A simple method to measure cell viability in proliferation and cytotoxicity assays.

Resazurin dye has been broadly used as indicator of cell viability in several types of assays for evaluation of the biocompatibility of medical and dental materials. Mitochondrial enzymes, as carriers of diaphorase activities, are probably responsible for the transference of electrons from NADPH + H+ to resazurin, which is reduced to resorufin. The level of reduction can be quantified by spectrophotometers since resazurin exhibits an absorption peak at 600 etam and resorufin at 570 etam wavelengths. However, the requirement of a spectrophotometer and specific filters for the quantification could be a barrier to many laboratories. Digital cameras containing red, green and blue filters, which allow the capture of red (600 to 700 etam) and green (500 to 600 etam) light wavelengths in ranges bordering on resazurin and resorufin absorption bands, could be used as an alternative method for the assessment of resazurin and resorufin concentrations. Thus, our aim was to develop a simple, cheap and precise method based on a digital CCD camera to measure the reduction of resazurin. We compared the capability of the CCD-based method to distinguish different concentrations of L929 and normal Human buccal fibroblast cell lines with that of a conventional microplate reader. The correlation was analyzed through the Pearson coefficient. The results showed a strong association between the measurements of the method developed here and those made with the microplate reader (r(2) = 0.996; p < 0.01) and with the cellular concentrations (r(2) = 0.965; p < 0.01). We concluded that the developed Colorimetric Quantification System based on CCD Images allowed rapid assessment of the cultured cell concentrations with simple equipment at a reduced cost.

A simple method to measure cell viability in proliferation and cytotoxicity assays

Resazurin dye has been broadly used as indicator of cell viability in several types of assays for evaluation of the biocompatibility of medical and dental materials. Mitochondrial enzymes, as carriers of diaphorase activities, are probably responsible for the transference of electrons from NADPH + H+ to resazurin, which is reduced to resorufin. The level of reduction can be quantified by spectrophotometers since resazurin exhibits an absorption peak at 600 çm and resorufin at 570 çm wavelengths. However, the requirement of a spectrophotometer and specific filters for the quantification could be a barrier to many laboratories. Digital cameras containing red, green and blue filters, which allow the capture of red (600 to 700 çm) and green (500 to 600 çm) light wavelengths in ranges bordering on resazurin and resorufin absorption bands, could be used as an alternative method for the assessment of resazurin and resorufin concentrations. Thus, our aim was to develop a simple, cheap and precise method based on a digital CCD camera to measure the reduction of resazurin. We compared the capability of the CCD-based method to distinguish different concentrations of L929 and normal Human buccal fibroblast cell lines with that of a conventional microplate reader. The correlation was analyzed through the Pearson coefficient. The results showed a strong association between the measurements of the method developed here and those made with the microplate reader (r² = 0.996; p < 0.01) and with the cellular concentrations (r² = 0.965; p < 0.01). We concluded that the developed Colorimetric Quantification System based on CCD Images allowed rapid assessment of the cultured cell concentrations with simple equipment at a reduced cost.

Placental morphology of rats prenatally exposed to methyl parathion.

Although prenatal exposure to pesticides has been associated with numerous adverse reproductive effects, data on the effects of such toxics in the placenta is limited. Thus, the present study was carried out to determine the morphology of the rat placenta exposed to the organophosphate pesticide methyl parathion (MP) in ad libitum fed and restricted diet animals. The pregnant females were randomly divided into control groups and experimental groups, the latter of which received MP at the doses of 0.0, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg. Most cells in the maternal-fetal interface showed significant alterations in the presence of MP. Trophoblast giant cells exhibited either prominent characteristics of degeneration or normal morphology with many phagosome vacuoles, apparently containing cell debris. Vascular congestion was also more frequent in the labyrinth of the treated animals. Areas of fibrosis and hemorrhage were found in the decidua, as well as decidual cells presenting pyknotic nuclei and acidophilic cytoplasm. In the placentas of females treated with both restricted diet and MP, such changes were much more severe. Together, these alterations suggest a direct, toxic effect of MP on the placental cells. The phagocytic activity exhibited by trophoblast cells, may be playing a role in the removal of death cells from the maternal-placental interface and/or in a compensatory mechanism to maintain the uptake of maternal nutrients, following decreased metabolic exchange functions of the labyrinth due to the toxic effect of the MP.

During stationary phase, Beijerinckia derxii shows nitrogenase activity concomitant with the release and accumulation of nitrogenated substances.

Beijerinckia derxii, a free-living nitrogen-fixing bacterium, maintained an increasing nitrogenase specific activity during the stationary growth phase. To verify the destination of the nitrogen fixed during this phase, intra and extracellular nitrogenated contents were analyzed. Organic nitrogen and amino acids were detected in the supernatant of the cultures. An increase in intracellular content of both nitrogen and protein occurred. Cytoplasmic granules indicated the presence of arginine. The ability of a non-diazotrophic bacterium (E. coli) to use B. derxii proteins as a source of nitrogen was observed concomitantly with E. coli growth. There is a suggestion that B. derxii contributes to the environment by both releasing nitrogenated substances and accumulating substances capable of being consumed after its death.