental sequence, massive irregular wall deposition occurred which resulted in the formation of grossly malformed thickenings; the basic fibrillar texture of the wall appeared unchanged, but no microtubules were present in the usual position above such thickenings. The cytoplasm of all treated cells appeared generally normal, except for the loss of microtubules and also occasionally some changes in the patterns of polysomes; ribosomes, normally present as complex spiral patterns, were often spread evenly over the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum. The results are discussed in terms of the possible roles of microtubules as cytoplasmic agents involved in microfibril synthesis, wall differentiation, and morphogenesis.

COLCHICINE-INDUCED SOMATIC CHROMOSOME REDUCTION IN SORGHUM VI. NUCLEAR VOLUME CHANGES WITHIN DIPLOID STEM APICES AFTER COLCHICINE APPLICATION

The induction of diploid plants by colchicine treatnlent of tetraploid sorghum seedlings (Sanders and Framlte, 1962, and Chen and Ross, 1963) indicated that a somatic chronlosome reduction had occurred. Chen and Ross (1965) followed the growth of diploid cells from close to the time of origin, at 2 days after colchicine application, until they had overgro\vn the polyploid cells to form diploid apical domes at tlie 5th to 9th day. The true-breeding nature of some mutants obtained after colchicine treatnlent of diploid seedlings has been sIio\\ln to result from sonlatic chromosome reduction by Siniantel et nl . ( 1963) and Simantel and Ross ( 1963). They used s t ruc tura l l~ marlted chron~oson~es to denlonstrate separation of hon~ologues of t\\lo and four pairs of ch ro~noso~~~es . This study is concerned with nuclear behavior in diploid seedlings after colchicine application.

Evidence for an essentially constant duration of DNA synthesis in renewing epithelia of the adult mouse.

Tritiated thymidine autoradiography has been applied to several renewing epithelial tissues of the adult mouse in order to determine (a) the average time required for DNA synthesis; and (b) the temporal relationship of the synthesis period to the progenitor cycles of these populations. The average duration of DNA synthesis has been computed from curves describing the rates of appearance and disappearance of labeled metaphase figures in epithelia of colon, ileum, duodenum, esophagus, and oral cavity, in both normal and colchicine-treated animals. In general, application of colchicine does not significantly influence the derived values for DNA synthesis duration. The DNA synthetic time is remarkably similar in the tissues examined, despite wide differences in the times required for completion of the progenitor cycle (and for tissue renewal). Synthesis of DNA in these epithelial cells of the mouse requires approximately 7 hours. Agreement between this value and those derived by other investigators for mammalian cells in vivo and in vitro indicates that DNA synthetic time may be a temporal constant, of considerable potential utility to studies of cell proliferation. The advantages and shortcomings of this experimental approach to problems of cell population kinetics in vivo are discussed.

Somatic Reduction of Tetraploid Sorghum to Diploid Mutants following Colchicine Treatment

COLCHICINE treatment of seedlings of certain sorghum lines has resulted not only in the expected polyploids, but also in diploid plants which are mutant for many characters. Some of these diploid mutants breed true immediately while others give segregating progenies1–3. The original hypothesis to explain their appearance suggested that a somatic reduction of the chromosomes (similar to that observed by Huskins4) occurred and was followed by duplication. These mechanisms could result in the concentration of chromatin from ancestors of a putative allopolyploid. However, investigations have produced either no or little cytological evidence for duplication or relocation of chromatin5,6. In addition, mutant characters which have been studied have shown Mendelian inheritance7–10. The alternative hypothesis was then proposed that, in addition to a balanced somatic reduction of the chromosomes after application of colchicine, mutations at many loci also occurred prior to duplication back to the diploid number.

The occurrence of dumbbell-shaped nuclei by Irving Galinsky

To clarify the possible functions of microtubules in plant cells, actively growing tissues of the wheat seedling were treated with colchicine. In dividing cells, microtubules disappeared from the spindle, no matter what stage in the mitotic cycle had been reached prior to colchicine application. Invasion of the spindle by microtubules and endoplasmic reticulum at metaphase was not evident, and no metaphase plate configuration was found. Anaphase chromosomes become scattered throughout the cytoplasm. At telophase, cell plate formation did not occur; binucleate cells, dumbbell-shaped nuclei, and incomplete older walls between cells were sometimes seen. In xylem cells, most wall microtubules disappeared in younger cells, those few remaining being found in invaginations of the wall. With slightly older cells, wall thickenings were formed, but these entirely lacked any regularity in size or distribution along the wall. The few microtubules present were generally found beside the thickenings. Later still in the developmental sequence, massive irregular wall deposition occurred which resulted in the formation of grossly malformed thickenings; the basic fibrillar texture of the wall appeared unchanged, but no microtubules were present in the usual position above such thickenings. The cytoplasm of all treated cells appeared generally normal, except for the loss of microtubules and also occasionally some changes in the patterns of polysomes; ribosomes, normally present as complex spiral patterns, were often spread evenly over the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum. The results are discussed in terms of the possible roles of microtubules as cytoplasmic agents involved in microfibril synthesis, wall differentiation, and morphogenesis.

Mitotic activity and growth factors in the liver of the white rat

In the liver of the white rat mitoses occur in greater number during the first three weeks of life, and solitary mitoses occur up to the age of 8 weeks, after which mitoses are hardly seen in the organ any longer. The colchicine sensitivity is greater in young than in old rats. Suspensions of liver tissue injected intraperitoneally clearly stimulate the mitotic ratio in the liver. With suspensions from younger animals the effect is considerably greater than with suspensions from old animals. The mitosisstimulating agent seems to be rather thermolabile. Liver suspensions did not produce any stimulation of the mitotic activity in the outer and inner orbital glands. A suspension of outer orbital gland, however, gave a slight stimultion of the mitotic activity in the liver. The mitosis-stimulating effect of the liver suspension was hardly influenced by a simultaneous application of colchicine and cortisone.

