The ultrastructure of the rabbit oocyte at the bilaminar follicle stage]

The electron microscope study of the nucleus and organoids of the rabbit oocytes cytoplasm during growth showed nucleoluslike bodies (RNP-granules) on the lampbrushen chromosomes to reach their maximal size at the stage of bilaminar follicle. The RNP-granules differ from the nucleoli by the time of their occurrence cytochemical characteristics, and by their ultrastructural pattern. Throughout the bilaminar follicle stage four components may be seen in the oocyte nucleolus: a dense fibrillar framework around the vacuoles, islets of the granular mass loosely dispersed, and electron dense fibrillar elements filling up the numberous electrontransparant vacuoles. The nucleolus-like bodies are round in shape and have no vacuoles, consisting to two components only: distinctly outlined granules, and weakly developed fibrillar component. The nuclear envelope is seen blebbing. Separation of two nuclear membranes forms a pocket-like enlargements of the perinuclear space. The pockets are limited by small regions between the adjacent nuclear pores. The outer membrane may bulge producing lacuma and large channels in the cytoplasm, which are interconnected making a closed branched network extending inside of the cytoplasm. The nuclear envelope is suggested to be involved in formation of the endoplasmic reticulum through the blebbing process.     

An electron microscopical study of epididymal epithelium of rats treated with gonadotropic hormone

The ultrastructural modifications of the epithelial cells of rat corpus epididymis stimulated with gonadotropic hormone were studied. The structural variety of the cells depending on functional conditions becomes more prominent 6 h after the injection of gonadotropic hormone. Light large cells have one or often two nucleus-containing bing nucleoli, in their cytoplasm there are numerous vesicles, a well-developed Golgi apparatus, other organelles and lysosomal bodies. Some other cells are filled with many large vacuoles of different density, dense bodies and vesicles. Cells of another type which are in the majority show an unusually active structure reflecting the function of synthesis. The more prominent nucleolus is associated to clumps of chromatin. Their apical cytoplasm is filled by a structure related to absorption. The whole remaining part of their cytoplasm is covered with a very extensive Golgi apparatus and a very well developed granular endoplasmic reticulum. The extremely enlarged cisternae of this reticulum were found to be very closely applied to the basal cell membrane. There is a flocculent material inside the cisternae. Similar material is observed in the extracellular medium under the basal membrane. The epithelium seems normal 10 h after the injection of hormone, but large light cells make up the majority of them.     

Fine Structural Observations of the Erythrocytic Stages of Plasmodium chabaudi Landau, 1965*

SYNOPSIS. Electron microscopic examination of Plasmodium chabaudi in mouse erythrocytes revealed many characteristics resembling those observed in other mammalian malarial parasites. A double unit membrane surrounds the trophozoite cytoplasm which contains many ribonucleoprotein particles, a limited amount of endoplasmic reticulum and membraned organelles including sausage-shaped vacuoles and multilaminated membraned bodies. More or less circular double membraned vacuoles, possibly cross sections of the sausage-shaped vacuoles, are common. Typical protozoan mitochondria are lacking. The limiting membrane of the merozoites is triple-layered. Paired organelles and small dense bodies are found in the merozoites along with dense granular masses in the nuclei. Trophozoites have cytostomal structures as well as invaginations of the plasma membrane at sites where no cytostomes are evident. Digestion appears to occur in single membrane-bound vesicles which contain one to several pigment grains. P. chabaudi frequently contains multiple food vacuoles and has polymorphism manifested in part by the presence of cytoplasmic extensions and of nuclei with a variety of shapes. Several apparently free forms are noted, often accompanied by a thin rim of host cytoplasm. “Appliqué” forms are common among the trophozoites as are forms in which 2 or more trophozoites are joined together. Finally, alterations in the host cytoplasm resembling the socalled Maurer's clefts are frequent. Ferritin-containing vacuoles also appear in the host cell.     

