Cryofracturing for Scanning Electron Microscope Observations of Internal Structures of Nematodes

Nematodes were prepared for scanning electron microscopy by cryofracturing in ethanol and then by critical-point drying in carbon dioxide. Cross sections of Caenorhabditis briggsae and Xiphinema americanum showed the arrangement of the intestine, ovaries, muscle cells, and some layers of the cuticle. The technique is complementary to transmission electron microscopy and facilitates the interpretation of results from thin sections.     

THE DIFFERENTIATION OF WHITE ADIPOSE CELLS : An Electron Microscope Study

Differentiating white adipose tissue from presumptive and developing fat pads of newborn and young rats was fixed in buffered osmium tetroxide, embedded in Vestopal W, and examined in an electron microscope. Pre-adipose cells were found to be fibroblasts characterized by their spindle shape, long tenuous cytoplasmic extensions, and profuse endoplasmic reticulum. The developmental stages traced from fibroblast to mature adipose cell show a gradual change in cell shape, an accumulation of cytoplasm and non-membrane-bounded lipid, a decrease in the endoplasmic reticulum, and a change in shape of mitochondria. Transitory glycogen appears at mid-differentiation. Numerous smooth-membraned vesicles occur in the cytoplasm throughout differentiation. Pinocytosis is constantly evident. Cells of the multilocular stage are shown to differ from brown fat cells, particularly with respect to cytoplasmic membrane systems and mitochondria. No transport of particulate lipid from the lumen of the capillary to, or within, the adipose cell was detected, nor could any cell organelle be demonstrated to be visibly related to lipid synthesis and/or deposition.     

THE INTRAEPIDERMAL INNERVATION OF THE SNOUT SKIN OF THE OPOSSUM : A Light and Electron Microscope Study, with Observations on the Nature of Merkel's Tastzellen

The intraepidermal innervation of the snout skin of the opossum has been studied with the light and electron microscope. Numerous large nerve fibers loose their myelin sheath in the superficial dermis and pass into the epidermis. The basement membranes of the epidermis and Schwann cell become continuous at the point of entry of the neurite into the epidermis. Within the epidermis, the neurite is associated with a specialized secretory epidermal cell, termed a Merkel cell. This cell has many secretory granules apposed to the neurite. The Merkel cells are epidermal cells since they have desmosomes between them and adjacent epidermal cells. The neurite in the stratum spinosum is enveloped by Schwann cells in a manner analogous to the Schwann cell investment of unmyelinated neurites. In the upper stratum spinosum the nerve fiber evidences changes which can be interpreted as degenerative. The Merkel cell-neurite complex is interpreted as representing a sensory receptor unit.     

Electron Microscope Observations of the Melanocyte of the Human Epidermis

Using standard osmium fixation and methacrylate embedding techniques, a study has been made of the melanocyte of human biopsy skin removed under general and local anaesthesia. Melanogenesis was easily observable in the melanocytes, but immature pigment granules were rarely seen in the Malpighian cells. The passage of melanin from melanocyte to Malpighian cell—cytocrine secretion—is thought to have been observed. Phagocytes near the dermal-epidermal junction seem to have their pigment granules in vacuoles, rather than surrounded directly by the cytoplasmic matrix as in the melanocytes. This, together with the failure to observe "effete" melanocytes, prompts the suggestion that the phagocytes are melanocytes which have migrated from the epidermis into the dermis. A melanin granule is shown with alternating dark and lighter transverse striations, concerning which structure little can at present be said.     

