Three-dimensional architecture of the higher plant nucleolonema disclosed on serial ultrathin sections

Summary— The three-dimensional architecture of the nucleolonema of Vicia faba has been studied by applying a silver impregnation technique to serial ultrathin sections. This technique disclosed lateral and transverse segments of the nucleolonema which were heavily impregnated with silver. The lateral profiles of the nucleolonema segments were classified into three main categories; a segment made up of one to several rod-like filaments (type I); a ladder-like segment consisting of two parallel and of transverse filaments (type II); and a last type constructed from two parallel filaments (type III). Tracing of the lateral segments through serial sections has indicated that type I first appears, then either type II or III and finally type I reappears at the corresponding sites on sections. Types II and III remained constant in width, about 1.0 μm, along their longitudinal axes whereas the width of type I was significantly smaller than that of the two former. The lateral filaments of both types II and III showed heterogeneity in width on account of the presence of knobs intermittently distributed along them. The thickness of these knobs was about 0.35 μm. Combining the observations on serial ultrathin sections and the morphometrical data it is very probable that the elementary structure of the nucleolonema is a 0.35-μm thick filament that tightly coils up into a solenoid structure with a thickness of approximately 1.0 μm. This model can explain the appearance of open- and closed-argyrophilic rings in serial sections since transverse segments of the solenoid are expected to show the argyrophilic rings. The elementary filament of the nucleolonema solenoid was sometimes loosened. Judging from our cytochemical data at the electron microscope level, some argyrophilic proteins appear to reside in the axial space of the solenoid but both DNA and RNA were not detectable in this space.     

The nucleolonema changes its three-dimensional conformation during interphase in root-tip meristems of onion

Summary The three-dimensional architecture of a filamentous nucleolar structure, called the “nucleolonema”, was investigated in onion root-tip cells by applying a silver impregnation technique to air-dried cells and serial ultrathin sections. The entire configuration of the nucleolonema was revealed when silver staining was applied to air-dried cells. The nucleolonema was knobbly or segmented along its entire length and showed great variation in thickness. Three categories of nucleolonema were discriminated depending on thickness; each had an average value of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.3 μm, respectively. Some root tips were embedded in Lowicryl K4M resin and cut into serial ultrathin sections about 100 nm thick. When these sections were subjected to silver impregnation, segments of nucleolonema were visualized. Most of them were found to contain achromatic holes. These holes apparently corresponded to the fibrillar centres seen with the electron microscope. According to the profiles of the holes, nucleolonema structures were classified into three types: (1) nucleolonema with no distinct holes, (2) those with beaded holes, and (3) those with cylindrical holes. The thicknesses were 0.7–0.8, 0.9–1.2, or 1.2–1.4 μm for nucleolonemata with no holes, beaded holes, or cylindrical holes, respectively. The argyrophilic wall of nucleolonemata with holes was about 0.4 μm thick, roughly compatible with the thinnest nucleolonema seen in air-dried specimens. The crescent-shaped segments were sometimes observed when the nucleolonema was sectioned transversely, suggesting that the achromatic holes are exposed to the nucleoplasm, in other words, the nucleolonema is partially degraded. Thus, the nucleolonema was not always structurally stable during interphase. The results suggest that the nucleolonemata gradually become knobbly and increase their thickness, with concomitant expansion of the fibrillar centres sometimes degrading into approximately 0.5 μm thick strands.     

Three-dimensional structure of the ciliate Didinium nasutum nucleoli

The nucleolar organization in ciliate Didinium nasutum somatic interphase nuclei was studied using serial ultrathin sections and compared for various physiological states of the cell, namely, fed ciliates, starved ciliates, and dormant cysts. It has been shown that the interphase nucleoli are large structures with a complex architecture: the fibrillar component forms an intricate network in the macronucleus space, while the granular component is located inside this network. The structures looking as individual nucleoli in single sections are actually parts of branched nucleolar networks. The intricate nucleolar networks do not disintegrate after a 30-h starvation; however, the granular component becomes denser and develops numerous cavities filled with fine fibrils of a nonribonucleoprotein nature. In fed D. nasutum, the fibrillar structures on the periphery of nucleoli contain numerous pores (virtually absent in starved cell nucleoli), which can potentially serve for transporting newly synthesized rRNP. Branched nucleolar networks are undetectable in cysts. Their nucleoli are individual structures consisting mainly of the fibrogranular component.     

