Ultrastructure of the sexual segments of the kidney in male and female lizards,Cnemidophorus l. lemniscatus (L.)

Summary Kidneys of adult male and female lizards were studied by electron microscopy, in order to understand the ultrastructure of the collecting duct and a differentiated part thereof, the sexual segment, which is an important accessory sexual organ. First portion of sexual segment in males: The cells are filled with large secretory granules of a wide range of opacities. The granular endoplasmic reticulum is abundant; basal formations of superimposed flat cisternae are frequent. Distended vesicles and microvesicles prevail in the supranuclear, well developed Golgi apparatus. Evidences indicate that secretion of these cells is holocrine. Second portion of sexual segment in males: All of the secretory granules are apical in location and relatively electron-opaque; they show a denser core. This core is formed by a substance which, after lying in contact with ribosomes, enters the secretory vesicles of the highly developed Golgi apparatus. A lighter substance is then condensed around it. The secretion of the granules is merocrine. The granular endoplasmic reticulum is very abundant in these cells, but basal ergastoplasmic formations are lacking. Sexual segment in females: The cells show features similar to those of the male first portion, but they are smaller. Undifferentiated collecting duct: Most of the cells are mucigenic. They have small ovoid, apical secretory granules. The density of the granules varies from cell to cell; when they are electron-lucent, they exhibit laminar or dotted opaque figures. Moderately developed Golgi apparatus and granular endoplasmic reticulum, as well as elongated mitochondria, occur in mucigenic cells. Intercalated among the latter are non-secretory cells. They have very abundant mitochondria, numerous microvilli, many pinocytic and smooth-membrane vesicles, whereas the organelles participating in synthetic processes are poorly developed; their function is most likely related to active solute transport.     

Scanning and transmission electron microscope studies on the sensory sucker papillae of the fish parasite Entobdella soleae (monogenea)

Summary The ventral surface of the posterior sucker of Entobdella soleae, a monogenean skin parasite of the sole Solea solea, is covered with more than 800 papillae ranging in size from 2.5–19 m in diameter. The papillae are penetrated by nerves which double over themselves to form a stack-like array of lamellae running parallel to the surface of the haptor. No cilia or associated structures are present within these presumed sense organs and the papillae have no opening to the exterior. The much larger sucker papillae of a related species, E. hippoglossi, have been shown to have a similar ultrastructure. The possibility that the papillae may be contact receptors or strain receptors, providing proprioceptive information assisting the coordination of the attachment organ, is discussed and the papillae are compared with vertebrate touch receptors.I should like to thank Colin Ogden of the British Museum of Natural History for the generous assistance with the scanning electron microscopy and the Director and Staff of the Plymouth Laboratory and Ken Mackenzie and Rod Wootten of the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen for help in obtaining material.     

Irregular chiasm-C-roughest, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, affects sense organ spacing on the Drosophila antenna by influencing the positioning of founder cells on the disc ectoderm

We describe a role for Irregular chiasmC-roughest (IrreC-rst), an immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily member, in patterning sense organs on the Drosophila antenna. IrreC-rst protein is initially expressed homogeneously on apical profiles of ectodermal cells in regions of the antennal disc. During specification of founder cells (FCs), the intracellular protein distribution changes and becomes concentrated in regions where specific intercellular contacts presumably occur. Loss of function mutations as well as misexpression of irreC-rst results in an altered arrangement of FCs within the disc compared to wildtype. Sense organ development occurs normally, although spacing is affected. Unlike its role in interommatidial spacing, irreC-rst does not affect apoptosis during antennal development. We propose that IrreC-rst affects the spatial relationship between sensory and ectodermal cells during FC delamination. Received: 19 January 1999 / Accepted: 10 May 1999     

Variation in the glucosinolate content of vegetative tissues of Chinese lines of Brassica napus L

The glucosinolate content of leaves, stems and roots of a range of Chinese oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) breeding lines was analysed. Total content and spectrum of individual glucosinolates varied widely, and there was no correlation between seed and vegetative tissue glucosinolate content. Lines with low seed glucosinolates (00) did not necessarily have low glucosinolate content in vegetative tissues; nor did high seed glucosinolate lines always have high vegetative tissue content. There was no correlation between the glucosinolate content of leaf, stem, and root in any given line. It appears that glucosinolate synthesis and accumulation is under tissue-specific control, and the mutation which blocks accumulation of glucosinolates in seeds does not influence other tissues. The responses of these lines to elicitors was also examined. Methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid treatments produced increases in leaf indolyl and aromatic glucosinolates respectively. However, the extent of such increases differed widely between the lines, and there were other, less consistent, effects on other classes of glucosinolate. There seems to be greater variation in glucosinolate accumulation in rape than has previously been reported, and the lines described here have considerable potential for evaluating the effects of manipulating glucosinolate profiles on pest and disease interactions.     

