Comparing human and mouse salivary glands: A practice guide for salivary researchers.

Mice are a widely utilized in vivo model for translational salivary gland research but must be used with caution. Specifically, mouse salivary glands are similar in many ways to human salivary glands (i.e., in terms of their anatomy, histology, and physiology) and are both readily available and relatively easy and affordable to maintain. However, there are some significant differences between the two organisms, and by extension, the salivary glands derived from them must be taken into account for translational studies. The current review details pertinent similarities and differences between human and mouse salivary glands and offers practical guidelines for using both for research purposes.

Talocrural and subtalar joint instability after lateral ankle sprain.

PURPOSE: Recurrence of lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is common among recreational and competitive athletes. Talocrural (TC) joint laxity has traditionally been seen as the cause of mechanical instability after LAS. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of stress fluoroscopy and physical examination in the assessment of TC and subtalar (ST) instability in subjects with and without a history of LAS. METHODS: Twelve subjects with a history of unilateral LAS and eight healthy controls were examined by two blinded examiners. The first examiner performed physical examination on each ankle by using the anterior drawer (AD), talar tilt (TTPE), and medial subtalar glide (MSTG) tests. Laxity in each ankle was assessed on a 4-point scale. The second examiner performed stress fluoroscopy taking AP views with and without a manually applied supination stress to assess TC laxity and a sidelying modified Broden view with and without stress to assess ST laxity. Subjective examination of the images was used to determine excessive TC and ST laxity. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of previously injured subjects demonstrated unilateral laxity differences of the TC joint using stress fluoroscopy. Of the nine with excessive talar tilt on fluoroscopy, 78% demonstrated excessive laxity with the AD and MSTG tests, and 67% demonstrated laxity with the TTPE test. Sixty-seven percent of those with TC laxity also demonstrated either excessive unilateral or bilateral laxity of the ST joint under stress fluoroscopy. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest the existence of a subpopulation of patients with a history of LAS who demonstrate a pattern of combined TC and ST laxity.

Proliferative rates of cloned malignant mammary epithelial cells as a measure of clonal heterogeneity in human breast carcinomas.

Malignant mammary epithelial cells (MMECs) were isolated from 8 human breast carcinomas and 1 adenoma as single cells or organoids and established in vitro. Depending on the cellularity of the tumor, between 9 X 10(4) and 4 X 10(6) cells were released per gram of tumor tissue. With the use of conditioned media and growth-promoting agents, a high proportion of cells (ranging from 0.5 to 11.4%) could be established in culture. A high degree of tumor cell heterogeneity in breast carcinomas was suggested by the observation that significantly different proliferative rates were found for 50 mammary epithelial cells cloned from 2 different tumors during the first subpassage in vitro prior to significant expansion of the cell colonies. The computed doubling times of these clones varied between 16 hours and more than 48 hours. The mammary epithelial nature of the cells was confirmed by their surface reactivity with monoclonal antibodies specific for MMECs. Studies on clones from 2 tumors revealed a positive correlation between proliferative rates of MMECs, their lactate production, and specific proteins synthesized as analyzed by two-dimensional macromolecular protein maps.

Membrane orientation and antigenic peptides of an immunoprotective 74 kDa Plasmodium knowlesi glycoprotein.

Vaccination trials have shown that a purified, 74 kDa glycoprotein, GP74, isolated from the host cell membrane of Plasmodium knowlesi-infected rhesus erythrocytes, can provide protective immunity against P. knowlesi malaria. We have extended this work by a tryptic peptide analysis of the disposition of GP74 in the host cell membrane. Of the 18 peptides characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography only four were accessible to lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodination of non-leaky, schizont-infected host cells from the extracellular space. Metabolic labeling with radioactive glucosamine indicates that two of the surface exposed peptides are glycopeptides, and one of these, peptide 12 appears to carry a dominant antigenic site, according to its reactivity with immunoglobulin from sera of monkeys protected against P. knowlesi malaria.