An electron microscopical study of absorbing cells in the posterior caput epididymidis of rabbits

Summary The columnar cells in regions 3 and 4 of the ductus epididymidis in rabbits display ultrastructural features characteristic of absorbing cells. The stereocilia show basal anastomoses and often a fibrillar core continuous with a fibrillar web in the apical cytoplasm. Numerous invaginations of the slightly downy apical cell membrane and many thick-walled apical vesicles and vacuoles contain an opaque substance similar to that seen in the lumen. The vacuoles often contain small vesicles or bodies, probably formed from the vacuolar wall by budding. Numerous bodies or vacuoles with moderately dense contents are seen in the Golgi area and in the supranuclear and intranuclear cytoplasm in region 3. In region 4 they are denser and mainly seen above the nucleus. A high acid phosphatase activity was demonstrated in most dense and some light bodies. India ink introduced by way of the rete testis was taken up from the lumen into apical invaginations, vesicles and vacuoles and slowly transferred to denser bodies below the Golgi apparatus.These observations are interpreted as evidence for a resorption of substances from the lumen by a pinocytotic process, and for their storage and perhaps digestion in the dense bodies, which appear to have a lysosomal character. The Golgi apparatus is large with many vesicles of two types and empty cisternae but few typical Golgi vacuoles. The partly granular endoplasmic reticulum is very well developed and has opaque contents. Microtubules run from the terminal bar region into the Golgi area. Thick-walled vesicles occur throughout the cytoplasm, sometimes in continuity with the cell membrane. The basal parts of the cell borders often interdigitate.Supported by a grant from the Swedish State Medical Research Council.     

FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE PHENOMENON OF SECONDARY VACUOLATION IN LIVING CELLS

Invagination of the plasma membrane in plant cells forms peripheral or endocytic structures which often contain a complement of membrane-bound vesicles. These structures, or secondary vacuoles, move with the streaming cytoplasm although their velocities are somewhat slower than that for the various organelles within the cytoplasm. They glide over the nucleus or flow from the peripheral cytoplasm onto a transvacuolar strand and continue unabated along the length of a strand. These structures may detach from the plasma membrane as sacs to become positioned in the cytoplasm directly under the tonoplast and project into the primary vacuole. Some endocytic vacuoles may separate from the peripheral cytoplasm and remain free within the primary vacuole; subsequently they can re-associate with the cytoplasm. While the content and function of these vacuoles are yet to be determined, indirect evidence indicates that they are pinocytic in character since the content of an invagination is confined to the sac upon its detachment from the plasma membrane and is subsequently transported throughout the cell by cyclosis.     

豌豆根瘤脂质体的分布及形态特征

豌豆根瘤中有大量的脂质体,广泛分布于非侵染细胞和侵染细胞内,它既可以存在细胞质中,也可位于液泡里面。有时单个存在,有时又多个聚集在一起。非侵染细胞与侵染细胞相比,前者中的脂质体明显多于后者。这些脂质体近似圆形或椭圆形,表面无膜,电子密度较高,内部无固定的结构,常有一些细胞器位于它的附近。讨论了脂质体的细胞发育及细胞种类的关系。     

箭舌豌豆根瘤液泡中细菌周膜来源的研究

电镜观察结果表明,幼龄箭舌豌豆根瘤侵染细胞的细胞质较少,中央是一些体积较大的液泡。细胞质中侵入线经常可见,由侵入线释放出来的细菌均有细菌周膜。这些细菌只位于细胞质中,不出现在液泡里面。成熟根瘤中的侵染细胞与此不同,它们中有大量的成熟侵染细胞,细胞质丰富,里面充满大量细菌,中央常有一个大液泡。当中央液泡发育到一定程度时,位于其附近的细菌可通过液泡膜内吞、液泡膜与细菌周膜融合及液泡膜破裂3种途径进入液泡,后一种途径常伴有寄主细胞质。液泡中的细菌绝大部分裸露在外,只有个别细菌具有细菌周膜且多位于液泡膜的破损处附近,因此细菌周膜可能是原来就有的。     

中华绒螯蟹血细胞的显微、亚显微形态结构及其分类

通过相差显微镜和电镜观察,根据中华绒螯蟹血细胞胞质内有无颗粒以及颗粒大小、染色反应、折光性和形成方式的特点,血细胞分为胞质内无颗粒的无颗粒细胞、胞质内只有具折光性和呈淡红色反应大颗粒的大颗粒细胞、胞质内只有无折光性和呈淡蓝色染色反应小颗粒的小颗粒细胞以及胞质内同时具有大颗粒和小颗粒二种颗粒特性的大小颗粒中间型细胞.小颗粒的形成方式是高尔基体成熟面小泡脱离后直接成为小颗粒,而大颗粒的形成方式是高尔基体成熟面小泡脱离后,数个小泡逐渐聚集成蜂窝状大颗粒,进一步发育成熟为均质大颗粒.实验结果表明:三种有颗粒的细胞是互相独立的,可能分别由无颗粒细胞分化而成.       