尾斑瘰螈主要消化器官组织结构观察

本研究采用组织学方法对尾斑瘰螈(Paramesotriton caudopunctatus)的消化器官进行了显微结构观察。结果表明,尾斑瘰螈食管较短,胃、肠壁组织结构分为黏膜层、黏膜下层、肌层和外膜,小肠前段的黏膜下层缺失。胃黏膜层中有许多胃腺,胃腺细胞胞质含嗜酸性颗粒。小肠前段绒毛细长密集,中段、后段逐渐短小稀疏,在黏膜层的固有膜中没有肠腺分布。肝实质中肝小叶界限不明显,肝小叶内有大量色素颗粒成团分布。     

Quantification of periviscerokinin‐1 in the nervous system of the American cockroach,Periplaneta americana: An insect neuropeptide with unusual distribution

This study was undertaken to reveal the quantitative distribution of the insect neuropeptide periviscerokinin‐1 (Pea‐PVK‐1) in the central nervous system of Periplaneta americana and to demonstrate that neurons stained in a previous immunohistochemical study contain authentic Pea‐PVK‐1. For this, we combined ELISA, HPLC, and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. The high specificity of the used antiserum enabled the quantification of Pea‐PVK‐1 in unseparated tissue extracts. No cross‐reactivities with other insect neuropeptides were detected in ELISA. Only two immunoreactive fractions, coeluting with synthetic Pea‐PVK‐1 in its oxidized and nonoxidized form, were found in HPLC‐separated extracts of the brain, suboesophageal ganglion, metathoracic ganglion, second abdominal ganglion with or without perisympathetic organ, and terminal ganglion. By using MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry, we were able to confirm the existence of authentic Pea‐PVK‐1 in these fractions. The abdominal perisympathetic organs contained 6.3 pmol Pea‐PVK‐1 per animal; another 1.3 pmol were found in the abdominal ganglia. More than 90% of the total 8.2 pmol in the central nervous system was found in the abdominal ganglia and their perisympathetic organs. The corpora cardiaca and corpora allata did not contain immunoreactive material, suggesting that Pea‐PVK‐1 is not released by the cephalic neurohaemal system. The quantitative distribution of Pea‐PVK‐1 differs considerably from that of other known insect neuropeptides. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 40:203–211, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

油松幼苗非结构性碳水化合物对干旱胁迫的阶段性响应

为探讨干旱胁迫对油松非结构性碳水化合物（NSC）的影响及其响应机制,以2年生油松幼苗为对象,设置适宜水分、轻度、中度和重度干旱胁迫处理（即80%、60%、40%和20%田间持水量）,比较幼苗在不同胁迫时间（15、30、45和60 d）各器官NSC含量的变化规律。结果表明：不同干旱胁迫处理程度与时间对油松幼苗当年生叶、1年生叶、茎、粗根和细根的可溶性糖、淀粉及总NSC含量均具有显著交互作用。干旱胁迫15 d时,当年生叶NSC含量在干旱胁迫处理显著低于适宜水分处理,细根NSC含量在轻度和重度胁迫处理显著高于适宜水分处理。干旱胁迫45 d时,随着胁迫程度增加,当年生叶、1年生叶、茎、粗根和细根淀粉含量均呈增加趋势。干旱胁迫60 d时,随着胁迫程度增加,细根淀粉含量呈下降趋势,细根可溶性糖及NSC含量在胁迫处理显著低于适宜水分处理。综上所述,油松幼苗胁迫初期,NSC优先供给细根以促进吸收水分,而长期胁迫,将导致NSC向下运输受阻,根系生长和吸收功能下降。这种NSC对干旱胁迫阶段性响应策略的揭示为东北地区油松幼苗造林最佳时间选择及水分管理提供数据支持。     

