Systematik,Verbreitung und Karyologie derFestuca violacea-Gruppe (Poaceae) im Ostalpenraum

The biosystematics of theFestuca violacea group (F. rubra subsp.violacea sensuHackel) in the Eastern Alps is studied.F. picturata Pils (=F. picta Kit. exSchultes nonJ. F. Gmelin) is confirmed as diploid, whereas the chromosome numbers forF. nitida (diploid),F. puccinellii (hexaploid), andF. norica (diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid) are reported for the first time. Details of morphology, leaf anatomy, and epidermal structures now allow a better separation of these species; new maps illustrate their distribution. Karyological, chorological, morphological, and anatomical data form the basis for a discussion of the phylogeny of theF. violacea group and its position withinF. rubra s. latiss.

     

Zur Feinstruktur der Elektrozeptorepidermis der Mormyridae (Teleostei,Pisces)

Zusammenfassung Die schwachelektrischen Mormyridae haben eine dreischichtige Epidermis, deren innere Schicht aus nur etwa 0,22 m dicken sechseckigen Zellen von ca. 60 m Durchmesser besteht. Die etwa 2 m dicken, linsenförmigen Kerne von 7,6 m Durchmesser liegen am Zellrand. Die Zellen sind zu Säulen aufgeschichtet. Ihr Rand ist ausgezackt und dort, wo er die Säulengrenze erreicht, auf etwa 0,34 m verdickt. In der Nähe der Säulengrenzen sind die Zellen über Desmosomen mit den Nachbarn in der eigenen und in der angrenzenden Säule verbunden. Diese Epidermisschicht ist auf die Körperpartien beschränkt, in denen auch Elektrorezeptoren ausgebildet sind.Die beiden anderen Epidermisschichten haben den üblichen Aufbau einer Fischepidermis, abgesehen vom Fehlen der Becherzellen.

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Ultrastructure of the electroceptor epidermis of the Mormyridae (Teleostei, Pisces)

Summary The weakly electric fish of the family Mormyridae have a three layered epidermis, with a medium layer consisting of hexagonal cells of only 0.22 m in thickness and about 60 m in diameter. The lens-shaped nuclei are about 2 m thick and 7.6 m in diameter and are situated near the border of the cells. The cells are piled up to hexagonal columns. Their margin is serrate and where it reaches the boundary of the column, it has a thickness of about 0.34 m. Close to the boundaries of the columns, the cells are linked to their neighbours within the column and of the adjoining column by desmosomes. This layer of the epidermis is confined to those regions of the body surface which also contain electroreceptors.The other layers of the epidermis have a structure as usual in fish, except for the lack of goblet cells.

     

Pattern control in insect segments: superimposed features of the pattern may be subject to different control mechanisms

Summary The integument of an insect segment displays two distinct pattern features which are based on different properties of the constituent epidermal cells. Normally, the uniform orientation of epidermal cell polarities (polarity pattern) is strictly correlated with the sequence of differentiated cells (differentiation pattern). Here it is reported that in the integument of the cotton bug Dysdercus epidermal cells can adopt orientations that do not correlate with the pigmentation pattern and which are not compatible with the gradient model. The results indicate that different features of a composite pattern can be independently controlled.     

广西野生蔗及其近缘植物营养器官内部结构的初步研究

广西野生蔗及其近缘植物营养器官内部结构基本相同。但割手密叶片下表皮具有明显的气孔窝斑茅等则无。斑茅茎节间的维管束分布较均匀,河八王茎中央没有维管束分布,割手密与蔗茅茎中维管束的分布。居于二者之间。     

Exogeneous energy supply and excitability of cells in embryonic atypical epidermis of Cynops cultured in vitro

Cells of in vitro cultured epidermis explants of ectoderm isolated at early gastrula stage,showed only weak excitability or even non-excitable at 6V when examined electrophysiologically.If non-excitable explants were treated with 100 mM glucose,the action potential (AP) appeared and within 1 hr reached its maximum.At the same time,their stimulus threshold became lowered gradually.And,if the glucose was washed out,AP gradually disappeared.If explants were treated with glucose of different concentrations,the percentage of explants which displayed AP increased with the increase of glucose concentration.When explants with approximately the same original stimulus threshold were treated with glucose of different concentrations,the stimulus threshold became lowered more in the more concentrated solution.If explants with different original stimulus thresholds were treated with glucose of the same concentration,the lowering of stimulus threshold was more obvious in those with higher original stimulus threshold.Other energy supplying substances used showed similar effect.     