A possible iridovirus in erythrocytes of Bufo marinus in Costa Rica

Icosahedral viral particles were found in the cytoplasm of erythrocytes and splenic reticular cells of a marine toad (Bufo marinus) collected from Costa Rica. Capsids had a maximum diameter of 312 nm and a spherical core with biphasic electron density. Viruses in erythrocytes were associated with cytoplasmic assembly areas and vacuoles in cytoplasm. Nuclei had finely granular material of decreased electron density located centrally, but contained no viral particles. A group of unenveloped viral particles was seen extracellularly in a splenic vessel. The virus was consistent with an iridovirus. In a blood smear stained with Giemsa round basophilic bodies with average diameters of 1.70 microns and morphologically similar to Pirhemocyton sp. were seen in the cytoplasm of erythrocytes and occasionally in the cytoplasm of monocytes or extracellularly. Erythrocytes containing these bodies had vacuoles and irregular pale-staining areas in the cytoplasm and pale-staining areas in the nucleus. These changes corresponded to the viral particles, assembly areas, vacuoles and nuclear changes at the ultrastructural level.     

LOCALIZATION OF ACID PHOSPHATASE IN LIPOFUSCIN GRANULES AND POSSIBLE AUTOPHAGIC VACUOLES IN INTERSTITIAL CELLS OF THE GUINEA PIG TESTIS

The intracellular localization of acid phosphatase in guinea pig testicular interstitial cells was investigated by incubating nonfrozen thick sections of glutaraldehyde-perfused testis in a modified Gomori medium and preparing the tissue for electron microscopy. Lipofuscin pigment granules in these cells contain dense pigment, granular matrix, and often a lipid droplet. Reaction product is seen in the matrix of the pigment granules, and they may therefore be called residual bodies. At least some of the dense pigment appears to be derived from myelin figures and membrane whorls, since suitable intermediates can be seen. Lipid droplets found free in the cytoplasm are another possible source of pigment. In both cases the chemical mechanism is presumed to be autoxidation of unsaturated lipid. Acid phosphatase is present in the inner cisterna of Golgi elements. Enzyme activity also appears in possible autophagic vacuoles bounded by double membranes; the reaction product lies between the membranes. Consideration of the enzyme as a tracer suggests that the autophagic vacuoles are derived from the Golgi complex. Possible stages in the formation of these vacuoles by the inner Golgi cisternae are observed.     

Ultrastructure of the liver cells in Salamandra salamandra (L.) in the end of Winter

Following hibernation, most salamander liver cells undergo alterations. The liver cells containing the structure of their active period present a normal nucleus, glycogen granules disseminated throughout the entire cytoplasm and granular mitochondria with several peripheral cristae. Most cells, however, possess altered mitochondria, transformed into electron-dense masses, or clear vesicles with the possibility of digesting the ambient organelles. Other cells have clear vacuoles with similar digestive possibilities. The endoplasmic reticulum is poorly represented in the liver cells that have suffered advanced alteration. The nucleus of these cells is homogeneously granular. The sytoplasm is populated by electron-dense bodies and lipid vacuoles. The nucleolemma and plasmalemma are thickened. The pigmented cells, altered concomitantly with the liver cells, contain granular aggregates. Some of the pigmented cells exhibit electron-clear formations similar to the reflecting platelets of the iridocytes of the integument of lower vertebrates.     

FINE STRUCTURE OF THE ZOOSPORE OF OEDOCLADIUM CAROLINIANUM (CHLOROPHYTA) WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE FLAGELLAR APPARATUS1, 2

Ultrastructure of the motile zoospore has been investigated in Oedocladium catolinianum & Hoffman. An unwalled zoospore is usually produced from the contents of a terminal vegetative cell and consists of two principal regions: a small anterior dome and a larger body region; a ring of flagella marks the juncture of these two areas. Chloroplast inclusions consist of thylakoids, mature and incipient pyrenoids, starch and striated microtubules; no eyespot has been observed. Zoospores appear to possess permanent contractile vacuoles with numerous accessory vacuoles, coated vesicles and occasionally coated tubules. The cytoplasm of the dome contains numerous mitochondria ER and golgi bodies, as well as two distinct types of vesicles. The first contains an electron-dense; granular core and is surrounded by a loose, sinuate membrane. The second vesicle is electron-opaque and is found at the apex of the dome: it contains mucopolysaccharides employed during zoospore adhesion. A complex flagellar apparatus encircles the lower region of the dome. It consists of ca. 30–65 flagella, a ring-shaped fibrous band, flagella roots and additional supporting material. The flagella and roots alternate with one another beneath the fibrous band. The compound flagellar roots consist of two superimposed components: an outer ribbon-like unit composed of three microtubular elements and a single striated inner component. A band of support material lies beneath the proximal end of the basal bodies. It is a continuous fibrous band, although it often appears as three distinct, repetitive units.     

