Morphogenesis in the Heterotrich Ciliate Climacostomum virens. I. Oral Development During Cell Division

The principal characteristics of stomatogenesis during division in Climacostomum virens are: (A) Kinetosomal proliferation on the left side of a variable number of kineties in the ventral somatic cortex forms an oral primordium consisting of several kinetosomal fields, which then fuse to form a single anarchic field. (B) A constant topographical relationship exists between the primordium and a well defined cortical pattern, the zone of discontinuity. (C) The anarchic field primordium divides into 2 unequal parts—to the left, the AZM primordium, and to the right, the paroral primordium, which differentiates into the apical membranelles, the peristomial field, and the buccal tube. (D) Preoral and oblique kineties of the somatic cortex form along the right side of the paroral primordium. (E) Parental oral structures are partially dedifferentiated. Stomatogenesis in C. virens and other heterotrichs is compared.     

Light and Electron Microscopic Observations on the Heterotrich Ciliate Climacostomum virens

SYNOPSIS. Alveolar membranes and an epiplasm exist under the cell membrane of the noncontractile heterotrich ciliate Climacostomum virens. Postciliary microtubular ribbons join at the right of each somatic kinety to form a Km fiber. Two transverse microtubular fibers occur per kinetosomal pair. A myonemal network interconnects the kinetosomal bases intrakinetally and interkinetally. Ultrastructural comparisons are made between the contractile and noncontractile heterotrichs.
The buccal cortex consists of an adoral zone of membranelles, a peristomal field, a buccal tube, the apical membranelles, and a haplokinety. The kineties of the peristomal field and buccal tube are rows of paired kinetosomes, with a postciliary ribbon of microtubules arising from the posterior kinetosome of each pair, and a transverse ribbon and an oblique ribbon from the anterior kinetosome. No Km fibers exist in this region. The haplokinety is a collar of paired kinetosomes surrounding the cytostome; a postciliary microtubular ribbon descends from each kinetosomal pair into the cytostomal region. Ultrastructural details of the buccal cortex of C. virens and other heterotrichs are compared. The nemadesmata which lie under the membranelles are implicated in the body bending of C. virens.
Algae endosymbiotic in the cytoplasm of C. virens are described.     

The Flora of the Perivaginal Area: The Normal Flora and the Effect of a Deodorant Spray

S ummary . The microbial flora of the thigh adjacent to the vaginal labia and of the mucosal surface of the labia has been examined quantitatively and qualitatively in students from Colleges of Education and a University, and in persons attending a Consultant Gynaecologist for non-suppurative conditions. In the 2 student populations, members of the Micrococcaceae and diphtheroids were the most common organisms but all populations yielded many organisms of gut origin. Differences between the populations may relate to social and hygienic conditions and should make us wary of direct comparisons with other, different populations. The effect of intimate hygiene deodorants containing 0.01% or 0.02% of chlorhexidine was compared with a base spray containing no antibacterial agent. No significant effect of these sprays on the microbial flora could be demonstrated.     

Effet de la farnesylacetone sur les syntheses proteiques de l'ovaire chez le crabe Carcinus maenas

Summary

We have analysed in vitro the effect of farnesylacetone, a substance produced by the androgenic gland of Crustacea, in a concentration of 20 ng/ml, on the protein synthesis in the ovary of Carcinus maenas. In winter, the farneslyacetone seems to be ineffective; the incorporation of labelled precursor per mass unity is then related to the weight of the sample. In summer, an activation of protein synthesis can be observed. These results do not depend on ovary maturation and concern all the proteins of the gonad.     

Further evidence for cortical control over replication of the macronucleus and basal bodies in Stentor

This paper presents further evidence that the cortex controls macronuclear replication and basal body production during the cell cycle of Stentor. At the onset of cell division, basal body production occurs on the ventral side of the cell to form an oral primordium; this structure develops slowly into the oral apparatus destined for the posterior daughter cell. Meanwhile, a series of morphological changes in the macronucleus (coalescence, elongation, nodulation) doubles the number of nodes in preparation for division. When a cell undergoing oral development is grafted to a morphostatic cell of equal size, oral development is usually induced in the morphostatic component and the two members of the graft complex eventually become synchronized with respect to macronuclear morphology. However, primordium induction and nuclear synchronization usually do not occur when the 2 members of the graft complex are separated by cortical discontinuities which heal gradually, even though the graft components demonstrably share a common endoplasm throughout the experiment. These results suggest that the cell surface may control the replication of organelles such as the macronucleus and basal bodies which are normally kept “in step” with the cell cycle in such a way that they are not lost or reproduced too frequently.