Nucleolus-like bodies in micronuclei of cultured Xenopus cells

Two of the 36 chromosomes in Xenopus laevis are known to carry nucleolar organizer loci. Partitioning of the chromosomes of cultured, early-passage Xenopus cells among variable numbers of micronuclei could be induced by extended colcemid treatment. A large, obvious nucleolus occurred in a maximum of 4 micronuclei per colcemid-induced tetraploid cell. The large, deeply-stained nucleoli incorporated [³H]uridine and appeared by electron microscopy to have typical nucleolar morphology with fibrillar and granular areas disposed in nucleolonema. In situ hybridization to radioactive ribosomal RNA (rRNA) resulted in heavy labelling of nucleoli in no more than 4 micronuclei per cell. The other micronuclei generally contained small bodies (blobs) which stained for RNA and protein as well as with ammoniacal silver. In the electron microscope, these appeared as round, dense bodies resembling nucleoli segregated by actinomycin D treatment. Nucleoplasmic RNA synthesis occurred in all micronuclei regardless of whether they contained definitive nucleoli. These observations suggest that micronuclei which formed large, typical, RNA-synthesizing nucleoli contained nucleolar organizer chromosomes, while the other micronuclei, which contained nucleolus-like “blobs” probably lacked nucleolar organizer loci. It is possible that the nucleolus-like bodies may have been aggregates of previously synthesized nucleolar RNA and protein trapped in micronuclei after mitosis.     

The three-dimensional ultrastructure of interphasic and metaphasic nucleolar argyrophilic components studied with high-voltage electron microscopy in thick sections

The three-dimensional structure of the nucleolar argyrophilic components was studied by recording stereo-pairs of tilted thick sections--0.5-2 microns thick--observed with 200 and 300 kV high-voltage electron microscopy (HVEM). Using a very specific silver staining method, the argyrophilic components were stained with a high contrast relatively to the unstained background, thus allowing their study with a high resolution within thick sections. This study was performed on compact nucleoli (of HL60 and K562 cells), on reticulated nucleoli (of human breast cancerous cells) and on metaphasic nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). In compact nucleoli argyrophilic components show a 'knotted rope-like' structure in which knots are constituted of one central fibrillar centre surrounded at some distance by loops of the dense fibrillar component and in which the rope is constituted of dense fibrillar component. In reticulated nucleoli silver deposits are confined to the surface of the nucleolonema as several strands twisted at the periphery of the fibrillar component. During metaphase some NORs get a characteristic crescent-shaped structure disposed at the periphery of some chromosomes.     

Study of the positional relationship of nucleolar chromatin and nucleolar compartments in somatic nuclei OPF the ciliate Didinium nasutum

We showed earlier that nucleoli in interphase ciliates Didinium nasutum, appearing on single ultrathin sections as individual structures, actually are parts of more complex network-like structures in which fibrillar component is located on periphery, and granular--in the central part of a nucleolus. It is known, that nucleolar organizers in D. nasutum are represented by chromatin bodies connected with nucleoli. In this work we used 3D reconstruction on the basis of serial ultrathin sections to study localization of chromatin bodies which by morphological criteria might correspond to nucleolar organizers. Our data showed, that all such chromatin bodies settled down outside of nucleoli, near the periphery of fibrillar component. Even those chromatin bodies which on single sections looked completely surrounded by fibrillar nucleolar component, actually settled down in fibrillar component cavities open to nucleoplasm. Analysis of distribution of nucleolar chromatin bodies allowed us to conclude that activity in different parts of interphase complex network-like nucleoli of D. nasutum is approximately the same.     