THE ENDOCRINE CELLS IN THE EPITHELIUM OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL MUCOSA OF THE RAT : An Electron Microscope Study

The authors of this study examine the question of whether the so-called enterochromaffin or argentaffin cells of the gastrointestinal tract should be considered as a single cell type. The systematic application of purely morphologic methods has led to the conclusion that the epithelium of the gastrointestinal mucosa comprises endocrine cells of several types. This conclusion is primarily based on the uneven and characteristic distribution of the various cell types along the intestinal tract, an observation precluding the interpretation that the different types correspond to diverse functional stages of the same cell. A specific endocrine function may be attributed to each of the given cell types recognized so far on account of their appearance and their localization in characteristic areas of the gastrointestinal tract. It is acknowledged, however, that a purely morphological study leaves room for doubt. The first cell type is probably responsible for the formation of 5-hydroxytryptamine. Cells of type II are morphologically comparable to the pancreatic A cells and may, therefore, be called intestinal A cells. Cell type III comprises intestinal D cells since their appearance corresponds to that of pancreatic D cells. Cell type IV might well be responsible for catecholamine production, whereas gastrin is in all probability produced in endocrine cell type V. As yet, the thorough morphological study of the gastrointestinal epithelium does not provide information as to additional distinct cellular sites of production of the several other hormones isolated from different parts of the gut.     

Electron Microscope Observations on the Fine Structure of Parietal Cells

An electron microscope study has been made of the structure of parietal cells in cats, dogs, and rats and of the cells lining the gastric glands of Bufo spinulosus. It is characteristic of all these cells to contain numerous vesicles about 0.05 to 0.3 µ in size. In the mammalian parietal cells an intracellular system of canaliculi is also observed, which is much more complex in the rat than in the cat or dog. Stimulation with histamine causes in the cat a very marked hypertrophy of the canalicular system with development of a large number of villi and a decrease in the number of vesicles. In Bufo, histamine induces the formation of a very complex system of membrane infoldings which circumscribe finger-like processes that entirely fill the glandular lumen. The cytoplasmic vesicles diminish or disappear. These experiments show that under histamine stimulation all these cells undergo a great increase in the cell membrane area. These findings provide additional circumstantial evidence that parietal cells play a role in the secretion of hydrochloric acid.     

Scanning Electron Microscope Observations of Amoeba proteus During Phagocytosis*

SYNOPSIS. Phagocytosing Amoeba proteus at different stages of forming foodcups have been observed by scanning electron microscopy. A nonphagocytosing ameba is characterized by dorsal and lateral ridges running longitudinally over the posterior half of the cell and its attachment to the substrate over small areas. When stimulated by prey organisms, the ameba loses polarity and ridges, and adheres to the substrate more firmly over a wider area of contact. Then it forms broad pseudopods to surround its prey and this results in the formation of foodcups. The surface of all amebae is covered with small projections, and membranous blebs are often seen on the surface of phagocytosing organisms.     

Electron Microscope Observations on the Zoospores of Pylaiella and Laminaria

The zoospores of Laminaria saccharina and Pylaiella litoralishave both been shown to possess a hairy front flagellum (Flimmergeissel).In both cases this is longer than the smooth hind flagellum.There is no proboscis. In Pylaiella it has been shown that thehairs are in two rows on the front flagellum and that they arisein pairs except at the extreme front end. Each hair has a jointedstructure and consists of a thicker basal portion which passesabruptly into a thin distal portion. There are signs of a loosetransparent skin covering the axis of the flagellum betweenthe rows of hairs. The axis has also been shown to be fibrillarin construction and to be capable of decomposing into elevenstrands, two of which are central. There is perhaps an intercalarymaterial in the axis in addition to the component fibrils.     

Observations with the Electron Microscope on a Species of Saprolegnia

Electron micrographs are presented to show the morphology ofthe flagella in each of the two motile phases of Saprolegniaferax, and one visual light photograph of a stained cell ofthe second stage is added. The front flagellum of both phasesis a Flimmergeissel with hairs between 2µ and 3µlong arranged in two rows and each ending in a thin hair-point.The axis is covered by a wide transparent sheath made of somematerial which appears to liquefy after death. The hind flagellum,which is devoid of Flimmer, is covered by a similar sheath,though there are signs that this is flattened into a fin inthe hind flagellum of the second stage. Some very fine shorthairs 0?5µ long are interpreted as a possible internalframework to this fin. The axis of both flagella is fibrillar,but accurate numerical details have not yet been obtained. Theskins discarded from cysts have also been examined and shownto be covered with characteristic double-headed hooks, whichare strong enough to attach a cyst to passing objects.     

