During the endoderm differentiation of F9 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells, as induced by sodium butyrate (NaBu) or retinoic acid (RA), gene expressions of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase), pyruvate kinase (PKase) and 5' ribonucleotide phosphohydrolase (5'-Nase) were examined. The specific activity of ALPase was found to increase by 3.5-fold after 48 hr treatment with NaBu. In contrast, specific ac...

Using chromogenic substrates 5-bromo-4-chloro-3'-indolyl phosphate and nitro blue tetrazolium, alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) was histochemically detected in the venom apparatus of an endoparasitoid wasp, Pteromalus puparum L. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Ultrastructural observations demonstrated its presence in the secretory vesicles and nuclei of the venom gland secretory cells. Using p-nitrop...

The present study describes a method for discriminating between the arterial and venous segments of blood vessels in mouse tissues and organs using alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) staining of ink/gelatin injected tissues. Anesthetized mice were injected through the left ventricle with blue ink/gelatin, and various organs and tissues were removed from the body and fixed by immersion in 10% formali...

The effects of vitamin D metabolites on alkaline phosphatase [ALPase; orthophosphoric-monoester phosphohydrolase (alkaline optimum), EC 3.1.3.1] activity, a marker of terminal differentiation, in chondrocyte cultures and growth plates in vivo were examined. In cultures of pelleted rabbit growth-plate chondrocytes, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) increased the contents o...

Aspergillus fumigatus secreted an inducible alkaline protease (AlPase) when cultivated in the presence of collagen (200 micrograms/ml) as sole nitrogen and carbon source. Proteolytic activity was maximum at pH 9.0 with azocollagen as substrate. The enzyme, which was the major protein found in the supernate of a liquid culture, was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation and gel filtration. ...

Hikiji, Hisako, Wee Soo Shin, Toshiyuki Koizumi, Tsuyoshi Takato, Takafumi Susami, Yoko Koizumi, Yoko Okai-Matsuo, and Teruhiko Toyo-oka. Peroxynitrite production by TNF-a and IL-1b: implication for suppression of osteoblastic differentiation. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 278: E1031–E1037, 2000.—To determine the roles of nitric oxide (NO) and its metabolite, peroxynitrite (ONOO2), on osteoblas...

5'-nucleotidase (5'-Nase)-dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (DAPase)-alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) triple staining was used to differentiate lymphatics from venous and arterial capillaries in a variety of mammalian tissue sections including human. This triple staining method facilitates specific identification under a light microscope of 5'-Nase activity in lymphatics, DAPase activity in venous capi...

Mature adipocytes are the major cell type in adipose tissue. This study aimed to explore the osteogenic potency of dedifferentiated fat cells obtained from osteoporotic patients (opDFATs) in vitro and in vivo. Mature adipocytes and adipose-derived stem cells (opASCs) were harvested from subcutaneous adipose tissue. Mature adipocytes were dedifferentiated to produce opDFATs by the ceiling cultur...

The tumor protein D (TPD) family consists of four members, TPD52, TPD53, TPD54, and TPD55. The physiological roles of these genes in normal tissues, including epidermal and mesenchymal tissues, have rarely been reported. Herein, we examined the expression of TPD52 and TPD54 genes in cartilage in vivo and in vitro and investigated their involvement in the proliferation and differentiation of cho...

We studied the fine structure and ultracytochemical features of microvessels of both normal rat cerebrum and brain tumors transplanted into rats. Ultrastructurally, the endothelial cells of the tumor vessels showed alterations, compared to those of normal vessels, such as attenuation, thickening, and/ or abnormal endothelial junctions. In the control rats, an ultracytochemical study revealed al...