Nucleolar changes in human phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes

Summary The nucleoli of lymphocytes from circulating peripheral blood and from phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated cultures (from 2 h–96 h) were studied using a silver method, RNA-specific fluorescent staining, and electron microscopy of ultrathin sections. In peripheral blood about 75% of the lymphocytes have one ring-shaped nucleolus composed of a distinct fibrillar centre surrounded by a dense pars fibrillaris and little granular material; the remaining lymphocytes showing two or more small ring-shaped nucleoli. With PHA stimulation, the number of cells with several nucleoli increases first (from 2 h–12 h). Next, cells containing one or, at most, two large nucleoli with nucleolonema devoid of fibrillar centers are seen (from 4 h on). 34 h after PHA, nucleoli of the compact type containing one or more fibrillar centres appear and comprise about 60% of the cells after 72 h. The appearance of more than one nucleolus per cell shortly after PHA administration suggests an activation of additional nucleolar organizer regions (NOR), which fuse to form one or two large nucleoli with nucleolonema. These are then transformed into compact nucleoli. The fibrillar centers stain preferentially with silver. They contain nonchromosomal proteins and may serve as stores for nucleolar proteins. The fusion of activated NORs during the first cell cycle explains the relatively high frequency of satellite associations in first mitoses compared to later mitoses after stimulation.     

Ultrastructure of the interphase nucleoli of pig embryonic kidney cells during their compensatory hypertrophy and degradation due to local UV microirradiation

As shown elsewhere, the ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of one of the two nucleoli of the interphase cell nucleus results in inactivation and degradation of the irradiated nucleus and in the compensatory growth and activation of the nonirradiated one. In the present work we studied the ultrastructure of degraded and hypertrophied nucleoli in PK-cells with the aid of serial ultrathin sections. The compensatory hypertrophy of the nucleoli was shown to be accompanied by a significant increase in the number of fibrillar centers (FC) and a decrease in their linear size compared with the control ones; in the degraded nucleoli, the FCs number went down, while the size of FCs increased. Overall, the structural changes of the degraded nucleoli upon their UV microirradiation corresponded to those caused by the action of other known inhibitors of rRNA. The capacity of nucleoli for compensatory hypertrophy indicates that apart from the operating ribosomal genes, the cell also contains latent r-genes which may be activated under extreme conditions so as to sustain the required level of rRNA synthesis. It is suggested that such an activation is accompanied by a "fragmentation" of the original FCs into smaller and more numerous ones.     

Chromatin structure in somatic nucleus of ciliate <Emphasis Type="Italic">Didinium nasutum</Emphasis>

The structural organization of macronuclear chromatin of the ciliate Didinium nasutum was studied. The macronuclear genome of D. nasutum is represented by DNA molecules of subchromosomal size. At interphase, macronuclear chromatin is organized into chromatin of 100–200-nm clumps. Some of these clumps form short, thick fibers that consist of several chromatin clumps. Using the differential staining of nucleic acids on ultrathin sections, we revealed perichromatin fibers and granules on the surface of many chromatin clumps. A 3D model of the spatial distribution of chromatin clumps in the macronucleus was built based on serial ultrathin sections and peculiar features of chromatin spatial organization were studied.     

Three-dimensional organization of nucleoli of Didinium nasutum (Ciliata)

A comparative study of nucleolar organization in the somatic nuclei of the ciliate Didinium nasutum was carried out using 3D reconstruction on the basis of serial ultrathin sections. Recently fed interphase ciliates, starved interphase ciliates and cysts were studied. The nucleoli at the interphase stage were shown to have a complex architecture: the fibrillar component forms a complicated network, the granular component is located inside of it. It was shown that nucleoli, which look like individual structures in single sections, are in fact parts of branched nucleolar networks. A 30-h starvation doesn't lead to disintegration of these networks. However in the starved cells the granular component becomes more dense and vacuolized. In the fed ciliates there are many holes in the fibrillar component, whereas in starved ones the fibrillar component is virtually devoid of them. These holes can be proposed to ensure the transport of newly synthesized rRNP. The nucleolar networks didn't occur in D. nasutum cysts. Nucleoli in the cysts look like small individual structures, mainly consisting of fibrogranular component.     