Studies on Cartilage: Electron Microscope Observations on Normal Rabbit Ear Cartilage

Normal rabbit ear cartilage studied with the light and electron microscope shows chondrocytes in which large lipide spherules, and an abundance of glycogen, a few small mitochondria, and relatively few elements of the endoplasmic reticulum can be identified. The chondrocytes contain, in addition, a material which stains strongly with acid fuchsin and appears in the electron microscope as a relatively dense felt-work. In electron micrographs, the matrix of normal rabbit ear cartilage consists of two components: a uniformly distributed moderately dense substance which appears as a fine meshwork without any particular pattern extending from cartilage cell border to cartilage cell border; and a three-dimensional anastomotic network of more dense material, which is best described as "felt-like" lying between the cells. The similarity between the felt-like material of the matrix and the elastic fibers described in previous electron microscope observations is discussed.     

THE APPEARANCE OF ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE IN THE MYOTOME OF THE EMBRYONIC RABBIT : An Electron Microscope Cytochemical and Biochemical Study

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity has been studied in the myoblast of skeletal muscle of the 9–13 day fetal rabbit. Cytochemical activity is present in the nuclear envelope and the endoplasmic reticulum, including its derivatives the subsurface reticulum and the sarcoplasmic reticulum. End product is also found in the Golgi complex of the more differentiated myoblasts. The formation of reticulum-bound acetylcholinesterase in the myoblast appears to be independent of nerve-muscle contact, since the enzyme is present before the outgrowth of the spinal nerve. The nerve lacks cytochemical end product until the myoblast is well differentiated. Possible mechanisms of spontaneous muscle contraction have been discussed. A second type of myotomal cell, which exhibits a poorly localized end product of AChE activity, has been described. The ready solubility of the enzyme or diffusibility of its end product suggests that the enzyme may be a lyoesterase. This cell may be the precursor of the morphologically undifferentiated cell which is closely apposed to the myotubes in later stages of skeletal muscle development. Biochemical studies show a significant increase in AChE activity in the dermomyotome by day 12, when many of the myoblasts are well differentiated and the second type of myotomal cell is prominent. Cytochemical studies have indicated that many of the cells in the sample lack reaction product of enzymic activity, whereas others are very active. Biochemical values, therefore, reflect the amount of enzyme in the dermomyotome as a whole, but give little information on the enzymic content of individual cells.     

THE DISTRIBUTION OF INORGANIC CATIONS IN MOUSE TESTIS : Electron Microscope and Microprobe Analysis

For localization of pyroantimonate-precipitable cations, mouse testes were fixed with a saturated aqueous solution of potassium pyroantimonate (pH about 9.2, without addition of any conventional fixative), hardened with formaldehyde, and postosmicated. A good preservation of the cell membranes and over-all cell morphology is obtained as well as a consistent and reproducible localization of the insoluble antimonate salts of magnesium, calcium, and sodium. Four sites of prominent antimonate deposits are revealed, besides a more or less uniform distribution of the precipitates. These sites are: (a) In the walls of the seminiferous tubules, localized in two concentric layers corresponding to the inner and outer layers of the tubular wall; (b) Around the blood vessels and adjacent connective tissue; (c) At the area of contact between the Sertoli cell and spermatids, where a double line of precipitate surrounds the head of the mature spermatids; and (d) In the cell nuclei, disposed between regions of the condensed chromatin. The nucleus of mature spermatids did not show any sign of antimonate precipitation. The implications of this inorganic cation distribution are discussed with relation to their anionic counterparts, their localization in other animal and plant tissues, and the possibility that those sites may represent barriers to the free passage of ions.     

