Anatomía foliar de Malpighia mexicana (Malpighiaceae)

Background and Aims: Malpighia mexicana is a native tree widely distributed in Mexico, which is cultivated in orchards or backyards of rural areas, and source of economic, timber, ornamental and medicinal resources. Studies on foliar anatomy of the genus Malpighia are scarce; characters such as the shape, length, width and pubescence of the leaf are used to classify its species. As a consequence, the objectives of this study were to escribe the anatomical characteristics of the leaf of M. mexicana and to determine the structural characters that are influenced by the environment, in order to contribute to the taxonomic and ecoanatomical knowledge of the genus Malpighia in Mexico.Methods: Three individuals with similar height and coverage were selected in three sites; a sample composed of 20 leaves was obtained; the leaves were fixed in FAA, washed with water and processed by conventional anatomy techniques, ending with inclusion and infiltration in paraffin. Paradermal and transverse cuts were made (15-20 μm), photographs were taken, and measurements were recorded with the image analyzer Leica LV 40.Key results: The leaves of M. mexicana in paradermal section present polygonal and rectangular cells, in some cases ovate-rectangular, linear and thick anticlinal walls are hypoestomatic with paracitic stomatal complexes and present epidermal appendages with single and branched unicellular trichomes. Transversely the leaves consist of a simple unistratified epidermis and bifacial mesophyll. The development of adaptation strategies was observed in both mesic and xeric environments.Conclusions: The anatomical characters that allow to differentiate M. mexicana are the disposition and type of trichomes and type of stomata. Foliar anatomy presented correlated traits both with mesic (dorsiventral leaf, intercellular spaces in the mesophyll, absence of sclerenchyma) and xeric environments (epidermis of large cells, higher concentration of stomata in the abaxial surface).Antecedentes y Objetivos: Malpighia mexicana es un árbol nativo de México y ampliamente distribuido en el país. Se cultiva en huertos o traspatios de zonas rurales, es fuente de recursos económicos, maderables, ornamentales y medicinales. Los estudios sobre la anatomía foliar del género Malpighia son escasos; caracteres como la forma, longitud, ancho y pubescencia de la hoja se usan para clasificar sus especies. Debido a lo anterior, los objetivos de este estudio fueron describir las características anatómicas de la hoja de M. mexicana y determinar los caracteres estructurales que están influenciados por el ambiente, como una forma de contribuir al conocimiento taxonómico y ecoanatómico del género Malpighia en México.Métodos: Se seleccionaron tres individuos con altura y cobertura similar en tres sitios; se obtuvo una muestra compuesta de 20 hojas; las hojas se fijaron en FAA, se lavaron con agua corriente y se procesaron mediante técnicas de anatomía convencional, terminando con una inclusión e infiltración en parafina. Se realizaron cortes paradermales y transversales (15-20 µm), se tomaron fotografías y se registraron mediciones con el analizador de imágenes Leica LV 40.Resultados clave: Las hojas de M. mexicana en corte paradermal presentan células poligonales y rectangulares, en algunos casos ovado-rectangulares, paredes anticlinales lineales y gruesas, son hipoestomáticas con complejos estomáticos paracíticos y presentan apéndices epidérmicos con tricomas unicelulares simples y ramificados. Transversalmente, las hojas constan de una epidermis simple uniestratificada y mesófilo bifacial. Se observó el desarrollo de estrategias de adaptación tanto en ambientes mésicos como en ambientes xéricos.Conclusiones: Los caracteres anatómicos que distinguen a M. mexicana de otras especies de su género son la disposición y tipo de tricomas y estomas. La anatomía foliar presentó rasgos correlacionados tanto con ambientes mésicos (hoja dorsiventral, espacios intercelulares en el mesófilo, ausencia de esclerénquima) como con ambientes xéricos (epidermis de células grandes, mayor concentración de estomas en la superficie abaxial)

The Systemic Administration of the Histamine H1 Receptor Antagonist/Inverse Agonist Chlorpheniramine to Pregnant Rats Impairs the Development of Nigro-Striatal Dopaminergic Neurons

The dopaminergic and histaminergic systems are the first to appear during the development of the nervous system. Through the activation of H1 receptors (H1Rs), histamine increases neurogenesis of the cortical deep layers, while reducing the dopaminergic phenotype (cells immunoreactive to tyrosine hydroxylase, TH+) in embryo ventral mesencephalon. Although the function of histamine in neuronal differentiation has been studied, the role of H1Rs in neurogenesis has not been addressed. For this purpose, the H1R antagonist/inverse agonist chlorpheniramine was systemically administered (5 mg/kg, i.p.) to pregnant Wistar rats (gestational days 12–14, E12–14), and control and experimental embryos (E14 and E16) and pups (21-day-old) were evaluated for changes in nigro-striatal development. Western blot and immunohistochemistry determinations showed a significant increase in the dopaminergic markers’ TH and PITX3 in embryos from chlorpheniramine-treated rats at E16. Unexpectedly, 21-day-old pups from the chlorpheniramine-treated group, showed a significant reduction in TH immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra pars compacta and dorsal striatum. Furthermore, striatal dopamine content, evoked [3H]-dopamine release and methamphetamine-stimulated motor activity were significantly lower compared to the control group. These results indicate that H1R blockade at E14–E16 favors the differentiation of dopaminergic neurons, but hampers their migration, leading to a decrease in dopaminergic innervation of the striatum in post-natal life

