document

Flexible biochips for detection of biomolecules

Peter, M. (author), Schüler, T. (author), Furthner, F. (author), Rensing, P.A. (author), van Heck, G.T. (author), Schoo, H.F.M. (author), Möllier, R. (author), Fritzsche, W. (author), van Breemen, A.J.J.M. (author), Meinders, E.R. (author), TNO Industrie en Techniek (author)

Miniaturization of biosensors is envisaged by the development of biochips consisting of parallel microarray patterns of binding sites on rigid substrates, such as glass or silicon. Thin plastic substrates are promising flexible alternatives because of the possibility for large-area roll-to-roll manufacturing of disposable chips at lower costs....

article 2009

document

Net charge affects morphology and visual properties of ovalbumin aggregates

Weijers, M. (author), Broersen, K. (author), Barneveld, P.A. (author), Cohen Stuart, M.A. (author), Hamer, R.J. (author), de Jongh, H.H.J. (author), Visschers, R.W. (author), TNO Kwaliteit van Leven (author)

The effect of ovalbumin net charge on aggregate morphology and visual properties was investigated using chromatography, electrophoresis, electron microscopy, and turbidity measurements. A range of differently charged ovalbumin variants (net charge ranging from -1 to -26 at pH 7) was produced using chemical engineering. With increasing net charge...

article 2008

document

Lactobacilli expressing variable domain of llama heavy-chain antibody fragments (lactobodies) confer protection against rotavirus-induced diarrhea

Pant, N. (author), Hultberg, A. (author), Zhao, Y. (author), Svensson, L. (author), Pan-Hammarström, Q. (author), Johansen, K. (author), Pouwels, P.H. (author), Ruggeri, F.M. (author), Hermans, P. (author), Frenken, L. (author), Borén, T. (author), Marcotte, H. (author), Hammarström, L. (author), TNO Preventie en Gezondheid (author)

Background. Rotavirus-induced diarrhea poses a worldwide medical problem in causing substantial morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries. We therefore developed a system for passive immunotherapy in which recombinant lactobacilli constitutively express neutralizing variable domain of llama heavy-chain (VHH) antibody...

article 2006

document

Do sulfhydryl groups affect aggregation and gelation properties of ovalbumin?

Broersen, K. (author), van Teeffelen, A.M.M. (author), Vries, A. (author), Voragen, A.G.J. (author), Hamer, R.J. (author), de Jongh, H.H.J. (author), TNO Kwaliteit van Leven (author)

The aim of this work is to evaluate the impact of sulfhydryl groups on ovalbumin aggregation and gelation. Ovalbumin was chemically modified to add sulfhydryl groups in various degrees. The rate of aggregation was not affected by the introduction of sulfhydryl groups, and disulfide bond formation was preceded by physical interactions. Hence,...

article 2006

document

Molecular weight fibrinogen variants determine angiogenesis rate in a fibrin matrix in vitro and in vivo

Kaijzel, E.L. (author), Koolwijk, P. (author), van Erck, M.G.M. (author), van Hinsbergh, V.W.M. (author), de Maat, M.P.M. (author), TNO Kwaliteit van Leven (author)

Background: During wound repair, fibrin acts both as a barrier to prevent blood loss and as a temporary matrix for the invasion and ingrowth of endothelial and tissue cells. A well-controlled angiogenesis process in the fibrinous exudate matrix is crucial for optimal wound healing. The composition and structure of the fibrin matrix are important...

article 2006

document

Time-lapse tracking of barley androgenesis reveals position-determined cell death within pro-embryos

Maraschin, S.D.F. (author), Vennik, M. (author), Lamers, G.E.M. (author), Spaink, H.P. (author), Wang, M. (author)

Following abiotic stress to induce barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) androgenesis, the development of 794 enlarged microspores in culture was monitored by time-lapse tracking. In total, 11% of the microspores tracked developed into embryo-like structures (type-I pathway), 36% formed multicellular structures (type-II pathway) and 53% of the microspores...

article 2005

document

Acid-Induced Cold Gelation of Globular Proteins: Effects of Protein Aggregate Characteristics and Disulfide Bonding on Rheological Properties

Alting, A.C. (author), Weijers, M. (author), de Hoog, E.H.A. (author), van de Pijpekamp, A.M. (author), Cohen Stuart, M.A. (author), Hamer, R.J. (author), de Kruif, C.G. (author), Visschers, R.W. (author), TNO Voeding (author)