附生植物石斛的株丛生长及营养繁殖特征

石斛(Dendrobium nobile Lindl.)为兰科多年生附生性草本植物,特化的假鳞茎是其营养贮藏器官,通过假鳞茎可实现克隆生长。该研究以野外调查发现的石斛株丛为研究材料,比较不同等级株丛假鳞茎合轴生长和高位腋芽的差异,分析高位株丛的定植方式,探讨石斛株丛生长及营养繁殖对附生环境的适应策略。结果显示:(1)石斛株丛的生长和扩大通过合轴生长的营养繁殖方式进行,假鳞茎基部具有2~3个储备芽,每年萌发1~2个新芽,随着生长年限的增加,形成大小不一的株丛。(2)株丛具有典型的高位腋芽营养繁殖特性,且主要形成于假鳞茎密集和老根密布的大株丛。(3)高位株丛母茎一端附着于附主树种上,在母茎软化和高位株丛的重力作用下,缩短了高位株丛与附主的距离,使其根系能够触及附主,完成高位株丛的定植。研究表明,附生植物石斛通过假鳞茎合轴生长的营养繁殖方式来增强并延续株丛寿命,高位腋芽的频发是株丛假鳞茎对拥挤等逆境的响应,高位株丛的定植依赖于母茎,这也是石斛对附生环境的一种生态适应策略。     

A set of possible sensory system preserved in cuticle of Late Devonian thylacocephalan arthropods from Poland

The cuticle of concavicarids (Arthropoda: Thylacocephala) from the early Famennian (Upper Devonian) of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland was studied with respect to its microstructural details. Investigated laminated cuticle with phosphatic/organic composition, possesses two different kinds of microstructure with assumed sensory functions. The first kind consists of circular depressions, each located in the central area of characteristic polygons forming the carapace exterior ornamentation. These depressions are interpreted as sealed during phosphatisation processes setal lumens. The second kind occurs exclusively in carapace margins. These intracuticular microstructures occur as elongated tubular structures, circular to oval in cross section, penetrating the cuticle interior but not reaching its surface. They form a thin belt with a kind of ‘sensory fields’ on the dorsum and a wider belt in the ventrocaudal part of the carapace. These belts are connected in the rostral and caudal area, forming a continuous sensory zone encompassing each valve. These structures are very similar to crustacean organule canals, and the dorsally situated ‘sensory fields’, suggest some similarity to crustacean sensory dorsal organs. This possible sensory system is the oldest of this kind found in Thylacocephala. Its morphology and presumed canal walls mineralogical composition suggests crustacean affinity of Thylacocephala.     

文冠果新梢发育过程酚类物质及相关酶活性变化特性

以文冠果新梢为试验材料,通过分析文冠果新梢生长发育过程中的茎尖、茎段、叶片的多酚、类黄酮、单宁及相关酶(苯丙氨酸解氨酶、多酚氧化酶)活性,研究了文冠果新梢枝条发育过程中不同部位酚类物质的积累规律及相关酶活性的变化规律。结果显示:(1)文冠果新梢生长期内(4~9月)随着季节的变化,多酚、类黄酮、单宁等酚类物质含量总体上呈现上升趋势,新梢同一时期不同部位的多酚、类黄酮、单宁等酚类物质含量的分布情况相似,皆为:叶茎尖茎段。(2)文冠果不同发育时期的茎叶苯丙氨酸解氨酶活性大小为:新梢幼嫩茎段及相应叶片半木质化茎段及相应叶片木质化茎段及相应叶片;新梢叶片的多酚氧化酶活性显著高于茎段,茎尖的最低;文冠果叶片有着极强的抗氧化能力,对1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼自由基(DPPH·)的清除率最高可达98.13%。(3)在4月29日前后,文冠果新梢各部位多酚、类黄酮和单宁含量上升趋势有显著差异,各部位苯丙氨酸解氨酶活性最低,而多酚氧化酶活性最高,木质化程度不同的茎段DPPH·清除率均降至最低,表明4月29日是文冠果新梢生长期的一个重要过渡生长阶段。(4)文冠果的新梢多酚、类黄酮、单宁之间呈极显著正相关关系;多酚、类黄酮、单宁与DPPH·清除率存在极显著正相关关系,与多酚氧化酶活性呈显著正相关关系,与苯丙氨酸解氨酶活性之间相关性不显著。研究表明,酚类物质含量是影响文冠果无性繁殖的主要因素,酚类物质含量越低,文冠果的扦插、嫁接、组培的成活率越高;新梢多酚、类黄酮、单宁等酚类物质含量在生长初期最低,后随着新梢的生长呈现显著上升趋势;文冠果无性繁殖最好在新梢生长初期进行,最佳时间为4~5月中旬。