Ultrastructure of the male genital ducts of the clearnose skate Raja eglanteria

Tissues from the male genital ducts of six specimens of the clearnose skate Raja eglanteria, comprising the Leydig gland, upper and lower epididymis, ductus deferens and seminal vesicle, were fixed and embedded for ultrastructural examination. In the Leydig gland, two types of columnar cells were identified, one bearing microvilli, a basal nucleus and evidence of active secretion with plentiful endoplasmic reticulum and numerous secretory droplets, and the other pyriform with cilia, and swathes of cytofilaments emanating from prominent desmosomes. Occasional crystalloid intramitochondrial inclusions were seen in the first type, with a periodicity of 24 nm. The upper epididymis was composed of cuboidal cells with microvilli and cilia and irregular electron dense granules, some of which were basally situated and extremely large, often within cells resembling intraepithelial leucocytes; such cells were also seen in the stroma underlying the epithelium. The lower epididymis cells also bore microvilli and cilia and were heavily vacuolated with fatty inclusions as well as the granule-laden leucocytes seen previously. In the ductus deferens, cells had masses of long cilia with occasional microvilli; endoplasmic reticulum was well developed, forming complex arrays with sparse secretory droplets and basal mitochondria. In the seminal vesicle there were two cell types, the most common having long cilia and short microvilli and an occasional, paler cell with supranuclear accumulations of small, round mitochondria. These ultrastructural appearances have been related to cell glycosylation and functions including protein secretion, water absorption and waste removal, and illustrate how structure and function vary down the length of the genital tract.     

Crystalloid Inclusions in Species of Leucocytozoon,Parahaemoproteus, and Plasmodium*†

Cytoplasmic vacuoles seen in methanol-fixed, Giemsa's-stained ookinetes of Leucocytozoon simondi, Parahaemoproteus fringillae and Plasmodium gallinaceum, when studied with the electron microscope, were found to correspond with crystalloid inclusions of similar structure, particle size, and arrangement. Cytochemical examination of these “crystalloids” revealed their lipid-protein nature. Morphologically similar inclusions were found also in ookinetes of Leucocytozoon ziemanni and Parahaemoproteus velans. In L. simondi, crystalloid is formed rapidly after fertilization, from amorphous electron dense material seen in mature macrogametocytes. The arrangement and distribution of crystalloids in the zygote, ookinete, oocyst, and sporozoite are described. On the basis of differences in structure and particle size, it is proposed that the crystalloid inclusions in Haemosporina be divided into 2 types. Type I—lipid-protein in nature, characterized by electron dense irregularly spherical particles, 25–40 nm in diameter, with individual particles not invested by membrane. Type II—probably virus, characterized by electron dense, irregularly spherical, membrane-bounded particles, with a diameter usually greater than 40 nm.     

Sieve-element plastids ofTriticum andAegilops (Poaceae)

Fourteen taxa of the Triticum-Aegilops group have been investigated for their sieve-element plastids. At maturity they contain dense and thin crystalloid inclusions and are classified into the PIIc' plastid type; onlyAe. comosa var.biaristata lacked the thin crystalloids and thus conforms to the PII c type. The proteinaceous nature of the crystalloids was demonstrated by application of proteolytic enzymes. Ultrastructural evidence suggests that both kinds of crystalloid inclusions are involved in the sealing of sieve-plate pores of injured sieve tubes. Measurements and calculations of the spacings and angles carried out on crystalloid prints permitted the construction of a two- and three-dimensional pattern forT. aestivum thin crystalloids.     

Intramitochondrial inclusions in various cells of a snake (Elaphae quadrivirgata)

Summary A variety of inclusion bodies occur in the mitochondria of several cell types of the snake, Elaphae quadrivirgata. These lie in the mitochondrial matrix or within the space of the cristae. The inclusions in the matrix are as follows: dense homogeneous and fine granular materials, structures with finger-print appearance and with filamentous and/or crystalloid pattern and fine ring-shaped and/or microtubular structures. The inclusions within mitochondrial cristae are glycogen particles, globular materials, and strand-like structures.These inclusions occur not only during the hibernation period of the snake, but also in the arousal period. Furthermore, some inclusions are encountered in fetal tissues. The functional significance of these inclusions is unknown; however, the present study suggests that they are related to the metabolic activity of the cells.     

