A tissue system in which fibroblasts and myocytes from chick embryonic hearts were separately maintained was used to study the toxicity of ethanol. To reproduce the teratogenic effects of acute, high concentrations of ethanol typical of "binge" drinking, an open tissue culture system was employed. With open cultures, the cells were initially exposed to peak alcohol levels for approximately 6 hr and were exposed to decreasing concentrations of ethanol for the remainder of each 24 hr period. After the first day of ethanol exposure, there was substantial cell loss in both fibroblast and myocyte cultures. Alcohol-induced cell loss was dose-dependent. Despite decreased cell density after the first day of ethanol exposure, the surviving cells differentiated into monolayers of fibroblasts or beating cardiac muscle fibers. However, both ethanol-exposed fibroblasts and myocytes appeared atrophic, that is, smaller and shrunken. Electrophoretic analysis or these ethanol-exposed fibroblast and myocyte cultures revealed specific reduction in the cellular contents of alpha-actinin, myosin, and actin. These decreases in cytoskeletal proteins may be responsible for the morphological abnormalities noted in these cells.
The cytoskeleton of many cell types contains three prominent filamentous elements: intermediate filaments; actin-containing microfilaments and microtubules. Five antigenically distinct classes of intermediate filaments (IFs) have been identified on the basis of their protein subunit composition: keratin; desmin; glial fibrillary acidic protein; neurofilament triplet protein and vimentin. Although substantial progress in identifying and determining the functional roles of these filamentous proteins has been made with immunof1uorescent techniques, relatively little has been accomplished with immunoelectron microscopy. Previously, it has been difficult to simultaneously preserve ultrastructural detail, maintain antigenicity and ensure antibody penetration into dense cytoskeletal structures. The non-ionic detergent, Triton X-100 has been used, prior to or after fixation, to facilitate macromolecular access to deeply localized antigens. This extraction procedure maintains antigenicity as mirrored by immunofluorescence microscopy. The present study presents a reliable method that preserves dense filamentous cellular organelles and permits immunocytochemica1 localization of vimentin in cultured neuroblastoma cells.
The physiology of the fetal heart differs significantly from that of the mature post-natal organ: e.g., the metabolic supply for adult cardiac contraction relies mainly on fatty acids; whereas, the fetal heart uses carbohydrates as its primary energy source. Limited morphological descriptions of the developing myocardium have appeared. However, additional studies are required to elucidate the ultrastructural changes occuring in the perinatal period when enormous physiological adjustments are made. Although adult animals are most often used in toxocological and pathological analyses, it is also important to investigate fetal cardiac responsiveness to various agents. The vulnerability of the ultrastructure of the fetal mouse myocardium to genetic and environmental assault is the subject of this report. The genetically determined effect on the heart was observed in mouse embryos homozygous for the cab (cardiac abnormality) mutation discovered by Essien.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.