A morphological study on the ultrastructures of body wall and the nervous system of Clonorchis sinensis was conducted. For this study, liver flukes were collected from the liver of rabbit six months after the infection with metacercariae obtained from the fresh water fish, Pseudorasbora parva. The collected materials were washed with 0.85 percent saline solution and then immediately moved to cold 2.5 percent glutaraldehyde buffered with 0.1 M Millonig's phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The materials were dissected into appropriate pieces in the fixative about 30 minutes after beginning of the fixation. Two hours later the materials were rinsed several times with the buffer and were fixed with cold, buffered 1 percent osmium tetroxide(OsO(4)) for 2 hours. The fully fixed tissue blocks were dehydrated in a series of graded concentrations of acetone and were embedded in Epon 812 mixture. Thin sections obtained from Sorvall MT-2 ultramicrotome were stained with uranyl acetate and Reynold's lead citrate. Observations of the sections were carried out with Hitachi HS-7S electron microscope. The following structures are newly identifed in a series of observations. The mid-abdominal integument of the fluke is more thicker(-6 micrometer) than the dorsal side(about 3 micrometer). Although it is so far known that only surface and epithelia of the suckers, pharynx, and the oesophagus are composed of integumental, anuclear layer, it is newly found that epithelium of the excretory pore also consists of integumental, anuclear layer. There are lot of microvilli in the dorsal outer surface of the oral sucker. A kind of ducts accumulated with unknown secretory granules are present within the parenchyrna around both of the oral suckers and the pharynx. The nerve endings are distributed to the integument of the body where sensory hairs are projected outward. The sensory hairs are rarely distributed throughout the whole integument, but a little more in the surroundings of both suckers. The sensory hairs are attached to the base of the sheath by a circular septate desmosome. No rootlet structure is observed but the upper part of the basal body is attached to the peripheral desmosome by transverse fibres. The mitochondria and the vesicles are present within the hair cavity. The nerve fibres are also found to be myelinated at least in main axons.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Clonorchis sinensis ; electronmicroscopy ; mitochondria ; vesicle ; desmosome ; rabbit

One of the major circulatory changes that occur in human during space flight and simulated weightlessness is a cerebral redistribution of body fluids, which is accompanied by an increase of blood volume in the upper body. Therefore, atrial myocardium should increase the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), but the researches lack common conclusion until now. The present study was to investigate the expression level of ANP in simulated weightlessness rats, and to confirm the changes of ANP by observing the associated proteins of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs). The tail-suspended rat model was used to simulate weightlessness. Western blots were carried out to examine the expression levels of ANP and SNARE proteins in atrial and left ventricular myocardium. The results showed that ANP expression in atrial myocardium showed an increase in 4-week tail-suspended rats (SUS) compared with that in the synchronous control rats (CON). We only detected a trace amount of ANP in the left ventricular myocardium of the CON, but found an enhanced expression of ANP in left ventricular myocardium of the SUS. Expression of VAMP-1/2 (vesicle associated SNARE) increased significantly in both atrial and left ventricular myocardium in the SUS compared with that in the CON. There was no difference of the expression of syntaxin-4 (target compartment associated SNARE) between the CON and SUS, but the expression of SNAP-23 showed an increase in atrial myocardium of the SUS compared with that in the CON. Synip and Munc-18c as regulators of SNAREs did not show significant difference between the CON and SUS. These results suggest that the expression of ANP shows an increase in atrial and left ventricular myocardium of 4-week tail-suspended rats. Enhanced expression of VAMP-1/2 associated with ANP vesicles confirms the increased expression of ANP in atrial and left ventricular myocardium.
Animals ; Atrial Natriuretic Factor ; metabolism ; Heart Ventricles ; metabolism ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Rats ; SNARE Proteins ; metabolism ; Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 1 ; metabolism ; Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2 ; metabolism ; Weightlessness Simulation

Semen liquefaction and sperm capacitation are the key processes for sperm to acquire forward movement ability. In these processes, semenogelin plays a vital role by directly participating in the formation of semen coagulation, collaborating with other protease and metal ions from the male reproductive tract, and then reacting with the surface of sperm cells, finally involved in the regulation of these processes and ensuring sperm's acquisition of forward movement ability.
Humans ; Male ; Semen ; chemistry ; Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins ; physiology ; Sperm Motility

Sperm acquires capacity of motility and fertility during the process of semen coagulation and liquefaction. The main coagulative protein is Semenogelin I (Sg I), specifically produced by seminal vesicles, and then decomposed by prostate specific antigens (PSA) in sperm liquefaction into a series of small fragments. These fragments, with a variety of physiological functions, are very important for the regulation of sperm capacity acquisition and progressive movement.
Humans ; Male ; Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins ; physiology ; Seminal Vesicles ; metabolism ; physiology

