Expression of differential genes involved in the maintenance of water balance in human skin by Piptadenia colubrina extract

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of Coccoloba uvifera L. on UV-stimulated melanocytes

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation induces generation of reactive oxygen species, production of proinflammatory cytokines and melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) as well as increase in tyrosinase activity. The potential photoprotective effects of Coccoloba uvifera extract (CUE) were evaluated in UV-stimulated melanocytes.Human epidermal melanocytes were used as an in vitro model to evaluate the effects of CUE on the production interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and alpha-MSH under basal and UV-stimulated conditions. Antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities were also evaluated in membrane lipid peroxidation and mushroom tyrosinase assay, respectively.Coccoloba uvifera L. showed antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities and also inhibited the production of IL-1 alpha, TNF-alpha and alpha-MSH in melanocytes subjected to UV radiation (P < 0.01). Moreover, CUE inhibited the activity of tyrosine kinase in cell culture under basal and UV radiation conditions (P < 0.001), corroborating the findings of the mushroom tyrosinase assay.This study supports the photoprotective potential of CUE.

The antiulcer effect of Croton cajucara Benth in normoproteic and malnourished rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The ultrastructure of Sorubim lima (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Pimelodidae) spermatogenesis: premeiotic and meiotic periods

The ultrastructure of Sorubim lima spermatogenesis during the premeiotic and meiotic periods was studied. Our observations showed that the germ cells in the cysts are connected by cytoplasmic bridges and the mitotic and meiotic divisions are slightly asynchronous, the first and the last spermatogonial generations differ in the cellular and nuclear volume, nucleolus, chromatin condensation, distribution, size, density, and shape of the mitochondria, presence of 'lamellae anulata', amount and dimension of the 'nuages', and movement of the centrioles. In addition to the nuclear prophase structures, the spermatocyte I shows changes in all other cellular organelles and elongated vesicles appear in the cytoplasm. The accentuated cytoplasmic density and thickened walled vesicles are morphological characteristics that differentiate spermatocytes II from the other germ cells in the cysts of Sorubim lima testis. (C) 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

A new vision of the origin and the oocyte development in the Ostariophysi applied to Gymnotus sylvius (Teleostei: Gymnotiformes)

Tendo por base os novos conhecimentos oriundos de recentes estudos com Perciformes marinho, a origem e o desenvolvimento dos oócitos no Ostariophysi Gymnotus sylvius são aqui descritos. da mesma maneira que ocorre nos Perciformes, em Gymnotus sylvius as oogônias são encontradas no epitélio germinativo que margeia as lamelas ovígeras. No início da foliculogênese, a proliferação das oogônias e sua entrada em meiose dão origem a ninhos de células germinativas que se projetam em direção ao estroma ovariano, a partir do epitélio germinativo. Os ninhos e o epitélio germinativo são suportados pela mesma membrana basal que os separa do estroma. Coincidindo com a paralisação da meiose os oócitos, presentes nos ninhos, são separados uns dos outros por processos citoplasmáticos das células pré-foliculares. As células pré-foliculares derivam do epitélio germinativo sendo, portanto, inicialmente células epiteliais. Durante a foliculogênese, ao mesmo tempo em que envolvem os oócitos individualizando-os, as células pré-foliculares sintetizam a membrana basal ao seu redor. Os oócitos entram em crescimento primário ainda dentro dos ninhos. Ao término da foliculogênese, o oócito e as células foliculares que compõem o folículo são circundados pela membrana basal. O folículo permanece conectado ao epitélio germinativo uma vez que ambos compartilham uma porção comum da membrana basal. Células oriundas do estroma circundam o folículo ovariano exceto na região de compartilhamento da membrana basal formando a teca. O folículo, a membrana basal e a teca formam o complexo folicular. O desenvolvimento do oócito ocorre dentro do complexo folicular e compreende os estágios de crescimento primário e secundário, maturação e ovulação. Os alvéolos corticais surgem no ooplasma momentos antes do início do crescimento secundário ou estágio vitelogênico que tem início com a deposição de vitelo, progride até o oócito esteja completamente desenvolvido e o ooplasma preenchido pelos glóbulos de vitelo. A maturação é caracterizada pela migração do núcleo ou vesícula germinativa, pela quebra da vesícula germinativa, ou seja, pela fragmentação do envoltório nuclear e, retomada da meiose. Na ovulação o ovo é liberado do complexo folicular para o lúmen ovariano. em comparação com os Perciformes marinhos com ovos pelágicos, o desenvolvimento oocitário em Gymnotus sylvius tem menos etapas dentro dos estágios de desenvolvimento, sendo as duas mais notáveis delas as ausências da formação das gotas de lipídio durante os crescimentos primário e secundário (e a consequente fusão das gotas para formar um único glóbulo de lipídio durante a maturação) e, a hidrólise do vitelo antecedendo a ovulação.

