Intrusive growth of sclerenchyma fibers

Intrusive growth is a type of cell elongation when the rate of its longitudinal growth is higher than that of surrounding cells; therefore, these cells intrude between the neighboring cells penetrating the middle lamella. The review considers the classical example of intrusive growth, e.g., elongation of sclerenchyma fibers when the cells achieve the length of several centimeters. We sum the published results of investigations of plant fiber intrusive growth and present some features of intrusive growth characterized by the authors for flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibers. The following characteristics of intrusive growth are considered: its rate and duration, relationship with the growth rate of surrounding cells, the type of cell elongation, peculiarities of the fiber primary cell wall structure, fibers as multinucleate cells, and also the control of intrusive growth. Genes, which expression is sharply reduced at suppression of intrusive growth, are also considered. Arguments for separation of cell elongation and secondary cell wall formation in phloem fibers and also data indicating diffuse type of cell enlargement during intrusive growth are presented

The TNFR1 antagonist Atrosimab reduces neuronal loss, glial activation and memory deficits in an acute mouse model of neurodegeneration

Abstract Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and its key role in modulating immune responses has been widely recognized as a therapeutic target for inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Even though inhibition of TNF-α is beneficial for the treatment of certain inflammatory diseases, total neutralization of TNF-α largely failed in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. TNF-α exerts distinct functions depending on interaction with its two TNF receptors, whereby TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) is associated with neuroinflammation and apoptosis and TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) with neuroprotection and immune regulation. Here, we investigated the effect of administering the TNFR1-specific antagonist Atrosimab, as strategy to block TNFR1 signaling while maintaining TNFR2 signaling unaltered, in an acute mouse model for neurodegeneration. In this model, a NMDA-induced lesion that mimics various hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases, such as memory loss and cell death, was created in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis and Atrosimab or control protein was administered centrally. We showed that Atrosimab attenuated cognitive impairments and reduced neuroinflammation and neuronal cell death. Our results demonstrate that Atrosimab is effective in ameliorating disease symptoms in an acute neurodegenerative mouse model. Altogether, our study indicates that Atrosimab may be a promising candidate for the development of a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Detectie van plantenpathogenen en –aantasters

Nederland speelt internationaal een belangrijke rol in productie en handel van plantaardig materiaal. Hierin zijn vaak ongewenste veroorzakers van quarantaine- (Q) en kwaliteitsziekten (K) en -plagen een storende factor. Om de (fytosanitaire) kwaliteit van verhandeld (met name ook geëxporteerd) plantmateriaal ook in de toekomst te kunnen blijven garanderen, en eigen teelten te vrijwaren van ongewenste organismen is het van groot belang vroegtijdig deze plantenpathogenen te kunnen detecteren en te identificeren. Hiervoor zijn gevalideerde onderzoekmethoden noodzakelijk, die geschikt zijn voor routinematig gebruik door het bedrijfsleven, de keuringsdiensten en de NVWA. De hier voorgestelde intensieve samenwerking tussen kennisinstellingen, overheid en keuringslaboratoria is noodzakelijk om de agrarische sector toekomstbestendig te houden. Daarnaast dient naast aandacht voor nieuwe ontwikkelingen ook aandacht besteedt te worden aan kwaliteitsborging en efficiëntie verbetering van bestaande technieken zodat de taken van de keuringsdiensten beter uitgevoerd kunnen worden