胎鼠肝脏发育过程中肝窦的形成与成熟

为了研究胎鼠肝脏发育过程中肝窦的形成与成熟,用窦内皮细胞表达的一种特异性抗原,SE-S,作为窦内皮细胞表型成熟的标志,通过免疫组织化学和免疫电镜来观察肝脏发育的不同时期该抗原的表达以及与先存大血管的关系。实验证明,在胎龄15天时,即可观察到散在的肝窦样结构呈现阳性反应,而表达第八因子相关抗原的大血管为阴性。随着肝脏的发育,表达SE-S抗原的肝窦在数量和长度上亦随之增加,并且与肝细胞直接或密切接触。结果提示,肝窦的形成与成熟似乎是随机发生的,可能始于胚胎发育的第15天或更早,与先存大血管无直接相关性;肝细胞可能调节窦内皮细胞的成熟(SE-S抗原的表达)。     

THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF AMELOBLASTS DURING MATRIX FORMATION AND THE MATURATION OF ENAMEL

Ameloblasts from different regions of upper incisors of rats were examined with the electron microscope. During matrix formation, the cells resemble secretory cells. They are extremely long, tightly packed, and show considerable polarity. Nuclei are at the basal end of the cell. Mitochondria are proximal and the Golgi apparatus distal to the nucleus. Ergastoplasm is found in all levels but mainly in the distal end. A terminal bar apparatus separates the distal end of the cell from Tomes's process. Next to this is soft enamel. The next incisal region is a transitional zone in which the ameloblasts separate easily from the enamel. Endoplasmic reticulum is dilated and very obviously in communication with the perinuclear space. Mitochondria are present not only proximal, but also distal, to the nucleus. The next incisal zone consists of cells related to the maturation of enamel. They no longer resemble secretory cells, but now have more characteristics of transporting cells. Processes from the distal end of the cell are present with mitochondria closely applied to the base of the processes. A considerable amount of intercellular space exists with microvilli projecting into the space. Iron granules appear in these cells, and the ergastoplasmic cisternae are dilated. In the incisal end of this zone, the iron granules form aggregates. The iron finally leaves the cells to enter the enamel. Free RNP particles and fibrils become more evident after the iron leaves the cells. In the most incisal region, the ameloblasts are further reduced in height. Distal processes are no longer present and fibrils are more conspicuous.     

THE HISTOCHEMISTRY AND ULTRASTRUCTURE OF JACK PINE MICROSPORANGIA DURING THE WINTER

The development of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) microsporangia from October to April was investigated with a microdensitometer and a transmission electron microscope. DNA, RNA, and protein content of sporogenous cells was measured at monthly intervals. DNA was unreplicated (2C) until March when DNA synthesis was first noted, coinciding with a loss of heterochromatin. Protein content doubled in April. RNA staining increased in December and then decreased. Numerous whorls and stacks of rough endoplasmic reticulum and ribonucleoprotein-like granules appeared in December and may be related to the RNA increase. A fibrillar, light-staining region was found in the cytoplasm of the sporogenous cells from November to March. It was hydrolyzed in the presence of protease and may be a winter morphology of microfilament bundles or dictyosomes. Lipid bodies and vacuoles were abundant in the tapetum and sporangial wall cells during the winter. Observations substantiate reports that winter is not a time for cessation of development.     

SIEVE-ELEMENT ULTRASTRUCTURE IN PLATYCERIUM BIFURCATUM AND SOME OTHER POLYPODIACEOUS FERNS: THE NACREOUS WALL THICKENING AND MATURATION OF THE PROTOPLAST

Sieve elements of various ages were examined in petioles and midribs of Platycerium bifurcatum (Cav.) C. Chr. and Phlebodium aureum (L.) J. Sm., only older ones in similar parts of leaves of Polypodium schraderi Mett. and Microgramma lycopodioides (L.) Copel. Nacreous walls apparently are formed by most, if not all, protophloem and metaphloem sieve elements in all four species. In Platycerium and Phlebodium nacreous wall formation is closely correlated with the appearance of numerous membranes or vesicles in the region of the wall. These extracytoplasmic membranes apparently are derived from protrusions of the plasmalemma. After the nacreous layer is fully thickened, many endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes apparently end up outside the plasmalemma of Platycerium, where they degenerate and gradually intergrade in appearance with the fibrillar material comprising the nacreous thickening. In Phlebodium, Polypodium, and Microgramma the ER forms multivesicular bodies. As the cells approach maturity, the membranes delimiting the multivesicular bodies fuse with the plasmalemma and their vesicular contents, which are not discharged into the region of the wall, disappear. Gradually, the nacreous layer decreases in thickness and disappears. At maturity the enucleate sieve-element protoplasts of all four species are essentially similar. They are lined by a plasmalemma and a parietal, anastomosing network of ER and contain both plastids and mitochondria. The plastids in Polypodium and Microgramma are chloroplasts, but those in Platycerium and Phlebodium lack grana and intergrana lamellae.     