Structural features of the epididymis in a dasyurid marsupial (Antechinus stuartii)

Summary The ductus epididymidis of the marsupial mouse Antechinus stuartii was divided into caput, corpus, and caudal regions using several constant morphological landmarks. Tubule diameter and epithelial height increased gradually from caput to cauda. In contrast, the surface area of the lumen of the ductus epididymidis increased to a maximum in the distal caput region, but decreased markedly in the distal cauda in association with characteristic changes in lumen shape (from circular to slit-shaped) and epithelial height. Epithelial cells of the ductus epididymidis were generally similar in structure to those described in other mammalian species. Principal and basal cells were common throughout the epithelium. Clear and mitochondria-rich cells were also identified, but occurred less frequently. Regional variations in cell ultrastructure were observed only in principal cells. Numerous vesicular inclusions occurred in the apical cytoplasm of cells in caput segments, membrane-bounded, electron-dense bodies were common in distal corpus regions, and a brush border of microvilli characterized the luminal surface of principal cells in caudal segments. Sperm index increased in the proximal caput, declined to basal levels in the distal caput and proximal corpus, and then increased to a maximum in segment 9 of the distal corpus and remained at about this level throughout the cauda epididymidis. Nuclear rotation, loss of cytoplasmic droplets, and other sperm maturational changes were observed along the epididymis. Discarded cytoplasmic droplets collected in large masses interspersed between aggregates of spermatozoa throughout the distal regions of the duct. There was no evidence of phagocytosis by principal cells of cytoplasmic droplets. The epididymis of A. stuartii differs from that of other mammals. The unusual caudal region, which has little storage capacity for sperm, is an unusual adaptation in a species in which the male is known to be polygamous.     

Paracrystalline inclusions in various isolates of the blue-green bacteria Nostoc and Anabaena.

A number of different crystalline inclusions were observed in various isolates of Anabaena and Nostoc. Membrane-limited crystalline bodies were observed in 7 of 20 isolates of Anabaena and 19 of 29 isolates of Nostoc. These are spherical, single membrane-limited bodies from 0.6 to 0.1 micron in diameter. In most of the isolates they contained needle-like crystals 20 A in thickness and up to 80 nm in length. In 9 of the isolates the inclusions contained granular and fibrillar material. The number of bodies per cell varied in the different isolates from only a few, observed in many sections, up to 5 in a single section of A. subtropica (B1618). Crystalloids were observed in the cytoplasm of Anabaena sp. (1551), N. calcicola (B382), Nostoc sp. (588), and N. punctiforme (1629). In Anabaena sp. (1551) the roughly cuboidal inclusions 0.6 micron in diameter were composed of 100 A thick osmiophilic striations spaced to produce a 150 A periodicity. In Nostoc sp. (588) the elongate, 0.1 micron by 2.5 micron, crystalloids were composed of 100 A thick osmiophilic striations spaced to produce a 200 A periodicity. N. punctiforme (1629) and N. calciola (B382) contained intrathylakoidal crystalloids which consisted of short curved segments with 100 A thick osmiophilic striations producing a 200 A periodicity. Granular areas were observed in 2 isolates of Anabaena and 5 of Nostoc. These bodies found in various locations in the cells, were interpreted to be elongate structures 0.2 micron thick, 1.2 micron long and about 5 micron in depth. These inclusions were composed of 15 nm diameter granules which in some section planes appeared in rows spaced 20 nm apart. Spherical bodies up to 0.7 micron in diameter and of medium electron density were observed in 4 isolates of Anabaena and 2 of Nostoc. Convoluted inclusions were found in N. calcicola (B382) and Anabaena sp. (1551). These roughly spherical bodies up to 0.8 micron in diameter contain lighter swirled areas.     

Ultrastructural study of crystalloids in Sertoli cells of the normal,intersex and experimental cryptorchid swine

Spindle- or needle-shaped crystalloids are observed in Sertoli cells of the intersex and experimental cryptorchid swine in the light and electron microscopes. Small crystalloids are also observed in Sertoli cells of the normal swine only by electron microscopy. These crystalloids consist of fine filaments. The filaments are about 5 nm in diameter and arranged parallel to the long axis of the drystalloid. In cross sections of the crystalloid, the close backing of the filaments shows hexagonal arrays. The interfilamentous distance is about 5 nm. In all animals, bundles of short filaments, which are 5nm in diameter, are observed in the basal part of the Sertoli cells. Ultrastructural similarities among the crystalloids, the bundles of fine filaments, and the filamentous layer in the junctional specialization of the Sertoli cell are shown. These morphological similarities suggest that the crystalloids are formed by the aggregation of the bundles in the Sertoli cells of azoospermic testes.     