Germ line Cysts and the Formation of the Germinal Epithelium During the Female Gonadal Morphogenesis in Cyprinus Carpio (Teleostei: Ostariophysi: Cypriniformes)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Histological study of the dynamics in epidermis regeneration of the carp tail fin (Cyprinus carpio, Linnaeus, 1758)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Tergal glands in termite soldiers of the subfamily Syntermitinae (Isoptera: Termitidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

MRT Letter: A Novel Tegumental Gland in Female Imagoes of the Neotropical Termite Cornitermes cumulans (Isoptera, Termitidae, Syntermitinae)

In general, the exocrine glands of social insects are structures involved in the chemical communication associated with social life. Here, we report the discovery of an unknown tegumental gland that is present in the female imagoes of Cornitermes cumulans and occurs next to the well-developed tergal glands that have previously been described. The tegumental glands release their secretion in the intersegmental membrane and are composed of bicellular units, a secretory cell and a canal cell, that are closely located to the epidermal cells in the inferior part of the eighth and ninth tergites. The ultrastructure of the glandular cells showed abundant smooth endoplasmic reticulum, suggesting that the secretion may be pheromonal, although its function is still unknown. These exocrine structures are facing the tergal glands, and we hypothesized that they act synergistically with the tergal glands to generate short-range attraction during tandem behavior. Microsc. Res. Tech. 73: 1005-1008, 2010. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Nectaries and reproductive biology of Croton sarcopetalus (Euphorbiaceae)

Flower morphology, nectary structure, nectar chemical composition, breeding system, floral visitors and pollination were analysed in Croton sarcopetalus, a diclinous-monoecious shrub from Argentina. Male flowers have five receptacular nectaries, with no special vascular bundles, that consist of a uniserial epidermis with stomata subtended by a secretory parenchyma. Female flowers bear two different types of nectaries: inner (IN) and outer (ON) floral nectaries. IN, five in all, are structurally similar to the nectaries of male flowers. The five ON are vascularized, stalked, and composed of secretory, column-shaped epidermal cells without stomata subtended by secretory and ground parenchyma. In addition, ON act as post-floral nectaries secreting nectar during fruit ripening. Extrafloral nectaries (EFN) are located on petioles, stipules and leaf margins. Petiolar EFN are patelliform, stalked and anatomically similar to the ON of the female flower. Nectar sampled from all nectary types is hexose dominant, except for the ON of the female flower at the post-floral stage that is sucrose dominant. The species is self-compatible, but geitonogamous fertilization is rarely possible because male and female flowers are not usually open at the same time in the same individual, i.e. there is temporal dioecism. Flowers are visited by 22 insect species, wasps being the most important group of pollinators. No significant differences were found in fruit and seed set between natural and hand pollinated flowers. This pattern indicates that fruit production in this species is not pollen/pollinator limited and is mediated by a wide array of pollinators. (C) 2001 the Linnean Society of London.

Anatomia de espécies anfíbias de Cyperaceae de lagoas do semi-árido, BA, Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Epiderme e padrão de venação foliar de espécies de Lauraceae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A macro- and micromorphological survey of floral and extrafloral nectaries in the epiphytic cactus Rhipsalis teres (Cactoideae: Rhipsalideae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Morphology and anatomy of inflorescence and inflorescence axis in Paepalanthus sect. Diphyomene Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae, Poales) and its taxonomic implications

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

On the taxonomic value of the anatomical structure of vegetative organs and inflorescence axis of Abolboda species (Xyridaceae - Poales)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)