DISCOVERY OF MONOGRAPTIDS IN BASAL PART OF LOWER SILURIAN FROM S. ANHUI WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THEIR ORIGIN

For a long time, the evolutionary series of a idoraptids-dimorphograptids-monograptids has been generally recognized by graptolite researchers. In the past years, the akidograptids were found to appear in the Lower Silurian Parakidograptus acuminatus Zone, while the dimorphograptids in the P. acuminatus and Orthograpius vesiculosus Zones, but the monograptids appeared as late as in the O. vesiculosus zone; this evolutionary series can be easily accepted by other people. Chen Xu and Lin Yao-kun (1978) pu...     

Morphogenesis of the renal juxtaglomerular apparatus and peripolar cells in the sheep

Summary The morphogenesis of the juxtaglomerular apparatus and peripolar cells was studied in the metanephros of fetal sheep (from 24 to 147 days of gestation) using light and electron microscopy. The first juxtaglomerular apparatus was detected at 45 days of gestation, following constriction of the edges of Bowman's capsule and formation of the vascular pole of the renal corpuscle. Mesenchymal cells gave rise to lacis cells and to smooth muscle and epithelioid cells of the juxtaglomerular arterioles. Epithelioid cells developed only sparse cytoplasmic granulation, first detectable at 92 days. The macula densa developed from tubular cells at the junction of the middle and upper limbs of the S-shaped body of the developing nephron. Peripolar cells arose from epithelial cells in the lower limb of the S-shaped body, at the constricting edges of Bowman's capsule, and formed a cuff around the origin of the glomerular tuft. Cytoplasmic granules were first detected in peripolar cells at 53 days, and remained more prominent than epithelioid cell granulation throughout gestation.     

The ultrastructure of the trophic cells of the protostelidPlanoprotθstelium aurantium

Summary The protostelidPlanoprotostelium aurantium Olive andStoianovitch has trophic cells which are either amoebae or flagellates. The general morphology and ultrastructure are consistent with what has been reported for otherEumycetozoa (protostelids, myxomycetes, and dictyostelids). The flagellar apparatus structure has the same basic pattern as that of other flagellate eumycetozoans. It shares with all these an anteriorly directed flagellum and centriole and microtubule arrays (MTA) 2–4. Unlike more primitive species which have two centrioles per flagellar apparatus,P. aurantium has only one. Also, the flagellar apparatus is independent of the nucleus inP. aurantium, not linked to it as in the primitive species. These features are useful in explaining the differences in swimming behavior betweenP. aurantium and biflagellate species. Evidence is presented to show thatP. aurantium is closely related to the non-flagellateProtostelium mycophaga Olive andStoianovitch.This research represents part of a Ph.D. dissertation presented to the University of North Carolina.     

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE FLAGELLAR APPARATUS OF PYROBOTRYS (CHLOROPHYCEAE)1

The flagellar apparatus of Pyrobotrys has a number of features that are typical of the Chlorophyceae, but others that are unusual for this class. The two flagella are inserted at the apex, but they extend to the side of the cell toward the outside of the colony, here designated as the ventral side. Four basal bodies are present, two of which extend into flagella. Four microtubular rootlets alternate between the functional and accessory basal bodies. In each cell, the two ventral rootlets are nearly parallel, but the dorsal rootlets are more widely divergent. The rootlets alternate between two and four microtubules each. A striated distal fiber connects the two functional basal bodies in the plane of the flagella. Two additional, apparently nonstriated, fibers connect the basal bodies proximal to the distal fiber. Another striated fiber is associated with each four-membered rootlet near its insertion into the flagellar apparatus. A fine periodic component is associated with each two-membered rootlet. A rhizoplast-like structure extends into the cell from each of the functional basal bodies. The arrangement of these components does not reflect the 180° rotational symmetry that is usually present in the Chlorophyceae, but appears to be derived from a more symmetrical ancestor. It is suggested that the form of the flagellar apparatus is associated with the unusual colony structure of Pyrobotrys.     

ULTRASTRUCTURE AND TAXONOMIC POSITION OF THE RARE VOLVOCALEAN ALGA,CHLORCORONA BOHEMICA1

Chlorcorona bohemica (Fott) Fott was previously of uncertain taxonomic affinities. The cell to cell connections, which are one of the chief features of the colony, are composed of wall extensions from adjacent cells. The outgrowths are connected by a fine fibrous component extending from wall to wall. The structure of the wall itself and the cell to cell connections, are similar to those of Pyrobotrys, although the connections in the latter are not as elongated. In addition, the flagellar apparatus of Chlorocorona is very similar to the flagellar apparatus of Pyrobotrys, and unlike that in other Chlorophyceae examined. These features suggest that Chlorcorona is closely related to Pyrobotrys and should be referred to the family Spondylomoraceae.     

