Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Pinocytosis

Pinocytosis

Cells use energy-requiring bulk transport mechanisms to transfer large particles, or large amounts of small particles, into or out of the cell. The cells envelop the particles in spherical membranes called vesicles or vacuoles. Vesicles that transport material into the cell are built from the cell membrane. These vesicles encapsulate external molecules and transport them into the cell in a process called endocytosis.

Pinocytosis

Pinocytosis

Cells use energy-requiring bulk transport mechanisms to transfer large particles or large numbers of small particles into or out of the cell. The cells envelop the particles in spherical membranes called vesicles or vacuoles. Vesicles that transport material into the cell are built from the cell membrane. These vesicles encapsulate external molecules and transport them into the cell in a process called endocytosis.
Pinocytosis ("cellular drinking") is one of three main types of endocytosis. In...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Does insulin bolster antioxidant defenses via the extracellular signal-regulated kinases-protein kinase B-nuclear factor erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 pathway?

Antioxidants & redox signaling·2011

Same author

Mechanisms and functions of Tet protein-mediated 5-methylcytosine oxidation.

Genes & development·2011

Same author

Decrease in calcium-sensing receptor in the progress of diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Diabetes research and clinical practice·2011

Same author

JAMIE: A software tool for jointly analyzing multiple ChIP-chip experiments.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2011

Same author

Morphine-induced conditioned place preference in mice: metabolomic profiling of brain tissue to find "molecular switch" of drug abuse by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Analytica chimica acta·2011

Same author

[The interventions effect-assessment of the workers exposed to N, N-dimethylformamide by percutaneous in a synthetic leather factory].

Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases·2011

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Infection of In Vivo and In Vitro Pines with the Pinewood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Isolation of Induced Volatiles

Infection of In Vivo and In Vitro Pines with the Pinewood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Isolation of Induced Volatiles

Published on: September 27, 2024

[Study on processing mechanism of Pinellia ternate].

Hao Wu¹, Ling-yun Zhong, Wei Li

¹Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China. whao5795@vip.sina.com

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi = Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi = China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica

|October 31, 2007

Summary

Processing raw Pinellia ternata with alum or alkaline solutions effectively detoxifies it by dissolving needle-like calcium oxalate crystals, significantly reducing irritation. This method makes the herb safer for medicinal use.

More Related Videos

Processing the Loblolly Pine PtGen2 cDNA Microarray

Processing the Loblolly Pine PtGen2 cDNA Microarray

Published on: March 20, 2009

Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum

Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum

Published on: March 28, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Infection of In Vivo and In Vitro Pines with the Pinewood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Isolation of Induced Volatiles

Infection of In Vivo and In Vitro Pines with the Pinewood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Isolation of Induced Volatiles

Published on: September 27, 2024

Processing the Loblolly Pine PtGen2 cDNA Microarray

Processing the Loblolly Pine PtGen2 cDNA Microarray

Published on: March 20, 2009

Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum

Experimental Screening Protocols, Immunocytochemistry and Microscopy-based Imaging Techniques for Penium margaritaceum

Published on: March 28, 2025

Area of Science:

Pharmacology
Materials Science
Analytical Chemistry

Background:

Raw Pinellia ternata contains needle-like calcium oxalate crystals (raphides) that cause irritation.
Traditional processing methods aim to reduce the toxicity of P. ternata.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the detoxification mechanism of raw Pinellia ternata processed with alum or alkaline solutions.
To investigate the changes in calcium oxalate crystals and their correlation with irritation.

Main Methods:

Processing raw P. ternata using alum and alkaline solutions as per Chinese pharmacopoeia.
Scanning electron microscopy to observe crystal morphology changes.
Oxidation-reduction titration to quantify calcium oxalate content.
Rabbit eye irritation tests to assess toxicity.

Main Results:

Processing altered the needle-like shape of raphides, causing rusting and dissolution of sting barbs.
Calcium oxalate crystal content decreased from over 1% to below 0.5%.
Reduced crystal content correlated with diminished eye irritation; <0.5% resulted in negligible irritation.

Conclusions:

Alum and alkaline solutions (pH > 12) detoxify P. ternata by dissolving irritant components and breaking raphides.
Detoxification leads to reduced raphides content and elimination of irritation.
Calcium oxalate crystal characteristics vary significantly among different medicinal plants.