Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research

About: Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Estrone & Estrogen. The organization has 2195 authors who have published 2646 publications receiving 115809 citations. The organization is also known as: Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology.

Conversion of progesterone to estrone and estradiol in vitro by the ovary of the infantile rat in relation to the development of its interstitial tissue.

Abstract: The development of the interstitial tissue and of the steroidogenic capability of the infantile rat ovary were examined by light microscopy, by histochemistry and by in vitro incubation. Ovaries from 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14-day-old normal rats and from rats that had received 100μg testosterone propionate or sesame oil at 5 days of age were utilized. The structural development of the infantile rat ovary was examined in 0.5 μ sections of Epon-embedded tissues which had been fixed with glutaraldehyde and osmium. The lipid content of interstitial tissue in untreated animals was minimal at 5 days of age and then increased. The greatest change occurred between postnatal days 5 and 7. 3β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity also became prominent at this time. The interfollicular tissue of animals treated with testosterone propionate accumulated very little lipid between postnatal days 5 and 7 and exhibited very little 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. Fibroblasts rather than interstitial cells were the pred...

Preparation and Purification of Antibodies to Steroids

Abstract: As discussed in previous papers at this symposium, steroids or other low-molecular-weight compounds are not inherently antigenic (Goodfriend and Sehon, 1970; and Gross, 1970). Landsteiner, however, demonstrated in the early 1900’s that antibodies directed against these low-molecular-weight compounds can be produced if they are chemically conjugated to a substance which is antigenic (see Landsteiner, 1946, for review). When conjugated to the antigen, these low-molecular-weight substances function as haptens.

In vitro Fertilization of Rat Eggs

Abstract: AFTER the recognition of “capacitation of sperm” by Austin1 and Chang2, successful in vitro fertilization of mammalian eggs was achieved in many species3–17. Although fertilization of rat eggs in vitro has been attempted1,18–20, incorporation of sperm into the vitellus was observed only after the dissolution of zona pellucida by chymotrypsin19. Here we report fertilization of intact rat eggs in vitro and the results obtained.

Altered Protein Metabolism in Infection by the Late tsB11 Mutant of Simian Virus 40

Abstract: The DNA of the temperature-sensitive mutant tsB11 is replicated at the same rate as the DNA of wild-type virus in infection at the restrictive temperature. The progeny mutant DNA cannot be distinguished from wild-type DNA by gel electrophoresis and is assembled into a nucleoprotein complex with the same velocity sedimentation characteristics as the wild-type complex. Analysis of in vivo protein synthesis by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoprecipitation techniques demonstrated that the capsid components VP1, VP2, and VP3 of the mutant and wild-type virus are synthesized at a similar rate, but VP1 fails to accumulate within cells infected by tsB11. Furthermore, VP1 is located predominantly in the cytoplasmic rather than in the nuclear fraction of extracts from cells infected by the mutant. Immunofluorescent studies localized virion antigen within the nucleolus as well as the cytoplasm. The altered intracellular distribution and stability of VP1 suggest that it may be the mutant protein of tsB11. The synthesis of a 72,000 dalton protein is consistently induced in significant quantity in cells infected by tsB11 at the restrictive temperature. A protein of the same apparent molecular weight is present in smaller quantities in uninfected cells and is only slightly increased in quantity in cells infected by wild-type virus.