Giant vacuoles arising during ADH-induced transcellular bulk water flow across the epithelium of the frog urinary bladder

Structural changes of the cytoplasm of urinary bladder granular cells after an antidiuretic hormone (ADH) stimulation of water transport were studied using standard and cryogenic methods of electron microscopy. Numerous changes occurred in these cells, the cytoplasm of the granular cells becoming swollen, and the intercellular spaces enlarged. Most granules become fused with the apical membrane. Under maximal ADH action, giant vacuoles appear in the cytoplasm of granular cells, in association with microfilaments and microtubules. Analysis of ultrastructure of the granular cells has established the origin of giant vacuoles from the cis -cisterna of the Golgi complex. A hypothesis based on the morphofunctional homology of giant vacuoles in granular cells with the contractile vacuoles of Protozoa is proposed in which the giant vacuoles ('contractile-like' vacuoles) are seen as operating a osmoregulatory role in these cells. It is also proposed that microtubules and microfilaments participate in giant vacuole migration through the cytoplasm.     

Pelomyxa palustris Greeff

Summary The Pelomyxa palustris amoebae used in this study were multinucleate, herbivorous protozoans. All nuclei within a single organism were similar, but several types of nuclei were seen in different amoeba. These nuclei might represent various stages of mitosis although metaphase and anaphase stages were never seen. Rod-shaped bacteria within vesicles characteristically surrounded the nuclei. Bacterial rods of this as well as another type also occurred within vesicles in the cytoplasm. The nuclear envelope contained annuli and it was covered externally by minute vesicles. Nucleoli and micronucleoli were most frequently located along the inner surface of the nuclear envelope. Clusters of electron-opaque spheroids were found within the nucleoli; sometimes, they existed free in the nucleoplasm. Intranuclear globules of lipidlike material were often seen.Mitochondria, Golgi bodies, contactile vacuoles, and crystal vacuoles were definitely absent in P. palustris. The cytoplasm contained many food vacuoles and clear vacuoles of various sizes. Vacuole-like aggregations, probably containing glycogen, were present.Work supported by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.     

STUDIES ON THE HUMAN CORPUS LUTEUM : II. Observations on the Ultrastructure of Luteal Cells During Pregnancy

The ultrastructure of human corpora lutea obtained during the 6th, 10th, 16th, and 35th week of pregnancy is reported. Differences between the established luteal cell of pregnancy and the transitory luteal cell of the menstrual cycle are noted. In pregnancy the luteal cell is more compartmentalized into a peripheral mass of ER (endoplasmic reticulum) and a central area where mitochondria and Golgi complexes are concentrated. The latter area extends to a cell surface where microvilli face on a perivascular space. Long bundles of filaments are prominent within the luteal cell cytoplasm and, in contiguous cells, appear to arise from adjacent desmosomal regions. Bilateral subsurface cisternae of granular ER at lateral cell borders appear to be areas of specialized junctional surfaces. Certain luteal cells with irregular nuclear membranes are also characterized by vesicular aggregates enclosed within a single membrane. These aggregates are found within the peripheral nucleoplasm or the perinuclear cytoplasm. Their single limiting membrane often appears continuous with either the inner or outer leaflet of the nuclear membrane.     

离体培养鼠疟原虫动合子形成过程的电子显微镜观察

本文报道了用透射电子显微镜观察离体培养的鼠疟原虫配子体到动合子的发育过程。 鼠疟原虫配子的发生是由嗜锇小体趋向配子体表面开始。雌配子体从红细胞中逸出后,嗜锇小体消失。雄配子体微管形成和鞭毛轴丝集合是从红细胞中逸出前出现的。合子转变为动合子由致密内膜及膜下微管形成时开始,继之形成顶端复合物,随着突起增大,表膜复合物逐渐向后延伸,最后包绕整个虫体,即完成动合子的发育。疟原虫生活史第一次核分裂可能发生在动合子形成期间。本文证实了离体培养的动合子与蚊体内发育的动合子结构相同。     

The Fine Structure of the Macrogametocytes of Adelina tribolii Bhatia, 1937 (Eucoccidia, Telosporea) from the Fat Body of the Beetle Tribolium castaneum Hbst.