National Institute of Sciences of India: Research Fellowships

AT the meeting of the Council of the National Institute of Sciences of India held at Bangalore on May 6, research fellowships were awarded to the following for work in particular fields at the places shewn. National Institute of Sciences Senior Research Fellowships: U. B. Burnian (internal constitution of the stars), University of Calcutta ; Dr. A. B. Kar (endocrinology with special reference to birds), Central Drugs Laboratory, Calcutta ; Dr. S. M. Mukherji (use of metal-ammonia reduction method in the syntheses of naturally occurring substances and valuable intermediates), University of Calcutta ; Dr. K. V. Srinath (cytology), Central College, Bangalore. National Institute of Sciences Junior Research Fellowships: Miss Ira Bose (effect of ionizing radiations on chromosomes of the grasshopper), University of Calcutta; S. Datta Majumdar (relativity and quantum mechanics), University of Calcutta ; Dr. S. G. Joshi (mineral nutrition of plants and microbial and biochemical activities in the soil), Fergusson College, Poona ; T. M. Mahadevan (study of rare minerals of Madras Presidency), Presidency College, Madras; D. K. Mukherji (plant physiology (embryo culture) applied to plant breeding), Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi ; K. Subramanyam (embryology and floral anatomy in some members of the Melastomaceue and the embryology of the Lobeliacese, Campanulaceae and Stylidiacese, and their interrelationships), Central College, Bangalore ; B. V. Sukhatme (theory of certain distributions in non-parametric tests and their applications), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. Imperial Chemical Industries (India) Research Fellowships: A. K. Chakravarti (cytogenetics of some common fruit trees of India and the application of colchicine to raise improved types), University of Calcutta ; Dr. A. P. Mahadevan (studies in the pterin field), University of Madras ; C. Ramasastry (spectro-scopy), Andhra University ; Dr. K. K. Reddi (role of anti-thiamine factor in nutrition), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

The effect of local applications of colchicine on Leghorn and polydactylous chick embryos

The effect of local applications of colchicine on Leghorn and polydactylous chick embryos

Production of strophosomy in the chick embryo by local applications of colchicine

Production of strophosomy in the chick embryo by local applications of colchicine

Preliminary note on autotetraploidy inCajanus indicus Spreng

Autotetraploidy was induced in rahar by the application of colchicine. The tetraploid progeny was compared with the diploid parent for various qualitative and quantitative characters. The results show that gigas characters are not present in the tetraploid progeny, except for increased leaf and flower size. A study of meiosis in the tetraploid plant revealed a high degree of multivalent formation resulting in partial sterility. A daughter tetraploid plant was raised from this tetraploid and a study of meiosis in the daughter plant revealed its similarity to that in the mother.

The effects of cold and colchicine on mitosis in the newt

The application of cold or colchicine to dividing epidermal cells of the newt larva produces by similar means an arrest of mitosis at metaphase. The cells respond to both agents by complete suppression or by abnormal development of the spindle. The various types of abnormal spindle which are produced can be described in terms of the complete or incomplete inactivation of centromeres, centrosomes or both. Spermatogonia and spermatocytes, unlike the epidermal cells, invariably show complete spindle suppression during cold treatment. The more obvious differences between the effects of the two agents are due (a) to the greater severity of spindle suppression produced by colchicine, and (b) to the slowing up of all cell processes produced by cold. Thus while both treatments lead to the production of relapsed tetraploid cells, these occur more commonly after colchicine treatment. The untreated epidermal cell swells up during anaphase. This swelling is exaggerated in cells held at metaphase under the action of cold or colchicine. The inactivation effects can be described in terms of a tactoid theory, as due to surface changes in centrosomes or centromeres which prevent them orientating or breaking down spindle molecules.

The experimental control of chromosome pairing inFritillaria

The application of high temperatures or colchicine at early prophase reduces the metaphase chiasma frequency inFritillaria Meleagris. The reduction by heat is correlated with an increased proximal localization of such chiasmata as do form, whereas under colchicine, this localization is destroyed. It is inferred that heat acts by advancing the time limit to pairing, leaving the strongly procentric pairing type unchanged. Colchicine, on the other hand, by destroying the advantage that the centric regions have in pairing, leads to a slower, uncontrolled and highly variable pairing. Contact takes place at any point along the chromosome, sometimes at two or three independent points. This latter type of pairing leads to frequent interlocking. The action of colchicine is probably due to its specific inhibitory effect on the centromere.

A Cytological Study of the Effect of Colchicine on Plant Tumors

The injection of colchicine into animals was found by Lits (16) to arrest cell development at the metaphase and consequently to destroy the cells at that stage. Dustin (10) applied the same method to animal tumors, suggesting the possibility of the use of this chemical in the treatment of neoplastic growths. Experiments on animal tissues were extended by Dustin, Havas and Lits (11) to plants. Havas (13) applied the chemical to newly germinated wheat seedlings and observed a complete arrest in their development, followed by “a bulbous hypertrophy of the root cap” (meaning root tip) and of the coleoptile. Subsequently (14) he applied colchicine to tomato tumors artificially produced by inoculating with Bacterium tumefaciens (Smith and Townsend) and reported inhibition of growth of the tumors on the host plant. The colchicine was introduced through a cut in the stem, or merely poured onto the soil. Havas suggested that the inhibition of tumor growth was possibly brought about “through the intervention of plant hormones.” Brown (4) carried on extensive experiments with plant tumors and reported not only their inhibition but their death following the application of colchicine to the surface.