Enzymatic properties of a protease involved in hatching of mouse embryos were examined. A trypsin-like protease, which most efficiently hydrolyzed t-butoxycarbonyl-Leu-Ser-Thr-Arg-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide, was demonstrated in culture medium of mouse hatching embryos. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride, leupeptin, antipain, N alpha-tosyl-L-lysyl-chloromethane, soybean trypsin inhibitor, and Trasylol, but not or weakly inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, EDTA, E-64, pepstatin, chymostatin, and bestatin, suggesting a trypsin-like serine proteinase. The protease activity in the medium gradually elevated during the course of hatching, whereas the embryo-associated activity showed no significant change. Furthermore, pyroglutamyl-Leu-argininal, the strongest inhibitor for the enzyme among peptidyl argininals, all of which are potent trypsin inhibitors, showed the strongest inhibition toward hatching. Thus, a trypsin-like protease secreted from hatching embryos into the culture medium may participate in mouse hatching, probably as a hatching enzyme.

Patients with a complete section of the corpus callosum have been observed to exhibit strong left-ear suppression when different speech stimuli are presented to both ears simultaneously (so-called dichotic listening). Data concerning the locus of corpus callosum damage that causes strong left-ear suppression remains scanty. In the present investigation, a consonant-vowel syllable dichotic listening test was given to five right-handed patients with partial sections of the corpus callosum, which were located using MRI and accurately defined measurement procedures. The following two measurement methods were used: (i) the genu-splenium (G-S) method, in which a lesion was localized in the anteroposterior dimension relative to the total length of the corpus callosum, defined as the distance between the most anterior point of the genu to the most posterior point of the splenium; and (ii) the rostrum-splenium (R-S) method, which takes into account the curvature of the corpus callosum, and in which a lesion was localized relative to the total length of the corpus callosum, defined as the length of the curved line from the tip of the rostrum to the end of the splenium. Results were compared with scores from 50 normal control subjects. Strong left-ear suppression was observed in two patients, who had surgical sections of the posterior 15.5-18.5% of the corpus callosum as measured with the G-S method, or the posterior 20-24% of the corpus callosum as measured with the R-S method. The suppression phenomenon persisted for more than 10 years post-surgery. On the other hand, the remaining three patients, who had lesions anterior to the posterior 17-28% of the corpus callosum as measured with the G-S method or 20-33% as measured with the R-S method exhibited no left-ear extinction. Despite the common assumption that damage to the posterior part of the trunk of the corpus callosum causes strong left-ear suppression, the results from the G-S method indicated that damage to the splenium defined as the posterior one-fifth of the segment between the anterior-most and posterior-most points of the corpus callosum, cause strong left-ear suppression. By the R-S method, results showed that damage to the splenium (the posterior one-fifth of the curvature of the corpus callosum) and possibly the part extending to the most posterior part of the trunk (the posterior one-quarter of the curvature) causes strong left-ear suppression.

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The condylar cartilage, an important growth site in the mandible, shows characteristic modes of growth and differentiation, e.g., it shows delayed appearance in development relative to the limb bud cartilage, originates from the periosteum rather than from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, and shows rapid differentiation into hypertrophic chondrocytes as opposed to the epiphyseal growth plate cartilage, which has resting and proliferative zones. Recently, attention has been focused on the role of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in modulating the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes. To investigate further the characteristic modes of growth and differentiation of this cartilage, we used mice with a disrupted PTHrP allele. Immunolocalization of type X collagen, the extracellular matrix specifically expressed by hypertrophic chondrocytes, was greatly reduced in the condylar cartilage of homozygous PTHrP-knockout mice compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, immunolocalization of type X collagen of the tibial cartilage did not differ. In wild-type mice, proliferative chondrocytes were mainly located in both the flattened cell layer and hypertrophic cell layer of the condylar cartilage, but were limited to the proliferative zone of the tibial cartilage. The number of proliferative chondrocytes was greatly reduced in both cartilages of homozygous PTHrP-knockout mice. Moreover, apoptotic chondrocytes were scarcely observed in the condylar hypertrophic cell layer, whereas a number of apoptotic chondrocytes were found in the tibial hypertrophic zone. Expression of the type I PTH/PTHrP receptor was localized in the flattened cell layer and hypertrophic cell layer of the condylar cartilage, but was absent from the tibial hypertrophic chondrocytes. It is therefore concluded that, unlike tibial hypertrophic chondrocytes, condylar hypertrophic chondrocytes have proliferative activity in the late embryonic stage, and PTHrP plays a pivotal role in regulating the proliferative capacity and differentiation of these