The 3-dimensional organization of the nucleoli of benign and malignant tumor cells from different human organs]

The method of ultrathin serial sections was used to perform a comparative ultrastructural and 3-dimensional analysis of nucleoli for the following variants of human tumours: benign (fibroadenoma) and malignant (infiltrating ductal carcinoma) tumours of one organ (mammary gland); malignant tumours of epidermal genesis in different organs (squamous cell carcinomas of skin, larynx, lung, gullet, uterus); two forms of malignant tumours (squamous cell and small cell carcinomas) of one organ (lung). The spatial models of nucleoli in these tumour cells are given. The specific signs in architecture of tumour nucleoli was found. Nucleoli of fibroadenomas have well pronounced 1-4 fibrillar centres forming a united system with a lacunar component and intranucleolar chromatin. Unlike benign tumour cells, nucleoli of infiltrating ductal carcinomas are characterized by large, prominent nucleoli containing giant, multiform fibrillar centres with a complicated surface, a well developed granular component and an unusually organized lacunar system. In squamous cell carcinomas of various localization, active, hypertrophied nucleoli with pseudonucleolonemal organization were found. The small cell carcinoma of lung differs from the squamous cell cancer of the same organ by dense, fibrillar nucleoli with a small amount of granular component located on the periphery of the nucleolar body. Nucleolar type reflecting the functional state of malignization process may serve as an additional diagnostic criterion for tumour identification.     

Ultrastructural detection of DNA within the nucleolus by sensitive molecular immunocytochemistry.

This paper describes a new technique for locating DNA on semithin or ultrathin sections of aldehyde-fixed and plastic-embedded cells or tissues. Sections were incubated in a medium containing bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) triphosphate and terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase. The labeled nucleotides bound at the surface of the sections were subsequently detected with an anti-BUdR antibody and immunoglobulin-gold complex. On semithin sections, labeled nucleotide detection was achieved by an amplification step with silver enhancement. This technique was applied to a wide variety of biological materials allowing a sensitive detection of DNA-containing structures, even where these are present in very low amounts. Examples of high resolution and sensitive detection include the DNA present in mitochondria, chloroplasts, mycoplasmas, and DNA viruses. Special attention focused on the location of DNA inside the nucleolus. In Ehrlich tumor cell nucleoli, DNA was detected in the fibrillar centers and not in the dense fibrillar component. Identical results were found in the nucleoli of other cell types. These results contradict earlier data but conform with other recent immunocytochemical observations concerning the correlation between structure and function in the nucleolus. This method provides a useful tool for investigations requiring highly precise correlations between a molecular function and a given ultrastructural morphology.     

3-dimensional organization of the nucleolus and the nucleolus-organizing regions in differentiated cells. I. Ring-shaped nucleoli in the endotheliocytes, smooth-muscle cells and fibroblasts in the mouse

The method of ultra-thin serial sections was used to study the three-dimensional structure and to perform the quantitative analysis of ring-shaped nucleoli of kidney and liver endotheliocytes, smooth muscle cells of kidney arterioles and fibroblasts of mice. Spatial models of ring-shaped nucleoli with one fibrillar centre are given. For the quantitative analysis the following parameters were measured: the number and volumes of nucleoli, fibrillar centers, RNP-containing structures, the vacuolar system and the RNP-index (the latter is a ratio of RNP-part and fibrillar center volumes). Nucleoli of the same type of cells, occasionally in the same nucleus, were found to differ sharply in their fibrillar center shape. Differences in the mean volume values of nucleoli, fibrillar centers and the RNP-part between some cell populations are sufficiently well pronounced. Within the same population ring-shaped nucleoli have, as a rule, specific volume values of nucleoli, RNP and fibrillar centers. The comparison of quantitative data obtained on different cell types showed that the mean RNP-index values were the most stable parameter. The structural relation between fibrillar centers, intra- and perinucleolar chromatin and lacunar region is shown. The structural organization of intranucleolar chromatin and rRNA in the nucleolar body and in fibrillar centers is discussed.     

