Development of transferred xenogeneic vole embryos in mouse uteri

An experimental model to study interspecific pregnancy using voles, Microtus arvalis, and green fluorescent protein gene‐induced transgenic mice is presented. Xenogeneic blastocysts from the vole were transferred into the uteri of pseudopregnant mice along with allogeneic blastocysts from green fluorescent protein gene‐induced transgenic mice. The uteri containing xeno‐allo combined transfers were examined from day 6 to 13 of gestation. Although the vole embryos implanted, the uteri containing vole embryos were smaller compared with those having allogeneic mouse embryos. On day 8, the uteri containing vole embryos hemorrhaged internally and no vole embryo was found in the pregnant uterus after day 11. Allogeneic mouse embryos developed normally despite the presence and abortion of the vole embryos. In uteri implanted with vole embryos, decidua were formed and numerous blood vessels were distributed around the embryo. Maternal blood cells infiltrated into the celomic cavity of the vole embryo through the discontinuous region of trophoblast. Periodic acid‐Schiff‐positive granulated metrial gland cells were remarkably increased in the decidual sites. These findings suggest that a disorder of embryo–maternal interaction might induce the appearance of numerous granulated metrial gland cells and rejection of the embryos.     

Leaf physiological and anatomical characters contribute to drought tolerance of Nusa Tenggara Timur local rice cultivars

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Morpho-anatomical characters supporting the resilience of a plant under certain environmental conditions cannot be interpreted individually but...     

Ethylene influences development and flowering of Ptilotus spp. in vitro and ex vitro

The genus Ptilotus has immense potential for ornamental horticulture but its commercial development has been hindered by propagation limitations. Poor seed quality and germination are reported. Cutting propagation is limited by cutting supply as the juvenile phase of Ptilotus is short. Micropropagation has been used in an attempt to overcome these difficulties but explants become floral in vitro and this causes plantlets to elongate. Ethephon has been used to control flowering of stock plants of many ornamental species. This study investigated the effect of ethephon applied to young (3-week-old, deflasked from tissue culture) and mature (1-year-old) Ptilotus plants in a greenhouse. A system of applying gaseous ethylene at 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg l⁻¹ to the headspace of in vitro plantlets in glass jars was developed and the response of in vitro plantlets to ethylene studied. One-year-old Ptilotus plants were treated with 500 mg l⁻¹ ethephon 2 days before pruning or 1 or 2 weeks after pruning. Ethephon application 2 days before pruning decreased the number of inflorescences and increased the number of shoots (compared to the control) but was phytotoxic. Ethephon applications of 150 or 300 mg l⁻¹ applied weekly or fortnightly to 3-week-old plants deflasked from tissue culture reduced plant height and number of inflorescences and at low concentrations increased the number of new shoots. A fortnightly application at 150 mg l⁻¹ is recommended. Previous reports on the effects of ethylene on inflorescence production on plantlets in vitro are limited. Our study showed that exposure of in vitro plantlets of P. nobilis to ethylene gas at 100 mg l⁻¹ for 1 h significantly increased the number of shoots and plant height but this did not occur for plantlets of P. spicatus. Plantlets of P. spicatus exposed to transient ethylene at 200 and 300 mg l⁻¹ showed significantly greater rooting (52.4%) than the control (13.6%).     

Screening of In-Vitro Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity of Sargassum ilicifolium Crude Lipid Extracts from Different Coastal Areas in Indonesia

Sargassum brown seaweed is reported to exhibit several biological activities which promote human health, such as anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity. This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of crude lipid extracts of Sargassum ilicifolium obtained from four different coastal areas in Indonesia, namely Awur Bay–Jepara (AB), Pari Island–Seribu Islands (PI), Sayang Heulang Beach–Garut (SHB), and Ujung Genteng Beach–Sukabumi (UGB). Results showed that treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells with UGB and AB crude lipid extracts (12.5–50 µg/mL) significantly suppressed the nitric oxide production after lipopolysaccharide stimulation, both in pre-incubated and co-incubated cell culture model. The anti-inflammatory effect was most marked in the pre-incubated cell culture model. Both two crude lipid extracts showed 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and high ferric reducing antioxidant power, which were amounted to 36.93–37.87 µmol Trolox equivalent/g lipid extract and 681.58–969.81 µmol FeSO₄/g lipid extract, respectively. From this study, we can conclude that crude lipid extract of tropical S. ilicifolium can be further developed as a source of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent.     

Conditioned medium of E17 rat brain cells induced differentiation of primary colony of mice blastocyst into neuron-like cells

BackgroundConditioned medium is the medium obtained from certain cultured cells and contained secretome from the cells. The secretome, which can be in the form of growth factors, cytokines, exosomes, or other proteins secreted by the cells, can induce the differentiation of cells that still have pluripotent or multipotent properties.ObjectivesThis study examined the effects of conditioned medium derived from E17 rat brain cells on cells with pluripotent properties.MethodsThe conditioned medium used in this study originated from E17 rat brain cells. The CM was used to induce the differentiation of primary colonies of mice blastocysts. Primary colonies were stained with alkaline phosphatase to analyze the pluripotency. The morphological changes in the colonies were examined, and the colonies were stained with GFAP and Neu-N markers on days two and seven after adding the conditioned medium.ResultsThe conditioned medium could differentiate the primary colony, beginning with the formation of embryoid-body-like structure; round GFAP positive cells were identified. Finally, neuron-like cells testing positive for Neu-N were observed on the seventh day after adding the conditioned medium.ConclusionsConditioned medium from different species, in this case, E17 rat brain cells, induced and promoted the differentiation of the primary colony from mice blastocysts into neuron-like cells. The addition of CM mediated neurite growth in the differentiation process.