Microtubules,dendritic spines and spine apparatuses

Summary Using techniques for enhanced microtubular preservation, including albumin pretreatment (Gray, 1975), occipital cortex of rats was studied electron microscopically at various ages of development. A close structural relationship was seen between microtubules, sacs of SER and the postsynaptic thickening in primordial spines and with the dense plate material of spine apparatuses. Stereoscopic preparations in addition show a more complicated substructure than previously described for the plate. Microtubules may contribute to the formation of the plate of the spine apparatus which in turn is associated with the postsynaptic thickening of the mature spine. Possible functional correlates are discussed.Dr. L.E. Westrum is an affiliate of the CDMRC at the University of Washington and a recipient of a Burroughs-Wellcome (USA) — Wellcome Trust (U.K.) Research Travel Grant. The research was also supported in part by NIH Grants NS 09678, NS 04053 (NINCDS) and DE 04942 (NIDR), DHHS     

Distribution and orientation of microtubules in milk secreting epithelial cells of rat mammary gland

Summary Quantitative ultrastructural analysis of mid-lactation rat mammary gland demonstrated that cytoplasmic microtubules were present in nearly all secretory epithelial cells examined. Most microtubules were oriented perpendicular to the apical membrane and were found in the apical and medial portions of the cell cytoplasm. There was no statistical difference between the number of microtubules associated with vesicles and the number that were not. Most vesicles which were in contact with microtubules were small (50 to 150 nm), appeared electron lucent and were located in a supra-Golgi complex position. Many of these vesicles were seen to be aligned along the axis of longitudinally sectioned microtubules oriented perpendicular to the apical plasma membrane. As measured by a colchicine binding assay, the total tubulin content of mammary tissue from mid-lactation rats was about 107 g/100 mg wet weight. Approximately 19% of the total tubulin was in polymerized form. This study provides evidence that microtubules may be involved in guiding transport of small secretory vesicles to the apical regions of cells for exocytosis.     

The early formation of the photosynthetic apparatus in Rhodospirillum rubrum

The time dependent assembly of the photosynthetic apparatus was studied in Rhodospirillum rubrum after transfer of cells growing aerobically in the dark to low aeration. While bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) cellular levels increase continuously levels of soluble cytochrome c ₂do not change significantly. Absorption spectra of membranes isolated at different times after transfer reveal that incorporation of carotenoids lags behind incorporation of Bchl. However, a carotenoid fraction exhibiting spectral properties of spirilloxanthin isomers was isolated apart from membranes. This carotenoid fraction even was present in homogenates from Bchl-free, aerobically grown cells. Incorporation of U-¹⁴C-proteinhydrolyzate into membrane proteins showed that proteins are mainly formed which are specific for photosynthetic membranes. Although the proportion of reaction center (RC) Bchl per light harvesting (LH) Bchl does not change the proportions of membrane proteins present in RC and LH preparations change initially. But later on the proportions of the different proteins also reach constant values. Concerning proteins characteristic for cytoplasmic membranes a differential incorporation of label can be observed. The data indicate that the photosynthetic apparatus in Rhodospirillum rubrum is assembled through a sequential mechanism.Abbreviations Bchl bacteriochlorophyll - LH light harvesting - RC reaction center - R. Rhodospirillum - R. Rhodopseudomonas     

Effects of induced pinocytotic activity and extreme temperatures on the morphology of golgi bodies in Amoeba proteus

Summary The morphology of the Golgi apparatus of Amoeba proteus can be influenced by substances inducing pinocytotic activity as well as by extreme temperatures. During the ingestion of a solution of 0.5% egg white the number of Golgi bodies decreases from 100% measured in control cells to 82% measured in cells showing induced pinocytosis. Simultaneously the ratio of the surface area of the cisternae at the proximal face to that of the vesicles at the distal face of single dictyosomes remains constant (1.74–1.72).The decrease and increase of the temperature of the culture medium to 4° C and 30° C respectively, causes the disappearance of most of the dictyosomes. After keeping the cells for 3–10 h at these temperatures the number of Golgi bodies was only 5–10% of the controls. A continued treatment with cold or warm culture medium leads to a partial reorganization of dictyosomes. After 15 h the number of Golgi bodies counted per cell returned to 57% at 4° C and 38% at 30° C. The ratio of the surface area of the Golgi cisternae to the surface area of the Golgi vesicles also alters under the influence of extreme temperatures. The values measured after treating the cells for 3 h, 4 h 10 h and 15 h at 4° C and 30° C amounted to 0.75, 0.85, 1.14 1.53 and 0.93, 0.38, 0.88, 1.60, respectively, compared to 1.72 of control amoebae.The different values of the ratio of the surface area of cisternae to that of vesicles indicate that there are strong morphological changes of single dictyosomes.     

ATPase Activity in Flagella from Euglena gracilis. Localization of the Enzyme and Effects of Detergents*

SYNOPSIS. The biochemical effects of some detergents on the ATPase activity of isolated flagella from Euglena gracilis are related to morphologic obliterations induced by those detergents. Enzymic activity can be localized by electron microscopy along the microtubules and also on the paraflagellar rod. The nonionic detergent digitonin solubilizes the enzyme linked to dyneinic arms, whereas the activity linked to residual structures appears enhanced. These results support the hypothesis that the paraflagellar rod may be a structure actively related to the motility of this type of flagellum.