Acylceramides and lanosterol-lipid markers of terminal differentiation in cultured human keratinocytes: Modulating effect of retinoic acid

Summary Epidermal differentiation is accompanied by profound changes in the synthesis of a variety of intracellular proteins and intercellular lipids. In conventional, submerged culture keratinocytes have been shown to lose the ability to synthesize the protein markers of differentiation. They re-express them, however, when they are cultured in medium supplemented with delipidized [retinoic acid (RA)-depleted] serum or in air-exposed cultures using de-epidermized dermis (DED) as a substrate. Recent studies have revealed that acylceramides (AC) and lanosterol (LAN), which are present only in trace amounts in cultures of keratinocytes grown under submerged conditions on DED in medium supplemented with normal serum, become expressed in significant amounts when the culture is lifted to the air-liquid interface. Inasmuch as culture conditions may markedly affect the extent of keratinocyte differentiation, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of normal (RA-containing) or delipidized (RA-depleted) serum and of RA administration on lipid composition (especially of the AC and LAN contents) in cells cultured under submerged and air-exposed conditions. To test a possible effect of dermal substrate (used in the air-exposed model), the lipid composition of keratinocytes grown under submerged conditions on a plastic and on a dermal substrate (de-epidermized dermis, DED) has also been compared. The results revealed that under all culture conditions, RA deprivation of fetal bovine serum resulted in a marked increase of total ceramide content. Even under submerged conditions, the presence of both AC and LAN could be detected. In air-exposed culture, the content of these lipids was markedly increased. Addition of RA at 1 μM concentration to cultures grown in RA-depleted medium induced marked changes in lipid composition under all culture conditions tested. In cells grown under submerged conditions (both on plastic and on DED) AC and LAN were no longer present in detectable amounts. Also in air-exposed culture, a marked decrease in the content of these lipids was observed. These results suggest that liposoluble serum components, like RA, control the synthesis of lipids that are present in later stages of epidermal differentiation.     

Stress-dependent redistribution of abscisic acid (ABA) in Hordeum vulgare L leaves: the role of epidermal ABA metabolism, tonoplastic transport and the cuticle

When ¹⁴C-labelled abscisic acid ([¹⁴C]ABA) was supplied to isolated protoplasts of the barley leaf at pH 6, initial rates of metabolism were about five times higher in epidermal cell protoplasts than in mesophyll cell protoplasts if equal cytosolic volumes were considered. In spite of the fact that epidermal cells make up only about 35% of the total water space in barley leaves, and despite the small cytosolic volume of these cells, in intact leaves all epidermal cells would thus metabolize half as much ABA per unit time as the mesophyll cells (0–27 and 0–51 mmol h^?1 m^?3 leaf water). Therefore, under these conditions epidermal cells seem to be a stronger sink than mesophyll cells for ABA that arrives via the transpiration stream. However, at an apoplastic pH of 7–25, which occurs in stressed leaves, the proportion of total metabolized ABA would be much smaller in epidermal than in mesophyll cells (0–029 and 0–204 mmolh^?l m^?3 leaf water). Our results indicate that under conditions of slightly alkaline apoplastic pH the epidermis may serve as the main source for fast stress-dependent ABA redistribution into the guard cell apoplast. This is partly the result of ABA transport across the epidermal tonoplast, which is dependent on the apoplastic pH and possibly on the cytosolic calcium concentration. The cuticle seems to be of no particular importance in stress-induced apoplastic ABA shifts and cannot be regarded as a significant sink for high ABA concentrations under stress.     

Effects of growing conditions and development of the underlying exodermis on the vitality of the onion root epidermis

Bulbs of Allium cepa L., which had developed short, adventitious roots, were transferred to various conditions, i.e. vermiculite watered to saturation, vermiculite watered to half saturation, immersed in hydroculture, and immersed in hydroculture except for the proximal 20 mm which was continuously exposed to air. The development of the exodermis occurred in a patchy fashion in many roots but was not influenced by the growing conditions. The vitality of the epidermis declined under all conditions, the rate of decline being inversely related to the ambient moisture level. The differences between the treatments were most evident at the oldest region sampled (120 mm from the root tip) where 4% of the epidermal cells were dead in roots grown in hydroponics. This compared with 62% dead cells in saturated vermiculite, 78% in half-saturated vermiculite and 92% in roots exposed to air. Death of the epidermal cells was not accelerated by the maturation of the underlying exodermis. Epidermal cells which did not overlie a short cell of the exodermis (i.e. were only in contact with long cells) died earlier than the others: this trend was evident even prior to the maturation of the exodermis. These results suggest that the epidermal cells are not well connected symplasmically to the long cells or to the neighbouring epidermal cells. The large majority of epidermal cells (98% of the total) were in contact with a short cell of the exodermis. These epidermal cells tended to die off slowly, even under very favourable ambient conditions. Since these cells provide the major site for ion uptake in roots with a mature exodermis. their death may reduce the efficiency of the root for this activity.     

Effect of an anionic detergent—sodium dodecyl sulphate exposure on club cells in the epidermis of Clarias batrachus

When treated with detergent club cells showed degenerative changes and released their contents to plug the intercellular spaces. This mechanism could act as an efficient protective barrier substantiating the role of club cells in assisting fish to overcome adverse conditions. A general decrease in the dimensions of club cells was associated with discharge of their contents. The appearance of juvenile club cells reflected their differentiation in response to increased demands to meet the challenge. Increases in the number of club cells indicated the differentiation of these cells at a rate faster than their degeneration. Localization of glycogen in club cells at the start of detergent treatment and, in general, its absence later and, in both control and juvenile club cells, is discussed in relation to the metabolic status of the cells. No marked shift was observed in the mucopolysaccharide and protein moieties of club cells.