This study was conducted to detect the toxoplasma-specific DNA in peripheral blood collected from cats experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii (RH strain) and from domiciled cats by B1 gene-base polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sensitivity of oligonucleotide primer, T-1 & T-2, designed from toxoplasma B1 gene amplification method was compared with parasite detection by mouse inoculation(MI). And also, latex agglutination test(LAT) and indirect fluorescent antibody test(IFAT) were conducted to detect the fluctuation of serum antibodies compared with the detection of toxoplasma by PCR and MI. Toxoplasma B1 gene PCR was shown consistently high sensitivity and the results obtained by PCR agreed completely with those from MI. All blood samples collected before infection with T gondii gave negative results by PCR and MI. Also, toxoplasma B1 gene PCR was not cross reaction with Neospora caninum DNA and normal cat leucocyte as cnotrols. The toxoplasma-specific DNA was detected by PCR in blood of 5 cats experimentally infected with T gondii 6 days after infection and the detection of this specific-DNA was long lastedin blood for 64 days after infeciton. The detection of toxoplasma-specific DNA by PCR could be identified as few as 10 tachyzoites and the isolation of T gondii by MI could be isolated as few as 1 tachyzoite from tenfold serial dilution of T gondii with normal cat blood, respectively. In healthy domiciled cats, the toxoplasma-specific DNA and the parasite were detected and isolated in blood from 3 of 56(5.3%) cats by both PCR and MI, respectively. In the results of antibody test from the total 56 heads of healthy domiciled cats, the positive rates are 15(26.7%) by LAT and 19(33.9%) by IFAT. These results suggest that PCR detection of toxoplasma can be applied as a sensitive and specific diagnostic and research tool.

The contents of histidine dipeptides, a metabolic products of muscle protein, were investigated to compare muscle composition among the 9 domestic animals including cattle. In major domestic animal, analyzed the effects of age, part and sex of the animals on their muscle composition. Large amounts of carnosine(68.63+_17.41 micro mol/g) were detected in cattle and it was higher than other animals. Wheres the content of anserine showed high level in order of turkey, chickens and duck. The ratio of carnosine and anserine(C/A ratio) was different depending on the animal species. Statistical data indicated that difference among species was significant(p0.05). The contents of histidine dipeptides in hearted muscle by boiling for 40 minutes at 110 degrees centigrade was similar to those of raw muscle. C/A ration in heated muscle was not different from that of raw muscle, indicating that no change has been made after heating process. The contents of camosine and anserine were different according to the parts of their muscle. Especially chuck of the mammalian showed extremely low level of histidine dipeptides compared with other parts, while C/A ratio maintained certain level regardless of age, part, sex. Therefore, based on the content of histidine depeptides, could be found the difference of muscle composition among the species. Also C/A ratio of horse, pig, cattle, duck, sheep nd turkey were characteristic respectively.

The insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I) is an important metabolic factor involved in cell growth and metabolism. Although secretion of IGF-I in rat liver is regulated by growth hormone, the effects of forskolin, adenylate cyclase activator, on secretion of IGF-I have not been reported. Therefore, a modified perfused rat liver model was used to investigate the regulatory effects of forskolin on IGF-I secretion in this experiment. The results were summerized as follows: 1. Modified perfused rat liver model was not changed to aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and lactic dehydrogenase(LDH) secretion in time. 2. The IGF-I secretion in hepatic cell was increased by forskolin(10-5, 10-6 and 10-7M) in a dose-dependent manner as compared with those of the controls, and significantly increased by 10-5 and 10-6M forskolin(p0.05). 3. Secretion of glucose in hepatic cell significantly was decreased by 10-5M forskolin as compared with those of controls(p0.05). These results suggest that forskolin may be involved in the regulation of IGF-I secretion in the perfused rat liver.

The purposes of this study were to set up the method of the natural killer(NK) cell activity assay using the flow cytometer and to examine the characteristics and distribution of the NK cell during rat hepatocarcinogenesis. Forty five male 6 week-old specific pathogen free(SPF) Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group I was the non-treated control and given normal diet and water. Group II was treated with diethylnitrosamine(DEN, 200mg/kg, i.p.) and partial hepatectomy. Group III was treated with DEN, partial hepatectomy and 0.05% phenobarbital sodium in water from 3 to 16 weeks. All animals were examined the morphology of the large granular lymphocyte(LGL), the LGL percent of the total lymphocytes and the LGL conjugation rate with YAC-1 cell in peripheral blood, spleen and liver. Moreover, activity of the LGL isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes was determined using the flow cytometer. As results, LGL were observed in the peripheral blood, spleen and liver. LGL were observed the relatively faintly staining basophilic cytoplasm with granules, and eccentric, often kidney-shpaed nuclei in Giemsa stain. Its size was 11~13 micro meter. LGL percentage of the isolated lymphocytes in peripheral blood, spleen and liver were 1.8~2.3%, 1.3~1.4% and 0.87~0.99%, respectively. LGL conjugation rate with YAC-1 cell was shown to be peripheral blood(9.3~10.3%) spleen(7.7%~8.7%)liver(5.6~7.0%). The activity of the LGL isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes in Group I, II and III was 33.7%, 30.5% and 35.4%, respectively. However, all values were not sighificantly between groups.

