A simple optical fiber device for quantitative fluorescence microscopy of single living cells

A simple and relatively inexpensive system is described for obtaining quantitative fluorescence measurements on single living cells loaded with a fluorescent probe to study cell physiological processes. The light emitted from the fluorescent cells is captured by and transported through an optical fiber. After passage through appropriate filters the light is measured using a photomultiplier tube. The optical fiber is mounted in one of the microscope outlets. Signals derived from the photomultiplier are converted to voltage, amplified, and displayed on a recorder. In the excitation pathway a shutter control unit is mounted. With this control unit the period that the excitation pathway is `opened¿ and `closed¿ can be adjusted, to reduce cell damage and/or bleaching of the probe. This option allows time-lapse recording of experiments up to 1 h. We have used this set-up with a single and dual emission fluorescent probe to determine intracellular calcium concentrations and pH, respectively. In Fluo-3-loaded K562 target cells bound to natural killer cells, a temporary rise in [Ca2+]i was accompanied by bleb formation. The simple construction of this set-up is interchangeable between different types of fluorescence microscopes and can easily be combined with other microscopy techniques, e.g., patch clamp

Peribiliary glands are key in regeneration of the human biliary epithelium after severe bile duct injury

Peribiliary glands (PBG) are a source of stem/progenitor cells organized in a cellular network encircling large bile ducts. Severe cholangiopathy with loss of luminal biliary epithelium has been proposed to activate PBG, resulting in cell proliferation and differentiation to restore biliary epithelial integrity. However, formal evidence for this concept in human livers is lacking. We, therefore, developed a novel ex vivo model using precision-cut slices of extrahepatic human bile ducts obtained from discarded donor livers, providing an intact anatomical organization of cell structures, to study spatiotemporal differentiation and migration of PBG cells after severe biliary injury. Post-ischemic bile duct slices were incubated in oxygenated culture medium for up to a week. At baseline, severe tissue injury was evident with loss of luminal epithelial lining and mural stroma necrosis. In contrast, PBG remained relatively well preserved and different reactions of PBG were noted, including PBG dilatation, cell proliferation and maturation. Proliferation of PBG cells increased after 24 h of oxygenated incubation, reaching a peak after 72 h. Proliferation of PBG cells was paralleled by a reduction in PBG apoptosis and differentiation from a primitive and pluripotent (Nanog+/Sox9+) to a mature (CFTR+/secretin receptor+) and activated phenotype (increased expression of HIF-1α, Glut-1, and VEGF-A). Migration of proliferating PBG cells in our ex vivo model was unorganized, but resulted in generation of epithelial monolayers at stromal surfaces. CONCLUSION: Human PBG contain biliary progenitor cells and are able to respond to bile duct epithelial loss with proliferation, differentiation, and maturation to restore epithelial integrity. The ex vivo spatiotemporal behaviour of human PBG cells provides evidence for a pivotal role of PBG in biliary regeneration after severe injury. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Artemotil (Β-Arteether) in Zambian Children With Cerebral Malaria

The efficacy and safety of intramuscular artemotil (ARTECEF®) was compared to intravenous quinine in African children with cerebral malaria. This prospective block randomized open-label study was conducted at two centers in Zambia. Subjects were children aged 0 to 10 years of age with cerebral malaria and a Blantyre Coma Score of 2 or less. Ninety two children were studied; 48 received artemotil and 44 quinine. No significant differences in survival, coma resolution time, neurologic sequelae, parasite clearance time, and fever resolution time were seen between the two regimens. Rates for negative malaria smears one month after therapy were similar in both groups. Artemotil was a well-tolerated drug in the 48 patients in this study. It appears to be at least therapeutically equivalent to quinine for the treatment of pediatric cerebral malaria. It has the advantage of being able to be given intramuscularly once daily for only five days

N- and KRAS mutations in primary testicular germ cell tumors: Incidence and possible biological implications

Recently, conflicting results have been reported on the incidence of RAS mutations in primary testicular germ cell tumors of adults (TGCTs). In four studies a low incidence of mutations (less than 15%) in a variety of TGCTs or derived cell lines was found, whereas in two other studies a high incidence of N- or KRAS mutations (over 40%) was shown. A total of 62 testicular seminomas (SE) and 34 nonseminomatous TGCTs (NS) were studied thus far. The largest series consisted of 42 TGCTs, studied on paraffin embedded tissue. We present the results of analysis for the presence of N- and KRAS mutations, in codons 12, 13, and 61, in snap frozen samples of 100 primary TGCTs, comprising 40 SE and 60 NS. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and allele specific oligonucleotide hybridization (ASO), mutations were found in five SE (three in NRAS and two in KRAS, all codon 12), and in one NS (KRAS, codon 12). To exclude underestimation of the incidence of RAS mutations in TGCTs due to the presence of an excess of wild type alleles in the analyzed sample, a PCR technique preferentially ampli