Morphometry of cellular behavior of coelomocytes from starfish Asterias amurensis.

A comprehensive statistical analysis using a wide range of linear and non-linear morphological parameters enabled identification of the main stages in the in vitro dynamics of cell behavior of immune cells of the marine invertebrate Asterias amurensis (Echinodermata, Asteroidea). Three stages may be distinguished in the cell behavior, which are characterized by the differences in complexity of the cell boundary microsculpture as well as by the size and asymmetry of the cell and convex hull of the cell. The first stage (5 min after placing cells onto a substrate) is characterized by more complex cell morphology and an increase in the process number and spreading area. The second stage (15 min) is characterized by simplification of cell morphology, retraction of some processes, and rounding of cells upon continued cell spreading. At the third stage (60 min), new large processes with rounded contours emerge due to partial retraction of the flattened cell surface. Each stage is characterized by statistically significant differences in several linear and nonlinear parameters of the external morphology for all cell types.

Immunomodulating Properties of Carrageenan from Tichocarpus crinitus.

Several in vivo immunotropic effects of κ/ß-carrageenan isolated from the red algae Tichocarpus crinitus were studied, by orally administering it at 100 mg/kg/day to mice for 7 days. Serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-1ß, and IL-4 were measured. Carrageenan's ability to influence development of LPS-induced inflammation was also assessed. Oral administration of κ/ß-carrageenan increased serum levels of all the studied cytokines at least twice in comparison to the intact mice, while intraperitoneal LPS injection at 1 mg/kg increased concentration of only the pro-inflammatory cytokines: IFN-γ, IL-12, and IL-1ß. Furthermore, κ/ß-carrageenan demonstrated a higher efficacy at inducing IFN-γ production than LPS. Previous 7-day-long oral carrageenan administration impaired development of LPS-induced inflammation: level of IL-1ß dropped below that found in intact mice, while IFN-γ and IL-12 concentrations were at least 40% lower than in mice with LPS-induced inflammation. Murine peritoneal macrophages were also affected by the oral administration of the κ/ß-carrageenan: their motility was increased, and morphology altered. In sum, we have demonstrated that κ/ß-carrageenan, when administered orally, is not only not immunologically inert, but at the dose of 100 mg/kg possesses pharmacologically exploitable effects.

Description and classification of bivalve mollusks hemocytes: a computational approach.

The fractal formalism in combination with linear image analysis enables statistically significant description and classification of "irregular" (in terms of Euclidean geometry) shapes, such as, outlines of in vitro flattened cells. We developed an optimal model for classifying bivalve Spisula sachalinensis and Callista brevisiphonata immune cells, based on evaluating their linear and non-linear morphological features: size characteristics (area, perimeter), various parameters of cell bounding circle, convex hull, cell symmetry, roundness, and a number of fractal dimensions and lacunarities evaluating the spatial complexity of cells. Proposed classification model is based on Ward's clustering method, loaded with highest multimodality index factors. This classification scheme groups cells into three morphological types, which can be distinguished both visually and by several linear and quasi-fractal parameters.

Retinal ganglion cells in the Pacific redfin, Tribolodon brandtii dybowski, 1872: morphology and diversity.

We studied the morphology and diversity of retinal ganglion cells in the Pacific redfin, Tribolodon brandtii. These cells were retrogradely labeled with horseradish peroxidase and examined in retinal whole mounts. A sample of 203 cells was drawn with a camera lucida. A total of 19 structural parameters were estimated for each cell, and a variety of clustering algorithms were used to classify the cells. The optimal solution was determined by using silhouette analysis. It was based on three variables associated with dendritic field size and dendrite stratification in the retina. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA-on-ranks with post hoc Mann-Whitney U tests showed significant pairwise between-cluster differences in two or more of the original variables. In total, eight cell types were discovered. The advantages and drawbacks of the methodology adopted are discussed. The present classification is compared with classifications proposed for other teleosts.

Retinal ganglion cells in the eastern newt Notophthalmus viridescens: topography, morphology, and diversity.

The topography and morphology of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the eastern newt were studied. Cells were retrogradely labeled with tetramethylrhodamine-conjugated dextran amines or horseradish peroxidase and examined in retinal wholemounts. Their total number was 18,025 +/- 3,602 (mean +/- SEM). The spatial density of RGCs varied from 2,100 cells/mm(2) in the retinal periphery to 4,500 cells/mm(2) in the dorsotemporal retina. No prominent retinal specializations were found. The spatial resolution estimated from the spatial density of RGCs varied from 1.4 cycles per degree in the periphery to 1.95 cycles per degree in the region of the peak RGC density. A sample of 68 cells was camera lucida drawn and subjected to quantitative analysis. A total of 21 parameters related to RGC morphology and stratification in the retina were estimated. Partitionings obtained by using different clustering algorithms combined with automatic variable weighting and dimensionality reduction techniques were compared, and an effective solution was found by using silhouette analysis. A total of seven clusters were identified and associated with potential cell types. Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA-on-Ranks with post hoc Mann-Whitney U tests showed significant pairwise between-cluster differences in one or more of the clustering variables. The average silhouette values of the clusters were reasonably high, ranging from 0.52 to 0.79. Cells assigned to the same cluster displayed similar morphology and stratification in the retina. The advantages and limitations of the methodology adopted are discussed. The present classification is compared with known morphological and physiological RGC classifications in other salamanders.