Two types of intracytoplasmic inclusions in the cells of a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

A patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with cells containing two types of cytoplasmic inclusions is described. The inclusions appeared as globular bodies containing electron dense material with homogeneous structure and as crystalloid formations confined in organelles with structure similar to that of the surrounding mitochondria. In distinction to other reports, these structures were not related to the endoplasmic reticulum. The possibility that some of them represented altered mitochondria is discussed.     

ONTOGENY,HISTOCHEMISTRY AND FINE STRUCTURE OF CELLULAR INCLUSIONS IN VEGETATIVE CELLS OF ANTITHAMNION DEFECTUM (CERAMIACEAE,RHODOPHYTA)1

The ultrastructure and histochemistry of developing and mature cell inclusions in vegetative cells of Antithamnion defectum Kylin were examined. Those studied were chloroplast inclusions, cytoplasmic crystals and spherical bodies within the vacuole. Chloroplasts of mature vegetative cells contain an interthylakoidal, apparently noncrystalline deposit of undetermined chemical identity. The bodies are parallel to the long axis of the plastid, are square (0.13 μm) in cross-section, and up to 3 μm long. Spherical vacuolar bodies (0.5–1.5 μum diam) are formed during early stages of vacuole formation by accumulation of protein deposits in swelling endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae. Swelling of smooth ER contiguous to the ER containing the deposits results in the vacuole enclosing the spherical bodies. In mature cells, vesicles appear to be secreted into the preformed vacuole. Cytoplasmic proteinaceous crystalloids develop without a bounding membrane and may serve as protein reserves.     

Dense-cored vesicles and unusual lamellar bodies in type III gustatory cells in taste buds of rabbit foliate papillae

Some type III cells in taste buds of rabbit foliate papillae have greatly increased numbers of dense-cored vesicles. Such cells also contain unusual lamellar bodies that resemble those in alveolar type II cells; they consist of alternating dense and light layers with a periodicity of about 4.4 nm. The precise relationship between the vesicles and the lamellar bodies is unknown.     

Crystalloid formation in Leydig cells of rats (Rattus fuscipes)

Summary The ultrastructure of Leydig cells in a seasonally breeding rodent, Rattus fuscipes, was studied in the breeding and non-breeding season and compared with Leydig cell morphology after suppression of gonadotrophin secretion induced by hypophysectomy or chronic administration of testosterone. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were measured and in-vitro T production by testes was assessed by stimulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). In non-breeding wild-trapped rats and rats with experimental suppression of gonadotrophins, the Leydig cells were atrophied and exhibited variable amounts of cytoplasmic lipid and crystalloid inclusions, the latter commonly dominating the cytoplasmic area. Compared with fertile rats, serum LH and hCG-stimulated T production of experimentally regressed rats was significantly reduced, confirming structural features indicative of Leydig cell inactivity. Atrophy of Leydig cell nuclei was accompanied by the formation of unusual intranuclear vesicles sometimes containing small crystalloids. Ultrastructural analysis suggested transfer of the vesicles to the cytoplasm where their unification gave rise to much larger crystalloid bodies. Crystalloids occurred when serum LH was depressed and with either full (T treatment) or arrested spermatogenesis (hypophysectomy) suggesting that their formation is governed by pituitary function and is not dependent upon the degree of spermatogenic activity.     

ENDOSPERM STRUCTURE AND STORAGE RESERVE HISTOCHEMISTRY IN THE PALM,WASHINGTONIA FILIFERA

The endosperm of Washingtonia filifera consists of living cells with the same general cellular structure throughout the seed. The major storage reserves are carbohydrate, stored in the form of thickened walls; lipid, stored as numerous small lipid bodies which fill the cytoplasm; and protein, stored as large, but variably-sized, protein bodies. The protein bodies contain two types of inclusions: prismatically-shaped denser protein crystalloids and small crystalline deposits presumed to be phytic acid. The X-ray microanalysis shows these crystalline inclusions do contain P, Ca, Mg, and Fe. Protein bodies are positively stained with PAS. Nuclei are present in all cells, but stain very palely. Plastids and mitochondria are present, but infrequently seen. The plastids have few, poorly developed membranes. Endoplsasmic reticulum and dictyosomes are lacking. The cell wall is thick except in areas of pit fields and consists of three layers which differ in their staining with toluidine blue and in their ultrastructural characteristics: middle lamella, thickened outer wall, and thin inner wall. All wall layers are positively stained with PAS and calcofluor. Although general structural features of the endosperm in Washingtonia filifera are similar to those in date seeds, the composition of the wall polysaccharides and protein bodies appear to differ somewhat.     

