Direct effects of serotonin and ketanserin on the functional morphology of embryonic chick skin in vitro

Different organotypical culture methods are used to test direct effects of serotonin and ketanserin, a S2, alpha 1, and H1 receptor antagonist in vascular tissue, on fibroblasts and epidermal cells of embryonic chick skin in vitro. From light microscopic and electron microscopic analyses, we learn that serotonin enhances keratinization and differentiation, whereas ketanserin reduces differentiation in comparison to the control cultures. Incorporation data of fragments cultured with [3H]thymidine show that ketanserin, within a dose range from 0.05 to 5 micrograms/ml, stimulates proliferation. Serotonin at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml slightly slows down proliferation, whereas lower doses of 0.1 and 1 microgram/ml result in tritium activities that do not differ from control cultures.

Effects of ionizing radiation on the metabolism and longitudinal growth of cartilaginous embryonic chick tibiae in vitro

The effect of ionizing radiation on the metabolism and longitudinal growth of cartilaginous tibiae of 6.5-day-old chick embryos was studied in vitro over a 3-day period. Before being cultured, tibiae received absorbed doses of 2 to 200 Gy. Of each pair, the counterpart served as control. Compared to the strong inhibition of [3H]thymidine incorporation, already 50 percent at 10 Gy, the effects of ionizing radiation on [3H]uridine and [3H]proline incorporation were limited: 20 and 40 percent respectively at 150 Gy. Metabolism of the cartilage cells in our organ culture was almost completely arrested at 200 Gy. Light and electron microscopy showed no morphological differences between irradiated and sham-irradiated tibiae until 150 Gy. At 200 Gy necrosis of most of the cells was observed. No differences in form and arrangement of extracellular fibers were noticed. The results of the metabolic studies and the morphological observations were correlated with the effects of ionizing radiation on the longitudinal growth. In contrast to DNA synthesis, RNA transcription and synthesis of collagen fibres were radioresistant processes.

Conversion factor f for X-ray beam qualities, specified by peak tube potential and HVL value

Conversion factors of exposure to absorbed dose f in compact bone, muscle, water and adipose tissue are deduced from the measured photon fluence spectra of x-ray beams with potentials from 50 to 250 kV. The results show that accurate determination of f requires beam quality specification not only by the HVL value but also by a second parameter, e.g. the peak tube potential. The differences between the conversion factors f obtained in this work and those deduced from the monoenergetic equivalent energy are evaluated.