ORGANIZATION AND REPLICATION ACTIVITY OF THE MITOCHONDRIAL MASS OF OOGONIA AND PREVITELLOGENIC OOCYTES IN XENOPUS LAEVIS

The origin of the mitochondrial mass, previously well characterized in Xenupus diplotene oocytes, has been traced up to oogonia by means of electron microscopy. A polarized organization of the oogonia and of the oocytes of the succeeding stages was observed. The mitochondrial cloud was found to be built up in the centriolar region near the site where the chromosomes will be implanted along the nuclear envelope at the "bouquet" stage. Autoradiographic studies of thymidine incorporation into mitochondrial DNA suggest that mitochondrial DNA synthesis is active throughout this early period of oogenesis.     

银杏精子细胞生毛体及其它细胞器的超微结构

生毛体与嗜锇颗粒是银杏 (Ginkgobiloba)精子细胞中最具有标志性的结构。生毛体是细胞质内一直径为 3～ 4μm的圆球形结构 ,它由一个电子致密的核心和由此向周边发散出的辐射状中心粒组成 ,致密核心上具有微管结构的弱电子染色区域 ,并有微管从生毛体延伸到细胞质。嗜锇颗粒直径为 1 0～ 2 0μm,呈圆球状 ,位于生毛体和细胞核之间 ,其相对的另一侧存在纤维颗粒体。在精子细胞质内 ,特别是嗜锇颗粒和生毛体周围线粒体、质体、内质网、高尔基体等细胞器丰富。银杏精子细胞核较大 ,在细胞核内 ,核仁结构呈球形 ,电子染色致密的颗粒区在周围 ,而纤维组分则在圆球的中间。在核膜表面布满了分布不均匀的核孔复合体。     

THE SYNTHESIS OF MICROTUBULE AND OTHER PROTEINS OF THE ORAL APPARATUS IN TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS

Several proteins, including microtubule proteins, have been isolated from the oral apparatus of the ciliate Tetrahymena. The synthesis of these proteins has been studied in relation to formation of this organelle system by the cell. Electron microscopy has shown that the isolated oral apparatus consists primarily of basal bodies, pellicular membranes, and a system of subpellicular microtubules and filaments. Cilia were removed during the isolation; therefore none of the proteins studied was from these structures. Evidence was obtained from the study of total oral apparatus protein which indicates that at least some of the proteins involved in formation of this organelle system may be synthesized and stored in the cytoplasm for use over long periods. This pattern of regulation was found for three individual proteins isolated from the oral apparatus fraction after extraction with a phenol-acetic acid solvent. A different pattern of regulation was found for microtubule proteins isolated from the oral apparatus of Tetrahymena. The data suggest that microtubule proteins, at least in logarithmically growing cells, are not stored in a cytoplasmic pool but are synthesized in the same cell cycle in which they are assembled into oral structures.     

THE NORMAL OCCURRENCE OF OCTOPAMINE IN NEURAL TISSUES OF THE OCTOPUS AND OTHER CEPHALOPODS

Abstract— An enzymatic assay was used to measure the concentration of octopamine in tissue of cephalopods. The concentration of octopamine varied over a wide range in neural tissues of Octopi and other cephalopods. The administration of reserpine caused a fall in the concentration of octopamine while monoamine oxidase inhibition caused the concentration to rise. After density gradient centrifugation octopamine was found in the same regions of the gradients as were dopamine and noradrenaline. These findings suggest that octopamine may be involved in neuronal function in cephalopods.     

SPONTANEOUS PARTIAL ROTATION AND OSCILLATION OF THE PROTOPLASM IN COLEOCHAETE AND OTHER CHLOROPHYCEAE

Geitler , Lothar . (Botanisches Institut, Universität, Wien, Austria.) Spontaneous partial rotation and oscillation of the protoplasm in Coleochaete and other Chlorophyceae. Amer. Jour. Bot. 48(8): 738–741. 1961.—In certain differentiated cells, such as the hairs, zoosporangia, oogonia, but also in the unicellular germlings, of species of Coleochaete, Chaetotheke, and Chaetosphaeridium, there occurs regularly a spontaneous movement of the protoplasm, which expresses itself strikingly in rapid rotation or oscillation of the chromatophore. The movement occurs partially and localized in certain parts of the cell. It is comparable to no type of protoplasmic streaming known up to the present. Rotation and oscillation occur as regular, cell-specific attributes, but rotation may be converted experimentally and transiently into oscillation. Oscillation is an intermittent rotation with periodic change of direction. Exploratory researches concerning osmotic values and permeability do not yet reveal definite relationships between the several types of movement in various specialized cells and their physiological condition. However, only the hair cells of Coleochaete and Chaetotheke with rotation show selective vital-staining with neutral red; the similarly constructed ones of Chaetosphaeridium with oscillation do not.     

SEROLOGICAL STUDIES IN BAPTISIA AND CERTAIN OTHER GENERA OF THE LEGUMINOSAE

Fourteen species of Baptisia were compared serologically, using antiserum against B. nuttalliana. By means of both immunoelectrophoretic and double-diffusion techniques, it was possible to disclose 11 distinct arcs plus some weaker arcs, with few reliable (definite and repeatable) differences detected among the species of Baptisia investigated. Since the individual species of Baptisia are often quite distinctive, as judged by other chemical and morphological criteria, the serological data are in this instance conservative and appear to be effective in circumscribing the genus. In contrast, striking interspecific differences in the serological properties of unicellular green algae have been obtained (reported elsewhere) by similar techniques in this laboratory. It is concluded that serological data should be regarded as adjuncts to other systematic knowledge only on the basis of empirical manifestations of their utility. There is no clear justification for regarding serological data as intrinsically either superior or inferior to other systematic criteria.