Uptake and accumulation of tritiated uteroglobin by day-6 rabbit blastocysts

Summary Uptake of uteroglobin (UGL) by day-6 rabbit blastocysts and the intracellular fate of this protein were studied by light- and electron-microscopic autoradiography, immunocytochemistry and acid-phosphatase cytochemistry. UGL, labelled with N-succinimidyl-(2-3-³H)-propionate, was administered to embryos in vitro for 15 min to 4 h. The kinetics, determined from light-microscopic autoradiographs, showed a continuous uptake of the labeled protein over a 4-h period of incubation. At the ultrastructural level, increasing numbers of silver grains and an intense UGL immunoreaction in protein vacuoles and crystalloid bodies of trophoblast cells indicated that ³H-UGL had accumulated in these organelles. The presence of crystalloid inclusions in protein vacuoles suggests their origin by a condensation of the protein content, including UGL. Lysosomes containing radioactivity were rarely found, suggesting a very low degradation rate of the ³H-UGL. Protein vacuoles and crystalloid bodies exhibited no acid phosphatase reaction. The enzyme was mainly found outside the basal and lateral cell membranes of trophoblast cells, and on the rough endoplasmic reticulum of endoderm cells.     

Ultrastructural and cytochemical examination of the nuclear crystalloid inclusions of Olea europaea L. mesophyll cells

Summary The nuclei of mesophyll cells of olive trees contain numerous sizeable crystalloid inclusions. Cytochemical examination using epoxy resin-embedded, semithin-sectioned tissue indicated the presence of proteins and oligoor polysaccharides in these inclusions. Their electron microscopical analysis revealed a crystalline substructure consisting of intersected subunits of high order. The spacing of the lattice fibrils and the angles of intersection were determined and used to establish a model of the unit cell of crystallization. It is suggested that the nuclear crystalloids of olive trees consist of glycoprotein molecules. They differ from the intranuclear crystalloids observed in other species predominantly in the high density of their subunit arrangement.     

Influence of abdominal temperature and luminal contents on the cauda epididymidis of the rat

In an attempt to determine if changes previously described in the epididymides of cryptorchid testes were related to the elevated environmental temperature or to the absence of normal luminal constituents, rats were divided into four test groups. Group I animals were made unilaterally cryptorchid. Animals in Group II had only the cauda epididymidis of one side maintained within the abdominal cavity (cryptepididymal) while the caput epididymides and testes remained in the scrotum. The testes of animals in Group III remained in the scrotum but had their efferent tubules ligated on one side. Testes of unoperated rats and contralateral testes of the test animals served as controls. The histochemical demonstration of sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) was used to determine differences in functional activity and light and electron microscopy were used to determine structural changes. SDH activity could not be demonstrated in the cauda epididymidis of cryptorchid and efferent tubule-ligated animals; animals in which the luminal contents were obviously changed. These same groups of animals showed abnormal folding of the basal surface of the epididymal epithelium at the ultrastructural level. Activity of SDH could be demonstrated in control epididymides and in those that contained normal luminal contents but were maintained at the temperature of the abdominal cavity. The basal surface of the epididymal epithelium was not unusual in these animals. The results indicate that the epididymis is influenced to a greater extent by changes in luminal contents than by temperature elevation.     

Die Feinstruktur kristalloider Einschlüsse in Mitochondrien von Porterioochromonas stipitata

Summary The matrix of the mitochondria of Porterioochromonas stipitata Lewin (Chrysophyceae) often contains crystalloid inclusion bodies that are composed of hexagonally packed fibrils (or tubules). The fibrils have a diameter of 10 nm, their center-to-center spacing is 13,5 nm.     

