Monolayer cultures of rat hepatocytes were treated with increasing concentrations of saponin (prepared from Gypsophila plants) for 30 min at 6 degrees C. Differential permeabilization of the intracellular membranes could be demonstrated: at 0.040 mg of saponin/ml the plasma membrane was permeabilized, as assessed by the release of 50% of the total cellular amount of lactate dehydrogenase, and a...

During the last decade, the paradigm that low toxicant doses often have stimulatory effects on plants has become widely accepted. At the same time, low toxicant doses of metal salts have been observed to inhibit the growth of the most vigorous seedlings of a population in vitro, although mean plant size has remained unaffected. We hypothesized that this kind of selective low-dose toxicity is no...

Gypsophila paniculata is one of the most popular cut flowers in world whose major cultivars are blooming white. As well known, blue could be generated via overexpression gene encoding flavonoid 3′5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H) species that naturally lack it. In this study, we established regeneration and a genetic transformation system for commercial cultivar ‘YX4’ G. introduced F3′5′H Platycodon gran...