The process of cold gelation of ovalbumin and the properties of the resulting cold-set gels were compared to those of whey protein isolate. Under the chosen heating conditions, most protein was organized in aggregates. For both protein preparations, the aggregates consisted of covalently linked monomers. Both types of protein aggregates had...

article 2004

document

Personal exposure to ultrafine particles in the workplace: Exploring sampling techniques and strategies

Brouwer, D.H. (author), Gijsbers, J.H.J. (author), Lurvink, M.W.M. (author), TNO Voeding (author)

Recently, toxicological and epidemiological studies on health effects related to particle exposure suggest that 'ultrafine particles' (particles with an aerodynamic diameter of <100 nm) may cause severe health effects after inhalation. Although the toxicological mechanisms for these effects have not yet been explained, it is apparent that...

article 2004

document

Heat-induced gelation of pea legumin: Comparison with soybean glycinin

O'Kane, F.E. (author), Happe, R.P. (author), Vereijken, J.M. (author), Gruppen, H. (author), van Boekel, M.A.J.S. (author), TNO Voeding (author)

Gel network formation of pea legumin (8.4% on a protein basis, pH 7.6) was monitored via dynamic rheological measurements. Gelation was performed in the absence and presence of the thiol-blocking reagent N-ethylmaleimide, at different rates of heating and cooling. Overall, it was shown that pea legumin gel formation was not effected by changes...

article 2004

document

A comparative analysis of bone and cartilage metabolism in two strains of guinea-pig with varying degrees of naturally occurring osteoarthritis

Huebner, J.L. (author), Hanes, M.A. (author), Beekman, B. (author), TeKoppele, J.M. (author), Kraus, V.B. (author), Gaubius Instituut (author)

Objective: To evaluate the interaction of bone and cartilage in knee osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis in two guinea-pig strains with appreciable differences in bone metabolism. Design: Two guinea-pig strains were evaluated for their susceptibilities to OA using semi-quantitative histological grading of knee joints and quantification of...

article 2002

document

The S-layer protein of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356: Identification and characterisation of domains responsible for S-protein assembly and cell wall binding

Smit, E. (author), Oling, F. (author), Demel, R. (author), Martinez, B. (author), Pouwels, P.H. (author), Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

Lactobacillus acidophilus, like many other bacteria, harbors a surface layer consisting of a protein (SA-protein) of 43 kDa. SA-protein could be readily extracted and crystallized in vitro into large crystalline patches on lipid monolayers with a net negative charge but not on lipids with a net neutral charge. Reconstruction of the S-layer from...

article 2001

document

Total regional and global number of synapses in the human brain neocortex

Tang, Y. (author), Nyengaard, J.R. (author), de Groot, D.M.G. (author), Jorgen, H. (author), Gundersen, G. (author), Instituut CIVO-Toxicologie en Voeding TNO (author)

An estimator of the total number of synapses in neocortex of human autopsy brains based on unbiased stereological principles is described. Each randomly chosen cerebral hemisphere was stratified into the four major neocortical regions. Uniform sampling with a varying sampling fraction in each region of neocortex was performed. The total volume...

article 2001

document

Aberrant fibrin formation and cross-linking of fibrinogen Nieuwegein, a variant with a shortened Aα-chain, alters endothelial capillary tube formation

Collen, A. (author), Maas, A. (author), Kooistra, T. (author), Lupu, F. (author), Grimbergen, J. (author), Haas, F.J.L.M. (author), Biesma, D.H. (author), Koolwijk, P. (author), Koopman, J. (author), van Hinsbergh, V.W.M. (author), Gaubius instituut TNO (author)

A congenital dysfibrinogenemia, fibrinogenNieuwegein, was discovered in a young man without any thromboembolic complications or bleeding. A homozygous insertion of a single nucleotide (C) in codon Aα 453 (Pro) introduced a stop codon at position 454, which resulted in the deletion of the Carboxyl-terminal segment Aα 454-610. The ensuing unpaired...

article 2001

document

Automated electron tomography of the septal pore cap in Rhizoctonia solani

Müller, W.H. (author), Koster, A.J. (author), Humbel, B.M. (author), Ziese, U. (author), Verkleij, A.J. (author), van Aelst, A.C. (author), van der Krift, T.P. (author), Montijn, R.C. (author), Boekhout, T. (author), Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