Occurrence,composition, and structure of microbody crystalloids in charophycean gametangial sheath cells

Summary An ultrastructural study was made of the cellular sheaths surrounding the sexual organs of five species of algae in the three genera ofCharophyceae: Nitella flexilis, N. mirabilis, Chara brattnii, Tolypella boldii andT. intricata. Microbodies similar in appearance, with crystalline nucleoids, were present in the sheath cells of all five species. The microbodies resembled in size and topographical associations those of other green algae. The hexagonal-shaped crystalloids consisted of parallel arrays of fine tubules of about 15 nm in diameter arranged parallel to the long axis of the crystalloid. In cross sections of the crystalloid, the close packing of the tubules showed hexagonal arrays. The intertubular distance is about 7 nm. At higher magnification there is a suggestion that the walls of these tubules are themselves constructed of smaller tubules. Further electron microscopic observations of diaminobenzidine (DAB)-treated preparations revealed pronounced deposition of reaction product in the microbodies, particularly on the crystalloids. The reaction was completely blocked by the catalase inhibitor, aminotriazole. These results strongly suggest that catalase is involved in this reaction and that catalase is located in the crystalloids.     

Morphology of the epithelium of the extratesticular rete testis, ductuli efferentes and ductus epididymidis of the adult male rabbit

The fine structure of the epithelium lining the extratesticular rete testis, ductuli efferentes and ductus epididymidis of the rabbit has been investigated. In the ductuli efferentes the epithelium is composed of two cell types, principal cells and ciliated cells. The latter type is distinguished from principal cells by the presence of cilia projecting into the lumen and the position of the nucleus in the apical half of the cell. Principal cells in this segment are characterized by micropinocytotic vesicles on the surface plasma membrane and a variety of small dense bodies scattered throughout the cytoplasm. In the ductus epididymidis basal cells replace ciliated cells as the second cell type, but differences between various segments of the epididymis are related to the fine structure of the principal cells. In the proximal caput epididymidis (Nicander's region 1) the principal cells are tall with long microvilli. They typically contain a small Golgi apparatus and a cluster of dense bodies adjacent to the nucleus. In the distal caput epididymidis (Nicander's regions 2-5) the apical cytoplasm of principal cells is filled with numerous micropinocytotic vesicles and large multivesicular bodies; these features are interpreted as signs of absorptive activity. The multivesicular bodies are absent from the cytoplasm of principal cells in the corpus epididymidis (Nicander's region 6) and, instead, numerous elements of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, a large Golgi apparatus, lipid droplets and dense bodies characterize principal cells in this segment. Towards the proximal cauda epididymidis (Nicander's region 7), the number of dense bodies (lysosomes) in the cytoplasm increases considerably. In the globose cauda (Nicander's region 8), the principal cells are reduced in height, and in addition to the features described in region 7, are characterized by a concentric array of rough endoplasmic reticulum in the basal cytoplasm. These observations are discussed in relation to the role of the epididymis in promoting the maturation and survival of spermatozoa.     

Ultrastructural and biochemical changes in epididymis and vas deferens of gossypol treated rats

Adult male Wister rats when administered with 15 mg/kg body weight/day of gossypol acetic acid proved to be sterile by 10 weeks of treatment. The weight of the whole epididymis did not deviate from the controls but when the caput, corpus and cauda epididymidis were considered separately, the cauda epididymidis weight was significantly reduced. The major changes were observed in the motor apparatus of the sperm. The most common defects in the sperm were the vacuolization and complete degeneration of the midpiece mitochondria and plasma membrane. The total LDH activity of caput and cauda epididymidis were within the range of control values. Sialic acid levels of the epididymis were not affected after the treatment. These results suggest a more proximal site of action of the drug than at the epididymal level.     

Intramitochondrial rodlet-like inclusions in human leukemic lymphocytes.

Some mitochondria in leukemic cells in two of nine investigated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and in one patient with morphologically less usual form of this disease contained unusual rodlet-like inclusion bodies. These structures were always present in the matrix of frequently dilatated intercristal spaces. The width of rodlet-like inclusions ranged between 10 and 20 nm, their maximal length was 114 nm. All observed rodlet-like inclusion bodies appeared to be composed of fine filaments 2...3 nm in width and resembled the DNA containing structures in mitochondria of few other cell types. In mitochondria of leukemic cells, however, these inclusions represent a further structural abnormality.