MEN (multiple endocrine neoplasia) type 2 syndrome is an inherited disease characterized by medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, hyperparathyroidism and/or developmental anomalies. Germ-line mutations of the RET proto-oncogene have recently been identified as the underlying cause of the syndrome. Accordingly, several investigators have advocated prophylactic total thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma at an early age in MEN 2 gene carriers identified by DNA analysis. Before applying this strategy in Japan, the biological behavior of each category of tumor in MEN 2 syndrome, and medullary thyroid carcinoma in particular, should be well understood. We conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey to clarify the clinicopathological features of MEN 2 in Japan, obtaining data for 230 patients diagnosed as having MEN 2. They included 84 males and 146 females, with a median age of 37.5 years (range 5-83). Patients were categorized as 179 with MEN 2A, 17 with MEN 2B, 12 with familial medullary thyroid carcinoma and 22 'other'. Medullary thyroid carcinoma, pheochromocytoma and parathyroid lesions occurred in 224 (97%), 132 (57%) and 25 (11%) patients respectively. Twelve patients (5.2%) died of medullary thyroid carcinoma and 11 patients died of other or unknown causes. Of 163 patients for whom follow-up data were obtained, 82 (50%) experienced recurrences of medullary thyroid carcinoma, including symptomatic recurrent tumors in 24 patients and elevated calcitonin levels alone in 54. In the era of RET mutational analysis for screening relatives of patients with MEN 2, these data provide useful information about surgical management for patients with MEN 2 in Japan.

PTHrP null mutant mice exhibit skeletal abnormalities both in the craniofacial region and limbs. In the growth plate cartilage of the null mutant, a diminished number of proliferating chondrocytes and accelerated chondrocytic differentiation are observed. In order to examine the effect of PTHrP deficiency on the craniofacial morphology and highlight the differential feature of the composing cartilages, we examined the various cartilages in the craniofacial region of neonatal PTHrP deficient mice. The major part of the cartilaginous anterior cranial base appeared to be normal in the homozygous PTHrP deficient mice. However, acceleration of chondrocytic differentiation and endochondral bone formation was observed in the posterior part of the anterior cranial base and in the cranial base synchondro-ses. Ectopic bone formation was observed in the soft tissue-running mid-portion of the Meckel's cartilage, where the cartilage degenerates and converts to ligament in the course of normal development. The zonal structure of the mandibular condylar cartilage was scarcely affected, but the whole condyle was reduced in size. These results suggest the effect of PTHrP deficiency varies widely between the craniofacial cartilages, according to the differential features of each cartilage. Anat Rec 255:452-457, 1999. 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Sex-reversal in fetal ovaries was studied by using a dissociation-reconstitution technique. Gonads of 12.5 gestation-day male and female mouse fetuses were dissociated into single cells. To eliminate germ cells, the dissociated cells were cultured for 14 h, and then somatic cells attached to culture dishes were harvested and aggregated by gyratory culture for 24 h. The aggregates were then transplanted into ovarian bursa in ovary-ectomized nude mice. The recovered explants were examined histologically. Male somatic cells developed into testes containing Sertoli cells, Leidig cells, and tunica albuginea. Female somatic cells formed testis cords and differentiated into Sertoli cells, but they did not differentiate into other testis components or ovarian tissues. However, aggregates consisting of both female and male somatic cells differentiated into well-developed testes containing Leidig cells and tunica albuginea as well as Sertoli cells. Enzyme marker analysis showed significant contributions of female cells in these organized testes. In contrast, aggregates containing both female germ cells and somatic cells developed into ovaries and did not differentiate into any testicular tissues. The results indicate that female somatic cells in fetal gonads at 12.5 gestation day have the potency to form testis cords and differentiate into Sertoli cells. The subsequent steps in testis development require the contributions of male cells. The present study also suggests that testicular differentiation is independent of germ cells but ovarian development involves the interaction between germ cells and somatic cells.

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