A Study on glutamic pyruvic and oxaloacetic transaminase of different organs(e.g intestine, seminal vesicle, reticular tissue, uterus, ovary, testes) in Ascaris lumbricoides suis have been investigated. The activity of transaminase were determined on the whole homogenates and subcellular fractions separated by differential centrifugation. The activity of glutamic pyruvic and oxaloacetic were assayed by colorimetric method of Reitman-Frankel. The results were obtained as follows: About ninty percent of the glutamic pyruvic and oxaloacetic transaminase in different organs was found to be localized in the supernatant fraction with the separation of differential centrifugation. And it was found that ten percent of glutamic pyruvic and oxaloacetic transaminase exists in the mitochondrial fraction. The specific activity of glutamic oxaloacetic transnaminase in different organs was relatively higher than the glutamic pyruvic transaminase activity.
parasitology-helminth-nematode ; biochemistry ; Ascaris lumbricoides suis ; glutamic pyruvic transaminase ; oxaloacetic transaminase ; intestine ; seminal vesicle ; reticular tissue ; uterus ; ovary ; testes

OBJECTIVE: The etiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has not been entirely clarified yet. Structural and metabolic differences at the prefrontal striatal cerebellary system and the interaction of gene and environment are the main factors that thought to play roles in the etiology. Genetic investigations are performed especially about the dopamine pathways and receptors. In this study; it was aimed to investigate the association of the synaptobrevin-2 (VAMP-2) gene Ins/Del polymorphism and syntaxin 1A gene intron 7 polymorphism, which take place in encoding presynaptic protein, with adult ADHD. METHODS: One hundred thirty-nine patients, having ADHD aging between 18 and 60 years and 106 healthy people as controls were included into the study. DNA samples were extracted from whole blood and genetic analysis were performed. RESULTS: A significant difference was determined between ADHD and VAMP-2 Ins/Del polymorphism and syntaxin 1A intron 7 polymorphism according to the control group. These polymorphisms were found not to be associated with subtypes of ADHD. CONCLUSION: It is supposed that synaptic protein genes together with dopaminergic genes might have roles in the etiology of ADHD.
Adult* ; Aging ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* ; DNA ; Dopamine ; Humans ; Introns ; Qa-SNARE Proteins* ; Syntaxin 1* ; Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2*

Semenogelin I (Sg I) and the fragments of peptides hydrolyzed from Sg I by prostate-specific antigen have multiple biological activities. There exists a controversy over the inhibitory effect of the key fragment on sperm motility. This article focuses on the sperm-inhibiting and antibacterial activities of the fragments of Sg I-derived peptides and illustrates the supposition concerning the most controversial aspect. A deeper insight into the action mechanisms of Sg I-derived peptides may help improve the methods of sperm screening and provide a new perspective in the management of asthenozoospermia and urinary tract infection.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; drug effects ; Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; drug effects

Phosphoinositide-specific Phospholipase C (PI-PLC) is a second messenger of signal transducer on cell membrane. In the previous study, PLC of bovine brain has been purified three isozymes. In this paper, uterus and seminal vesicle have been purified. Two peaks of PI-PLC activity were resolved when bovine uterus and seminal vesicle proteins were chromatographed on a DEAE and phenyl TSK 5PW HPLC column. Each two peak was compared with PI-PLC I, II and III from bovine brain and we got the retention time on HPLC. The peak fractions with PLC activity were tested homogeneity with brain PLC monoclonal antibodies (Mab). Mab-labeled affigels were bounded in the range of 73.8%~97.5% with PLC I, II and III. Homogeneity of fractions were revealed that DEAE F-1 and phenyl F-1-I were highest level of PLC III in uterus and seminal vesicle and DEAE F-2 and phenyl F-2-I were mixed PLC I and II.
Antibodies, Monoclonal ; Brain* ; Cell Membrane ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Isoenzymes* ; Phospholipases* ; Second Messenger Systems ; Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins ; Seminal Vesicles* ; Transducers ; Type C Phospholipases* ; Uterus*

Sperm membrane proteins play a key role in spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and sperm-oocyte interaction. A deeper research would shed new light on the molecular mechanisms of spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and fertilization. In recent years, with the extensive application of a variety of current molecular biological methods and bioinformatics to reproductive medicine, some sperm membrane proteins found previously have been cloned and sequenced. Furthermore, new sperm membrane proteins, being found continuously, will make a solid foundation for the development of contraceptive vaccine as well as for the investigation into the mechanism of fertilization at levels of gene and protein. This article reviews the current progress in the researches on sperm membrane proteins.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; physiology ; Animals ; Humans ; Male ; Membrane Proteins ; physiology ; Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins ; physiology ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Spermatozoa ; cytology ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo study the inhibition activity of Semenogelin (Sg) and its different peptides to human spermatozoa.

METHODSHuman Sg DNA and its N-terminal Sg and C-terminal Sg DNA were cloned into PET-100 vector. Positive colonies were screened and transformed into E. Coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant Sg and its peptides were induced and expressed in high competent E. coli BL21 (DE3) , and purified by 50% Ni-NTA column. Inhibition activity assay was done by adding 4 different concentrations of semenogelin and its two peptides, 0, 1, 5 and 10 ng/microl, to human spermatozoa.

RESULTSThe peptide of Semenogelin that inhibits the activity of human spermatozoa was located in its N-terminal fragment. C-terminal Sg did not inhibit the activity of spermatozoa.

CONCLUSIONN-terminal Sg is the inhibition peptide of the whole molecular Sg. During semen liquefaction, this peptide should be cut off from the surface of human spermatozoa before they move forward.

Cloning, Molecular ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; Humans ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; pharmacology ; Seminal Vesicle Secretory Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Sperm Motility ; drug effects