Dolipore septa and septal pore caps (SPCs) in filamentous basidiomycetes may play an important role in maintaining the integrity of hypal cells. We have investigated the ultrastructure of the dolipore septum and the SPC in Rhizoctonia solani hyphal cells after high-pressure freezing, freeze substitution, and Spurr embedding. We visualized the...

article 2000

document

Infection of a canine macrophage cell line with Leishmania infantum: Determination of nitric oxide production and anti-leishmanial activity

Pinelli, E. (author), Gebhard, D. (author), Mommaas, A.M. (author), van Hoeij, M. (author), Langermans, J.A.M. (author), Ruitenberg, E.J. (author), Rutten, V.P.M.G. (author)

We have previously shown that resistance to Leishmania infantum in dogs is associated with a Th1 type of immune response. In this study, we use a canine macrophage cell line (030-D) that can readily be infected with this protozoan parasite. Our aim is to further characterize the effector mechanisms involved in killing of Leishmania parasite in...

article 2000

document

Apoptosis in developing anthers and the role of ABA in this process during androgenesis in Hordeum vulgare L.

Wang, M. (author), Hoekstra, S. (author), van Bergen, S. (author), Lamers, G.E.M. (author), Oppedijk, B.J. (author), van der Heijden, M.W. (author), de Priester, W. (author), Schilperoort, R.A. (author), Centrum voor Plantenfysiologisch Onderzoek (author)

Intra-nucleosomal cleavage of DNA into fragments of about 200 bp was demonstrated to occur in developing anthers, in which microspores had developed into the mid-late to late uni-nucleate stage in situ, i.e. at the verge of mitosis. The same was observed, but to a much larger extent, if these anthers were pre-treated by a hyper-osmotic shock....

article 1999

document

Effect of D-tagatose on liver weight and glycogen content of rats

Bär, A. (author), Lina, B.A.R. (author), de Groot, D.M.G. (author), de Bie, B. (author), Appel, M.J. (author), Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

D-Tagatose is an incompletely absorbed ketohexose (stereoisomer of D-fructose) which has potential as an energy-reduced alternative sweetener. In an earlier 90-day toxicity study, rats fed diets with 10, 15 and 20% D-tagatose exhibited increased liver weights, but no histopathological alterations. To determine whether there might be any...

article 1999

document

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 type IV collagenase/gelatinase implicated in the pathogenesis of Sjogren's syndrome

Konttinen, Y.T. (author), Halinen, S. (author), Hanemaaijer, R. (author), Sorsa, T. (author), Hietanen, J. (author), Ceponis, A. (author), Xu, J.W. (author), Manthorpe, R. (author), Whittington, J. (author), Larsson, Å. (author), Salo, T. (author), Kjeldsen, L. (author), Stenman, U.-H. (author), Eisen, A.Z. (author), Gaubius Instituut TNO (author)

Type IV collagenases/gelatinases (matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9) in labial salivary glands (LSG) and saliva in Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and healthy controls were studied. Zymograms and Western blots disclosed that SS saliva contained 92/82 kD MMP-9/type IV collagenase duplex. Specific activity measurement disclosed 53.1 ± 9.8 U/mg...

article 1998

document

Evaluation of various methods to quantify endothelial cells attached to vascular prostheses: Comparison with a new "gold standard" FACS method

Visser, M.J.T. (author), van Lennep, A.C.D. (author), van Bockel, J.H. (author), van Hinsbergh, V.W.M. (author), van der Keur, M. (author), Hermans, J. (author), Gaubius Instituut TNO (author)

For in vitro evaluation of functional properties of endothelial cells seeded on synthetic vascular prostheses accurate and reproducible quantification of cells is mandatory. Comparison of these properties with those resulting from other studies requires correlation of the functional parameters to reliably counted cell numbers. The accuracy of...

article 1996

document

Protein targeting and secretion in filamentous fungi: A progress report

Punt, P.J. (author), Veldhuisen, G. (author), van den Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. (author), Centraal Instituut voor Voedingsonderzoek TNO (author)

Although the application of filamentous fungi, such as Aspergillus niger for the production of extracellular proteins is well established for several decades, hardly any information is available about the molecular mechanisms of the process of protein secretion in these organisms. Two lines of research initiated towards a systematic analysis of...

article 1994