GROWTH OF EXCISED PINE EMBRYOS AND THE ROLE OF THE COTYLEDONS DURING GERMINATION IN VITRO

A study was made of the role of the cotyledons, embryo orientation, surgical treatment, darkness, light, and autoclaved coconut milk on the growth of Pinus lambertiana Dougl. embryos in vitro. The embryos did not require an haustorial function of the cotyledons in vitro. Removal of the shoot meristem drastically altered the developmental physiology of the embryo and the function of the root meristem was severly inhibited. Positional effects on embryo growth were reversed by darkness. In the light vertical-inverted tube cultures displayed better growth than horizontal-inverted tube cultures, whereas in the dark the horizontal-inverted tube cultures displayed better growth than the ver ical-inverted tube cultures. Autoclaved coconut milk had no statistically demonstrable effect on embryo growth as measun d by the analysis of variance and Student-Newman-Keul's range test; however, the graphical analysis suggests that, in conjunction with the presence of the shoot meristem, there may be a slight beneficial response to autoclaved coconut milk.     

MANIFESTATION OF METABOLIC COMPARTMENTATION DURING THE MATURATION OF THE RAT BRAIN

—(1) The fate of [U-¹⁴C]leucine was studied in rat brain in vivo from birth to five weeks of age. The major route of leucine metabolism at all ages was conversion into protein. The rate of protein synthesis was low in the newborn; it reached a peak at about 15 days and slowed down moderately later. Incorporation into brain lipids was relatively low under the experimental conditions (less than 2 per cent of the total tissue ¹⁴C). (2) The conversion of leucine-carbon into amino acids associated with the tricarboxylic acid cycle was low in the first 9 days after birth (less than 4 per cent of the acid-soluble ¹⁴C at 10 min after injection) and increased rapidly until 15 days when the level characteristic of the adult was approached (about 20 per cent of the acid-soluble ¹⁴C). The results indicated that the oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from leucine reached the adult level at an earlier age than that derived from glucose. (3) The glutamine/glutamate specific radioactivity ratio was 0·3 in the brain of newborn animals and increased progressively; it was 1·3 and 2·4 at 15 and 35 days of age respectively. The specific radioactivity of aspartate and of GABA relative to that of glutamate was less than 1 throughout the experimental period. (4) The factors involved in the development of metabolic compartmentation in brain were analysed. It is proposed that although the experimental results show that a 'small’compartment becomes functionally manifested with maturation the primary cause is the development of the‘large’metabolic compartment. (5) Morphological correlates of the metabolic compartments in brain tissue are suggested and it is concluded that the manifestation of metabolic compartmentation is related to maturational changes in glia-neuronal relations rather than to developmental processes affecting the individual components only.     

REGULATION OF PROTEIN SYNTHESIS DURING POSTNATAL MATURATION OF THE BRAIN

—The activities of sRNA-aminoacyl synthetases (EC 6.1.1) were investigated in the cerebral white and grey matter of rabbits subjected during their prenatal life to a single X-ray dose of 150 rad. The results of investigations have shown that ionizing radiation acting during intrauterine development of the experimental animal brings about a distinct depression of all sRNA-aminoacyl synthetase activities in the newborn irradiated litter. During the postnatal development of these animals the activities of some of the synthetases further decreased and even at adulthood, where they are normally very low, their activities were below the control values. The activities of some other synthetases, after the initial depression, showed no further decrease and at adulthood had values comparable to controls. Our results indicate clearly that prenatal exposure to ionizing radiation also affects the step of protein biosynthesis which depends on the activity of sRNA-aminoacyl synthetases.     

褐菖■精细胞晚期的变化及精子结构研究

本文研究卵胎生硬骨鱼褐菖（Ｓｅｂａｓｔｉｓｃｕｓｍａｒｍｏｒａｔｕｓ）精细胞的成熟变化和精子结构。褐菖精细胞发育晚期已具有硬骨鱼类精子的结构雏形：细胞核的背面较平坦,腹面稍外鼓,呈弧面;染色质浓缩成团块状,核的腹侧和后端的染色质较致密;中心粒复合体由近端中心粒和基体组成,近端中心粒和基体排成“Ｌ”形;近端中心粒向细胞核的背侧伸出中心粒附属物,中心粒附属物由９条微管组成,９条微管围成一筒状结构,类似轴丝。在晚期精细胞形成精子的过程中,中心粒附属物和近端中心粒相继退缩以至消失不见,同时细胞核后端的形状也随着发生变化。中心粒附属物和近端中心粒的相继消失可以看作是成熟的最后标志。精子的中心粒复合体由基体及其上方的基体帽组成,袖套接于核的后端,其中约有３０～４０个线粒体;鞭毛从袖套腔中伸出,鞭毛的中心结构是轴丝;轴丝外方为细胞质形成的侧鳍,在鞭毛的近核段,轴丝两侧的侧鳍较宽且不对称。     