Gestión del conocimiento. Perspectiva multidisciplinaria. Volumen 9

El libro “Gestión del Conocimiento. Perspectiva Multidisciplinaria”, volumen 9, de la Colección Unión Global, es resultado de investigaciones. Los capítulos del libro, son resultados de investigaciones desarrolladas por sus autores. El libro es una publicación internacional, seriada, continua, arbitrada de acceso abierto a todas las áreas del conocimiento, que cuenta con el esfuerzo de investigadores de varios países del mundo, orientada a contribuir con procesos de gestión del conocimiento científico, tecnológico y humanístico que consoliden la transformación del conocimiento en diferentes escenarios, tanto organizacionales como universitarios, para el desarrollo de habilidades cognitivas del quehacer diario. La gestión del conocimiento es un camino para consolidar una plataforma en las empresas públicas o privadas, entidades educativas, organizaciones no gubernamentales, ya sea generando políticas para todas las jerarquías o un modelo de gestión para la administración, donde es fundamental articular el conocimiento, los trabajadores, directivos, el espacio de trabajo, hacia la creación de ambientes propicios para el desarrollo integral de las instituciones

Inhibition of Uterine Contractility by Thalidomide Analogs via Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibition and Calcium Entry Blockade

Uterine relaxation is crucial during preterm labor. Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4) inhibitors have been proposed as tocolytics. Some thalidomide analogs are PDE-4 inhibitors. The aim of this study was to assess the uterus-relaxant properties of two thalidomide analogs, methyl 3-(4-nitrophthalimido)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-propanoate (4NO2PDPMe) and methyl 3-(4-aminophthalimido)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-propanoate (4APDPMe) and were compared to rolipram in functional studies of spontaneous phasic, K+-induced tonic, and Ca2+-induced contractions in isolated pregnant human myometrial tissues. The accumulation of cAMP was quantified in HeLa cells. The presence of PDE-4B2 and phosphorylated myosin light-chain (pMLC), in addition to the effect of thalidomide analogs on oxytocin-induced pMLC, were assessed in human uterine myometrial cells (UtSMCs). Thalidomide analogs had concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on spontaneous and tonic contractions and inhibited Ca2+-induced responses. Tonic contraction was equipotently inhibited by 4APDPMe and rolipram (IC50 = 125 ± 13.72 and 98.45 ± 8.86 µM, respectively). Rolipram and the thalidomide analogs inhibited spontaneous and tonic contractions equieffectively. Both analogs increased cAMP accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.05) and induced changes in the subcellular localization of oxytocin-induced pMLC in UtSMCs. The inhibitory effects of thalidomide analogs on the contractions of pregnant human myometrium tissue may be due to their PDE-4 inhibitory effect and novel mechanism as calcium-channel blockers

Effect of subchronic exposure to ambient fine and ultrafine particles on rat motor activity and ex vivo striatal dopaminergic transmission

Alterations in dopaminergic transmission are associated with neurological disorders, such as depression, autism, and Parkinson's disease. Exposure of rats to ambient fine (FP) or ultrafine (UFP) particles induces oxidative and inflammatory responses in the striatum, a neuronal nucleus with dense dopaminergic innervation and critically involved in the control of motor activity.Objectives: We used an ex vivo system to evaluate the effect of in vivo inhalation exposure to FP and UFP on motor activity and dopaminergic transmission.Materials and Methods: Male adult Wistar rats were exposed to FP, UFP, or filtered air for 8 weeks (subchronic exposure; 5 h/day, 5 days/week) in a particle concentrator. Motor activity was evaluated using the open-field test. Uptake and release of [3H]-dopamine were assessed in striatal synaptosomes, and dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) affinity for dopamine was evaluated by the displacement of [3H]-spiperone binding to striatal membranes.Results: Exposure to FP or UFP significantly reduced spontaneous motor activity (ambulatory distance: FP -25%, UFP -32%; ambulatory time: FP -24%, UFP -22%; ambulatory episodes: FP -22%, UFP -30%), decreased [3H]-dopamine uptake (FP -18%, UFP -24%), and increased, although not significantly, [3H]-dopamine release (113.3 ± 16.3 and 138.6 ± 17.3%). Neither FP nor UFP exposure affected D2R density or affinity for dopamine.Conclusions: These results indicate that exposure to ambient particulate matter reduces locomotion in rats, which could be related to altered striatal dopaminergic transmission: UFP was more potent than FP. Our results contribute to the evidence linking environmental factors to changes in brain function that could turn into neurological and psychiatric disorders.HIGHLIGHTSYoung adult rats were exposed to fine (FP) or ultrafine (UFP) particles for 40 days.Exposure to FP or UFP reduced motor activity.Exposure to FP or UFP reduced dopamine uptake by striatal synaptosomes.Neither D2R density or affinity for dopamine was affected by FP or UFP.UFP was more potent than FP to exert the effects reported