The formation of the connective tissue compartments of human sciatic and tibial nerves was studied with special reference to the maturation of the basement membranes during foetal development (11-35 weeks of gestation). All Schwann cells were surrounded by continuous basement membranes as early as at week 11, while the perineurial cells became covered by basement membranes gradually between weeks 17 and 35, as estimated by electron microscopy. The first laminin subunits detectable within the nerve were the B1, B2 and M chains. These laminin subunits were present in Schwann cell basement membrane zone at week 11, and in the perineurium at week 17 and later. Laminin A and S chains were first detected at 26 weeks in the perineurium, and at a later stage (35 weeks) on Schwann cells. In mature nerves, all these five laminin chains could be demonstrated in both Schwann cell and perineurial cell basement membrane zones, although A, S and B2 chains predominated in the perineurium, and M, B1 and B2 were the predominant chains in Schwann cell basement membranes. Beta 1 and beta 4 integrins were expressed by all Schwann cells in samples from the youngest foetuses (11-17 weeks). At 22-35 weeks, however, only a subpopulation of Schwann cells stained positively for beta 1 and beta 4 integrins. Perineurial cells expressed beta 1 integrins at all ages studied. Staining for beta 4 integrin in perineurium became detectable and intensified concomitant with the formation of structural basement membranes. The results demonstrate that Schwann cells and perineurial cells change their laminin and integrin expression profiles during the maturation of peripheral nerve.

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Aim: Planktic cyanobacteria were screened for endodeoxyribonucleases. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to demonstrate a potential relationship between certain enzymes and a group of cyanobacteria. The data were obtained from a data bank and this study. Methods and Results: Enzymes were partially purified using column chromatography. Anabaena strains contained Asp83/1I (5′‐TTCGAA‐3′), Asp83/1II (5′‐GGCC‐3′), Asp90I (5′‐ACRYGT‐3′) and five isoschizomeric enzymes (5′‐ATCGAT‐3′). Aphanizomenon and Microcystis strains contained ApcTR183I (5′‐TGCGCA‐3′) and Msp199I (5′‐CCGG‐3′), respectively. Planktothrix strains possessed Psc2I (5′‐GAANNNNTTC‐3′), Psc27I and Psc28I (5′‐TTCGAA‐3′). PCA showed that the most common cyanobacterial endonuclease types were AvaII, AvaI and AsuII. Conclusions: All planktic cyanobacteria studied contained restriction endonucleases. The defined restriction endonucleases were isoschizomers of known enzymes. The Nostoc and the Spirulina genera had an association, while the majority of the genera had no association with certain endonuclease type(s). Significance and Impact of the Study: The defined enzymes in this study and the estimated trend in the endonuclease type distribution allow more efficient avoidance of cyanobacterial restriction barriers.

The in vitro protein binding of toremifene in human serum was measured by ultracentrifugation using 3H-toremifene together with unlabeled toremifene, 50, 500, and 5000 ng/ml. Of the total radioactivity 99.7 per cent was bound to the proteins independent of the concentration of the unlabeled drug. Binding of toremifene to different protein fractions was studied by adding 3H-toremifene and 500 ng/ml of cold toremifene to normal serum. The serum samples were exposed to agarose gel electrophoresis to fractionate different proteins. The radioactivity was localized using a position-sensitive proportional counter. After that the proteins were visualized by staining. Of the total protein bound radioactivity 92 per cent was bound to albumin, about 6 per cent to beta 1 globulin fraction and about 2 per cent to a fraction between albumin and alpha 1 globulins, part of this probably to alpha 1 acid glycoprotein.

The activity of lysyl oxidase, the cross-linking enzyme of elastin and collagen, was measured in culture media of human skin fibroblasts, human aortic medial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and adventitial fibroblasts using [3H]lysine-labelled elastin substrate. In addition, biosynthesis of isodesmosine and desmosine, the cross-linking amino acids of elastin, was studied by metabolic labelling with [14C]lysine and subsequent amino acid chromatography of protein hydrolysates. Lysyl oxidase activity in culture media of skin fibroblasts and aortic smooth muscle cells increased with the growth of the cell population and was at the highest level in cultures of high cell density. Lysyl oxidase activity in the aortic cell cultures was about three times that of skin fibroblasts. Aortic smooth muscle cells synthesized at least 100 times more desmosines than skin or adventitial fibroblasts. No differences were observed in lysyl oxidase activity and synthesis of desmosines between aortic smooth muscle cells or skin fibroblasts from patients with the Marfan syndrome or other annulo-aortic ectasia (dilatation of the ascending aorta) and the corresponding controls.