COMPARISON OF DIMENSIONS AND FIBRIL ANGLES OF LOBLOLLY PINE TRACHEIDS FORMED IN WET OR DRY GROWING SEASONS

Diameter and wall thickness of tracheids and the fibrillar angle in their S₂ layers were investigated at five relative heights within two increment sheaths of one dominant loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). The sheaths investigated were formed during extremes of soil moisture availability. In both increment sheaths the radial and longitudinal trends of the respective anatomical features were similar; however, the sheaths differed in the degree and rate at which their size changed from the apex to the base of the tree. Soil moisture conditions directly affected the width of the annual rings, tracheid diameter, and wall thickness but not the fibril angle of tracheid walls.     

THE FINE STRUCTURE OF NUCLEI DURING SPERM MATURATION IN THE LOCUST

1. In the heads of maturing sperm of a locust the chromatin becomes arranged in a highly regular manner so as to produce many parallel lines about 60 A thick in longitudinal section and contiguous polygons in transverse section. 2. This configuration appears after fixation in osmium tetroxide, formaldehyde, or acetic acid; intermediate stages in its development are illustrated. 3. These electron micrographs are interpreted to mean that, during sperm maturation, the chromatin becomes formed into sheets and then into tubes running parallel with the long axis. 4. In the mature sperm head we have been unable so far to detect this structure. This may be because the chromatin becomes so compact during the shrinkage of the nucleus which occurs during formation of the mature sperm.     

CHANGES IN THE PERCEIVED TEXTURAL PROPERTIES OF CHEDDAR CHEESE DURING MATURATION

The perceived textural attributes of an English Cheddar were measured by a trained panel at various intervals during ripening, including those corresponding to mild and medium maturation times for this variety. The moisture content and pH were also monitored. After the recommended ripening period of 50 weeks the matured cheese was significantly less springy, firmer, harder, crumblier and creamier, indicating that textural attributes are related to the age of the Cheddar. Measures beyond the recommended maturation period revealed further significant differences. Comparisons of the measures taken at mild, medium and full maturity also revealed differences in the textural properties of the different classes of Cheddar. Significant correlations (p ≥0.01) between pH and springiness, crumbliness by fingers and creaminess suggested a strong relationship between these textural attributes and the extent of proteolysis. The results of this study revealed a strong relationship between age and the textural attributes of cheddar when restricted to one particular variety.     

百合生殖细胞分裂过程中微管分布的显微荧光观察

用抗微管蛋白抗体和荧光标记技术,观察了百合生殖细胞经有丝分裂形成精细胞过程中微管的变化。生殖细胞在分裂的前期,存在于核外围以及细胞两端胞质内的微管大都以微管束的形式沿细胞长轴方向平行排列。在靠近核的部位,有些微管有时会斜向排列。分裂进入中期后,染色体集中排列在赤道面。在染色体周围可以见到有多束与细胞长轴平行排列着的微管,但这些微管束是在分裂中期时新形成的或是在前期已存在,尚难以断定。这些微管束有一个特点,就是当它们延伸至赤道板部位时,在每一条微管束上都有一个无荧光的小圆区;这个小圆区可能代表着丝粒的位置。细胞分裂进入后期,姊妹染色单体分别向两极移动形成两组染色体。在它们之间近赤道板位置出现了一个具有强烈荧光的区域,显示在这一部位,微管相当浓密。从这一强烈荧光区向两极分别伸出多条微管束。因此,在这一强烈荧光区内可能有多个微管束重叠。到细胞分裂末期,在这一强烈的荧光区的中央出现了一条横向的无荧光区。这一区域有可能为胞质完成分裂后新形成的细胞板所在的部位。     

日本血吸虫在小鼠体内发育形态的扫描电镜观察

日本血吸虫童虫在移行和发育过程中体形发生了明显的演变,并形成了口吸盘和排泄孔,同时也伴随着许多细微结构的改变。这些改变包括:体褶和体嵴数量及高度的增加、体棘数目和位置的改变、感觉器数量和分布的变化。