SYNOPSIS. Macrogametocytes of the coccidium Adelina tribolii Bhatia, 1937 are described from the time when they settle in the fat body of the host and form periparasitic vacuoles around them to the stage of microgametocyte occurrence and the beginning of syzygy formation.
The macrogametocyte is surrounded by a 2-layered pellicle 50 mμ thick. Its continuity is interrupted by one or several micropores 40 mμ across and 86 mμ deep.
The cytoplasm of the parasite contains numerous vesicles and lamellae of rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Mitochondria of various sizes have short tubules. The macrogametocyte contains a variable number of dark bodies 1.4-2.4 μ in diameter. It also contains several vacuoles up to 1.2 μ which are covered with a 3-layered membrane and enclose a granular material.
In old macrogametocytes in syzygy multivesicular bodies develop which measure up to 2.4 by 1.6 μ. Several smaller vacuoles containing granular material are also a constituent of the electrondense basic substance of these corpuscles.
Paraglycogen granules 1.4 by 0.9 A occur in old macrogametocytes and are situated inside the vacuoles which are not bordered by a membrane. The numbers and size of these granules increase with the age of the parasite. The Golgi complex lies close to the nucleus.
The nucleus, 6-8.5 μ in diameter, is in the center of the macrogametocyte and contains a large eccentric nucleolus. The nuclear membrane is 2-layered and has many pores.     

Comparative analysis of the structure of the vacuolar system of the bladder granular cells in the frog and of the contractile vacuole complex of protozoans

A comparative morphological study of the vacuolar system of the frog urinary bladder epithelial cells and of the contractile vacuole complex of Paramecium caudatum enabled us to reveal some common structural elements in these: spongial channels and general vacuole reservoir. The structural similarity of these organoids seems to be the base of their analogous functions in the cell. Detection of vacuoles of various forms in different areas of granular cells may point to a possible migration of the vacuoles around their cytoplasm. Localization of spheric vacuoles in the innermost contact with the plasma membrane, and dilution of the intercellular space in this epithelial part may suggest an expulsion of the vacuole content in the basolateral part of the cell. The "contractile" vacuoles of granular cells are related to other intracellular structure: the Golgi apparatus, coated vesicles, microtubules, microfilaments.     

Effects of parathyroid hormone on osteoclasts in vivo

Summary Young rats were treated with high doses of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Osteoclasts from these animals revealed characteristic alterations in comparison to control cells: a) The cytoplasm contained large vacuoles with phagocytosed cells, some of which resembled osteoblasts or osteocytes. The vacuoles were interpreted as lysosomes because the engulfed cells often appeared partly digested and the vacuoles contained acid phosphatase as demonstrated histochemically, b) lipid droplets were present in the cytoplasm and usually located close to the endoplasmic reticulum and/or in regions with many free ribosomes, c) the Golgi complex was more frequently separated from the nuclei than in control cells, d) small coated cytoplasmic bodies were numerous in the peripheral cytoplasm, e) the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum were fused in some places, f) cytoplasmic regions with numerous free ribosomes were frequent, g) large ring-shaped granules occurred in some mitochondria. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis of these granules provided evidence that they contained calcium and probably phosphorus, h) in some osteoclasts the mitochondria were enlarged. — The findings are consistent with an increased activity of osteoclasts and in particular a stimulation of the lysosomal system in these cells.This research was supported by grants no. 512-819, 512-1545 and 512-1912 from the Danish Research Council. The observations were reported in part at the annual meeting of the Scandinavian Society for Electron Microscopy in Aarhus 1972 (Lucht, 1973). — The authors thank Mr. K. Ibe for cooperation in the energy dispersive X-ray analysis, which was carried out at the JEOL (Europe) S. A. Application Center, Paris.     

薏苡胚乳细胞化的超微结构观察

采用透射电镜对薏苡早期的胚乳细胞化进行了研究,在胚乳游离核时期,胚乳游离核及细胞质绕中央细胞分布,游离核间没有发现胚囊壁内突、成膜体等结构。胚乳细胞化过程中初始垂周壁形成过程如下：（１）胚乳细胞质中出现液泡,使细胞质和核向中央液泡推进：（２）一对相邻细胞核间液泡成对存在,且呈垂周分布,而且两液泡间的细胞质很狭窄;（３）在这狭窄的细胞质中出现成行排列的小泡;（４）小泡融合形成细胞板,细胞板悬于两液泡