The Fluorescence Methods to Study Neurotransmitters (Biomediators) in Plant Cells.

Fluorescence as a parameter for analysis of intracellular binding and localization of neurotransmitters also named biomediators (acetylcholine and biogenic amines such as catecholamines, serotonin, histamine) as well as their receptors in plant cells has been estimated basing on several world publications and own experiments of the author. The subjects of the consideration were 1. application of reagents forming fluorescent products (for catecholamines - glyoxylic acid, for histamine - formaldehyde or ortho-phthalic aldehyde) to show the presence and binding of the compounds in cells, 2. binding of their fluorescent agonists and antagonists with cell, 3. effects of the compounds, their agonists and antagonists on autofluorescence, 4. action of external factors on the accumulation of the compounds in cells. How neurotransmitters can bind to certain cellular compartments has been shown on intact individual cells (vegetative microspores, pollens, secretory cells) and isolated organelles. The staining with reagents on biogenic amines leads to the appearance blue or blue-green emission on the surface and excretions of intact cells as well in some DNA-containing organelles within cells. The difference between autofluorescence and histochemically induced fluorescence may reflect the occurrence and amount of biogenic amines in the cells studied. Ozone and salinity as external factors can regulate the emission of intact cells related to biogenic amines. After the treatment of isolated cellular organelles with glyoxylic acid blue emission with maximum 460-475 nm was seen in nuclei and chloroplasts (in control variants in this spectral region the noticeable emission was absent) and very expressive fluorescence (more than twenty times as compared to control) in the vacuoles. After exposure to ortho-phthalic aldehyde blue emission was more noticeable in nuclei and chloroplasts. Fluorescent agonists (muscarine, 6,7-diOHATN, BODIPY-dopamine or BODIPY-5HT) or antagonists (d-tubocurarine for acetylcholine, yohimbine for dopamine and norepinephrine, inmecarb for serotonin) of neurotransmitters that bound with animal receptors fluorescent in blue (460-480 nm) or blue-green (490-530 nm) and usually are bound with the plasmatic membrane of intact cells or with membrane of the isolated organelles studied. In some model cells autofluorescence (belonging to chlorophyll or not, for example secondary metabolites) may be stimulated by exogenous biogenic amines or their agonists and, on the contrary, be inhibited by certain antagonists. The fluorescence data may be applied for the testing in ecological monitoring, medicine and pharmacology.

New Trends and Perspectives in the Evolution of Neurotransmitters in Microbial, Plant, and Animal Cells.

The evolutionary perspective on the universal roles of compounds known as neurotransmitters may help in the analysis of relations between all organisms in biocenosis-from microorganisms to plant and animals. This phenomenon, significant for chemosignaling and cellular endocrinology, has been important in human health and the ability to cause disease or immunity, because the "living environment" influences every organism in a biocenosis relationship (microorganism-microorganism, microorganism-plant, microorganism-animal, plant-animal, plant-plant and animal-animal). Non-nervous functions of neurotransmitters (rather "biomediators" on a cellular level) are considered in this review and ample consideration is given to similarities and differences that unite, as well as distinguish, taxonomical kingdoms.

Fluorescent analysis for bioindication of ozone on unicellular models.

Unicellular model plant systems (vegetative microspores of horsetail Equisetum arvense and pollen of six plant species Corylus avellana, Dolichothele albescens Populus balsamifera, Salix caprea, Saintpaulia ionantha, Tulipa hybridum, on which autofluorescence and fluorescence after histochemical treatment studied, have been represented as bioindicators of ozone. It has found that low doses of ozone 0.005 or 0.008 µl/l did not affect or stimulate the autofluorescence of the samples with the ability to germinate in an artificial medium. In higher ozone concentrations (0.032 µl/l) either the decrease in the intensity of the emission or changing in the position of the maxima in the fluorescence spectrum (new 515-520 nm maximum characteristic for the green-and yellow area has appeared) were observed. In dose of 0.2 µl/l, higher than above the threshold of danger to human health, autofluorescence in all samples fell down to up to zero, and there was no the ability to germinate. In this case the formation of lipofuscin-like compounds fluoresced in blue with maxima from 440 to 485 nm was observed. Stress metabolites, known as neurotransmitters biogenic amines, were found in treated cells as determined on the characteristic fluorescence at 460-480 nm in the samples after a specific histochemical reactions for catecholamines (with glyoxylic acid) or for histamine (with o-phthalic aldehyde). Increased intensity of the emission under the treatment with ozone (total doses from 0.012 to 0.032 µl/l) was associated with an increase in the concentrations of catecholamines and histamine. The fluorescent analysis on undamaged cells-possible bioindicators of ozone can be useful in ecomonitoring for earlier warning about health hazardous concentrations of this compound in the air.

Autofluorescence of developing plant vegetative microspores studied by confocal microscopy and microspectrofluorimetry.

Phenomenon of autofluorescence from vegetative microspores of spore-breding plant Equisetum arvense has been studied by methods of laser-scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and microspectrofluorimetry during the development of the cells. The microspores have demonstrated a difference between structures: blue-fluorescing cover and red-fluorescing chloroplasts. The fluorescence spectra of the studied cells was also measured by original microspectrofluorimeter. The character of the spectra and the color of fluorescence was changed during the microspores germination. The red fluorescence of the microspores was, mainly, due to the presence of chlorophyll and azulenes. The unicellular microspores may be recommended as natural probes of cellular viability and development.