This study was carried out to compare the distribution pattern of the bombesin immunoreactive neurons of the hypothalamic nucleus in the rat and Mongolian gerbil. The bombesin immunoreactive neurons in the rat were located in the dorsal part of the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, but in the Mongolian gerbil inthe compact part of dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus. From this results, we could get an evidence that there were some differences in the distrbution of peptidebetween rat and Mongolian gerbil.

The effect of isoprothiolane(di-isopropyl-1,3-dithiolan-2-ylidenemalonate) aganist fat necrosis in Hanwoo(Korean Cattle) sire was evaluated. The 10 heads of Hanwoo sire suffering from fat necrosis were given 50mg/kg body weight of isoprothiolane(0.2g/kg of Fujix, Japan) orally once a day for 8weeks. In 30% of these, the size of thenecrotic fat masses had decreased significantly 7 months after the adminstration. Isoprothiolane did not affect on live body weight and semen characteristics. However the sire affected with fat necrosis had higher MCHC(Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) than normal sire inhematologic values 10 weeks after administration. Number of RBC(red blood cell) and PCV(packed cell volume) 10 weeks after administration had been increased than those before administration(p0.05). The serum concentrations of creatinine, triglyceride, and total cholesterol 10 weeks after administration were higher than those before administration while the concentration of glucose was vice versa. the isoprothiolane may reduce the oxidation of glucose, increase the glucose transfer to lipids, and increase blood supply to necrotic masses. These results indicate that isoprothiolane may be useful as the therapeutic agent against fat necrosis.

Magnesium(Mg2+) is one of the most abundant intracellular divalent cation. Although recent studies demonstrate that adrenergic receptor stimulation evokes marked changes in Mg2+ homeostasis, the regulation of Mg2+ by dopaminergic receptor stimulation is not yet known. In this work, we uwed dopaminergic agents to identify which type(s) of receptors were involved inthe mobilization of Mg2+ by dopaminergic receptor stimulation in the perfused rat gearts, isolated myocytes and circulating blood. The mg2+ content was measured by atomic absorbance spedtrophotometry. Dopamine(DA), apomorphine(APO) and pergolide stimulated Mg2+ efflux in the perfused rat hearts and these effects were inhibited by haloperidol or fluphenazine, nonselective dopaminergic antagonists. SKF38393, a selective doparminergic agonist, increased Mg2+ efflux from the perfused hearts in dose dependant manners and SKF38393-induced Mg2+ efflux was potentiated in the presence of sulpiride or eticlopride, D2-selective antagonist, from the perfused hearts. This increase of Mg2+ efflux was blocked by haloperidol or imipramine. DA or pergolide increased in circulating Mg2+ from blood. By contrast, PPHT stimulated Mg2+ influx(a decrease in efflux) from the perfused hearts and circulating blood. PPHT-induced Mg2+ influx was blocked by fluphenazine in the perfused hearts. DA-stimulated Mg2+ efflux was inhibited by dopaminergic antagoinst in the isolated myocytes. In conclusion, the flux of Mg2+ is modulated by DA receptor activation in the rat hearts. The efflux of Mg2+ can be increased by D1-receptor stimulation and decreased by D2-receptor stimulation, respectively.

The development of uterus in fetuses on 60, 90 and 120 days of gastation and neonates of Korean native goats was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The results were summarized as follows; 1. in the 60-day-old fetuses, the short microvilli were sporadically observed on the luminal surface of the endometrium. 2. In the 90-day-old fetuses, the mucosal folds, polygonal microridges, numerous microvilli, flower-like-buds, and domeshpaed or crateriform area were also observed on the luminal surface of endometrium. 3. In the 120-day-old fetuse, the primordial caruncles(nodules) of the endometrium were developed conspicuously and long microvilli were developed densely. 4. In the neonates, thecaruncles and microvilli of the endometrium were more developed than those of 120-day-old fetuses.

Field infectious bursal disease viruses 9IBDVs) were isolated from IBDV-suspected commercial chickens. The variable region in VP2 gene of six Korean IBDV isolates (K-IBDVs) and IBD vaccines was examined using the reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RT/PCR-RFLP) assay. With all K-IBDVs and vaccine IBDVs, a 474-bp fragment of the VP2 gene was amplified and tested with various restriction enzymes. Resseriction enzymes BstNI and StyI differentiated K-IBDV isolates and IBD vaccines into four groups. Reseriction enzyme profiles of K-IBDV isolates were different from them of IBD vaccines. K-IBDV isolates except for 310 isolate had specific SspI and TaqI recognition sites, which were recognized in highly virulent IBDVs, but IBD vaccines had no those sites. This study showed that RT/PCR-RFLP assay was thought to be valuable tool for differentiation of IBDVs and identification of highly virulent IBDV.