THE NATURE OF HYPOTHALAMO-NEUROHYPOPHYSEAL NEUROSECRETION IN THE RAT : A Study by Light- and Electron Microscope Autoradiography

The nature of hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal neurosecretion was examined in the rat by means of intraventricular injections of tritiated amino acids. Quantitation of autoradiographs was used at the light microscope level to study the sites of synthesis of proteins and their time of arrival in the neural lobe. Electron microscope autoradiographs were used to study the labeling of neural lobe tissue. It was concluded that the great majority of the labeled material was translocated inside dense-cored granules and was probably composed mostly of neurophysins. The effect of ether anesthesia was also examined. It was found to remove the dense cores from about 20% of the granules in the neural lobe tissue, a process accompanied by the loss of most of their labeled material. The mechanism of the ether effect is discussed and compared to the normal secretion process.     

THE INTRACELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF INORGANIC CATIONS WITH POTASSIUM PYROANTIMONATE : Electron Microscope and Microprobe Analysis

Potassium pyroantimonate, when used as fixative (saturated or half-saturated, without addition of any conventional fixative) has been demonstrated to produce intracellular precipitates of the insoluble salts of calcium, magnesium, and sodium and to preserve the general cell morphology. In both animal and plant tissues, the electron-opaque antimonate precipitates were found deposited in the nucleus—as well as within the nucleolus—and in the cytoplasm, largely at the site of the ribonucleoprotein particles; the condensed chromatin appeared relatively free of precipitates. The inorganic cations are probably in a loosely bound state since they are not retained by conventional fixatives. The implications of this inorganic cation distribution in the intact cell are discussed in connection with their anionic counterparts, i.e., complexing of cations by fixed anionic charges and the coexistence of a large pool of inorganic orthophosphate anions in the nucleus and nucleolus.     

Further Observations with the Electron Microscope on Spermatozoids in the Brown Algae

Observations are recorded for Ascophyllum, Pelvetia, Himanthalia,and Dictyota in addition to Fucus which has already been describedin a previous paper. Fibrillar disintegration of cilia has beenobtained in all except Pelvetia, in each case to give nine peripheralstrands and a central pair. This corrects a previous error forthe hind flagellum of Fucus. Some facts are given regardingthe internal organs associated with the parts of the cilia insidethe body in Himanthalia and Dictyota. A proboscis similar tothat previously described for Fucus has been demohstrated inAscophyllum and Pelvetia, but is absent from Himanthalia andDictyota. Himanthalia differs from the other Fucoids in therelative lengths of front and hind flagella. Dictyota has onlya single flagellum. In all, the front flagellum is a Flimmergeisselwith two rows of hairs, which, in certain cases, notably Himanthalia;have very long hair points. In Himanthalia there is a largespine near the distal end of the front flagellum borne on onefibril of the peripheral series. In Dictyota there is a rowof smaller spines at the front end of the flagellum borne ina line between the two lateral rows of hairs. These spines inDictyot can be used as evidence regarding the internal symmetryof the whole cilium which is summarized in a diagram.     

MATURATION OF RAT MAST CELLS : An Electron Microscope Study

Electron microscope study of rat mast cell maturation corroborates certain interpretations of features of mast cell differentiation based on light microscope studies. In addition, the ultrastructural variation observed in the granules of differentiating mast cells suggests that granule formation begins with the elaboration of dense granules about 70 mµ in diameter inside Golgi vacuoles. These progranules appear to aggregate inside a membrane and fuse to form dense cords 70 to 100 mµ in diameter. These dense cords are embedded in a finely granular material possibly added to the developing granule by direct continuity between perigranular membranes and cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum. The dense cords and finely granular material then appear to be replaced by a mass of strands about 30 mµ in diameter, thought to be a reorganization product of the two formerly separate components. A process interpreted as compaction of the strands completes the formation of the dense, homogeneous granules observed in mature rat mast cells. The similarity between mast cell granule formation and the elaboration of other granules is considered, with special reference to rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocyte azurophil granules. The relationships between the ultrastructural, histochemical, and radioautographic characteristics of mast cell granule formation are considered, and the significance of the perigranular membrane is discussed.