VESICLE FORMATION IN THE MISTAL PART OF A NEUROSECRETRY SYSTEM

Francis Gerald William Knowles, 9 March 1915--13 Jul 1974

Sir Francis G. W. Knowles, sixth Baronet, was born in Canada on 9 March 1915, the son of Sir Francis Howe Seymour Knowles, prehistorian and pioneer of physical anthropology, and Kathleen Constance Avering, daughter of William Lennon. He was educated at Radley and at Oriel College, Oxford, graduating B.A. in 1936 in the Honours School of Zoology, M.A. and D.Phil. in 1939, and D.Sc. in 1963. His adoption of a scientific career conformed to a pattern that had been maintained in the main line of his family for some 200 years, those with Francis as their first name having become scientists and those with Charles admirals. There was a family link with Sir Francis Knollys, who was related by marriage to Queen Elizabeth I, but Knowles himself was directly descended from Charles, fourth Earl of Banbury. The first Baronet, Admiral Sir Charles Knowles, was Governor of Jamaica. The second, Admiral Sir Henry Knowles, fought under Nelson at the battle of Cape St Vincent. An early connection with the Royal Society was provided by John Knowles (1781-1841), biographer of Henry Fuseli, and one of the original members of the Athenaeum, who was elected into the Fellowship in 1821 for his scientific work, which included researches into the cause of dry-rot in sailing ships. The third Baronet, Sir Francis Charles Knowles (1802-92), was elected F.R.S. in 1830. He was a mathematician who later gained the Telford prize ‘for an intricate mathematical problem’.

Cells containing immunoreactive estrogen receptor-alpha in the human basal forebrain

The distribution of estrogen receptor protein-alpha (ER-alpha)-containing cells in the human hypothalamus and adjacent regions was studied using a monoclonal antibody (H222) raised against ER-alpha derived from MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Reaction product was found in restricted populations of neurons and astrocyte-like cells. Neurons immunoreactive for ER-alpha were diffusely distributed within the basal forebrain and preoptic area, infundibular region, central hypothalamus, basal ganglia and amygdala. Immunoreactive astrocyte-like cells were noted within specific brain regions, including the lamina terminalis and subependymal peri-third-ventricular region. These data are consistent with the location of estrogen receptors in the basal forebrain of other species and the known effects of estrogens on the cellular functions of both neurons and supporting elements within the human hypothalamus and basal forebrain.

Ultrastructural changes associated with K+-evoked peptide secretion from a neurohemal organ of the crab, Cardisoma carnifex

Electron-microscopic comparison of K+-stimulated and unstimulated crab sinus glands reveals significant differences in neurosecretory terminal morphology. Sinus glands exposed to elevated K+ saline for increasing periods of time show increasing numbers of exocytotic release profiles, vacuoles, and multilamellate bodies, and a decrease in the number of microvesicles within 10 micron of release sites. These morphological changes are well correlated with secretion of red-pigment-concentrating hormone, as determined by bioassay of perfusate from the individual preparations.

[Cytology and neuroendocrine relations of the pituitary of the dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula]

The rostral, median and ventral lobes of the pituitary of the dogfish,Scyliorhinus canicula, were studied with the electron microscope. Analysis of cytological details and especially of granule sizes (with the aid of the Zeiss particle size analyser) revealed the presence of six different cell types, the functional correlations of which are discussed. The neuroendocrine relations, with distinct regions of the median eminence in vascular connection with each of the rostral and median lobes, are discussed in relation to the proposed cell functions.