Nucleolar distribution of proteins B23 and nucleolin in mouse preimplantation embryos as visualized by immunoelectron microscopy

The ultrastructural distribution of proteins B23 and nucleolin in the nucleolus of mouse embryos from the zygote to the early blastocyst has been analyzed by means of specific antibodies and immunocytochemistry using colloidal gold complexes as markers. In parallel, silver staining of nucleoli was carried out on ultrathin sections. Our results show that the compact prenucleolar bodies at 1- and 2-cell stage as well as the compact residual fibrillar masses observed up to the morula stage, are labelled with the two antibodies. These masses, however, are not stained with silver up to the 4-cell stage. In well-developed nucleoli, the two antibodies co-localize in the dense fibrillar component (DFC) and the granular component (GC) while fibrillar centers (FCs) are devoid of label. On the contrary, silver staining occurs in the FCs and DFC but not in the GC. Our observations suggest that there is no direct relationship between the occurrence of silver staining and the distribution of protein B23 or nucleolin. Moreover, neither the localization of the two above proteins nor silver staining are unequivocally related to the nucleolar activity.     

Post-embedding double-labeling of antigen-retrieved ultrathin sections using a silver enhancement-controlled sequential immunogold (SECSI) technique.

In electron microscopy, the post-embedding immunogold technique provides a high degree of resolution and the possibility of quantitation owing to the intrinsic characteristics of the colloidal gold marker. Application of this technique to the subcellular localization of multiple antigens by differential labeling using gold markers of different sizes, or to double labeling using the same primary antibody isotype with serial silver enhancement, has been reported. We have incorporated this double labeling technique into a modified procedure that produces excellent labeling and ultrastructural preservation, even after exposure of ultrathin sections large enough to cover a 300- micro m-diameter single-hole grid to hot antigen retrieval solutions and prolonged labeling protocols.     

A CYTOCHEMICAL AND RADIOAUTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF HUMAN TISSUE CULTURE CELL NUCLEOLI

Fine structural aspects of human tissue culture cell nucleoli were studied by cytochemical and radioautographic methods. Ribonuclease and pepsin digestions were carried out on glutaraldehyde-fixed cells that, in some instances, were labeled with thymidine-³H prior to digestion. Double digestion by ribonuclease and pepsin revealed a fine fibrillar reticulum that appears to be the supportive structure of nucleolonemal threads. The nature of the reticulum remains to be determined. The question of whether it may represent a dispersed form of chromatin was raised. Structural findings suggested such an hypothesis but the results of radioautographic studies do not support it. The reticulum showed a striking absence of radioactive labeling following a 3 hr incorporation of thymidine-³H. Only few silver grains were observed occasionally in the fibrillar nucleolonema that may or may not be significant. The radioautographic results are believed to be inconclusive for the various reasons discussed. The possibility that the reticulum is composed of proteins has to be considered. It appears that basic proteins can resist pepsin digestion in aldehyde-fixed cells. Individual chromatin fibrils were found to be associated with the nucleolar reticulum. It is possible that these alone represent the dispersed genetically active chromatin of nucleoli.     

Ultrastructure of the ring-shaped nucleoli in the hepatocytes of chick embryos]

The fine structure of ring-shaped nucleoli in hepatocytes of chick embryos at different terms of development was studied. Structural differences were shown between annular nucleoli and nucleoli with typical nucleolonemal organization. Ring-shaped nucleoli, as a rule, are devoid of nucleolonemal structure and their fibrillar component is reduced. The material which fills the central cavity always appears similar to the nucleoplasm in its structure. On the basis of serial sections, we propose that central cavity is isolated from the nucleoplasm. From the hypotonical treatment and EDTA staining application it is concluded that the central cavity of ring-shaped nucleoli contains DNP associated with the intranucleolar chromatin. The number of these nucleoli increased after the injection of a liver homogenate cytoplasmic fraction extracted from adult hen. The physiological significance of such nucleoli is discussed.