Unusual Leucophore‐Like Cells Specifically Appear in the Lineage of Melanophores in the Periodic Albino Mutant of Xenopus laevis

In the periodic albino mutant (a^p/a^p) of Xenopus laevis, peculiar leucophore‐like cells appear in the skins of tadpoles and froglets, whereas no such cells are observed in the wild‐type (+/+). These leucophore‐like cells are unusual in (1) appearing white, but not iridescent, under incident light, (2) emitting green fluorescence under blue light, (3) exhibiting pigment dispersion in the presence of α‐melanocyte stimulating hormone (αMSH), and (4) containing an abundance of bizarre‐shaped, reflecting platelet‐like organelles. In this study, the developmental and ultrastructural characteristics of these leucophore‐like cells were compared with melanophores, iridophores and xanthophores, utilizing fluorescence stereomicroscopy, and light and electron microscopy. Staining with methylene blue, exposure to αMSH, and culture of neural crest cells were also performed to clarify the pigment cell type. The results obtained clearly indicate that: (1) the leucophore‐like cells in the mutant are different from melanophores, iridophores and xanthophores, (2) the leucophore‐like cells are essentially similar to melanophores of the wild‐type with respect to their localization in the skin and manner of response to αMSH, (3) the leucophore‐like cells contain many premelanosomes that are observed in developing melanophores, and (4) mosaic pigment cells containing both melanosomes specific to mutant melanophores and peculiar reflecting platelet‐like organelles are observed in the mutant tadpoles. These findings strongly suggest that the leucophore‐like cells in the periodic albino mutant are derived from the melanophore lineage, which provides some insight into the origin of brightly colored pigment cells in lower vertebrates.     

虹鳉透明突变的遗传特征及其组织学观察

摘要：采用杂交方法对虹鳉（Poecilia reticulate）透明性状的遗传规律进行了研究。从F1自交和回交后代的表型分析,该性状由1对等位基因控制,呈隐性遗传,其遗传特征符合孟德尔基因分离定律。采用体视镜观察比较不同表型虹鳉体表色素细胞的差异,并应用石蜡切片和电镜技术对不同表型鱼的皮肤、腹膜等结构进行研究,结果显...     

A Transmission Electron Microscopic (TEM) Method for Determining Structural Colors Reflected by Lizard Iridophores

Iridescent tissue colors are thought to be produced by iridophores through the optical phenomenon of thin-layer interference. Land and others have shown that structural features, predominantly reflecting platelet width and the cytoplasmic spacing between layers of platelets, determine the wavelength of light maximally reflected by this mechanism in iridophores. Some researchers have used interference microscopy to estimate these structural parameters, but the most direct measurement technique should be transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has associated processing artifacts (particularly cytoplasmic shrinkage) that preclude direct measurement of ultrastructure, but if a number of assumptions are made, reflected wave-lengths can be predicted. A thin-layer interference model and its associated assumptions were tested using TEM measurements of iridophores from several brightly colored tissues of each of three lizards (Sceloporus jarroui, S. undulatus erythrocheilus, and S. magister). In all the instances examined when the contribution of the pigments present were accounted for, tissue color corresponded with predicted iridophore reflectances from the model. Finally, if the model and its assumptions are assumed to be correct, the amount of iridophore cytoplasmic shrinkage as a result of TEM processing can be calculated.     

Reflector of the body photophore in lanternfish is mechanistically tuned to project the biochemical emission in photocytes for counterillumination

Lanternfish, a family Myctophidae, use ventro-lateral body photophores for camouflage of the ventral silhouette, a strategy called counterillumination. While other deep-sea fishes possess pigmented filters and silver reflectors to match sunlight filtering down through the depths, myctophids developed a blue-green reflector for this purpose. In this study, we showed in a lanternfish Diaphus watasei that the reflector comprised monolayered iridophores containing multilayered guanine crystals which enable high reflection with light interference colouration. Platelets shape in body photophores is an unique near-regular hexagonal, probably to allow the homogeneity of reflection angle of the luminescence from photocytes. Focus point of the parabola-like reflector is positioned on the photocytes that ensures the light produced from the photocytes is redirected to the ventral direction. In vitro luminescence reaction using purified luciferase and the substrate coelenterazine showed the light emission at λ_max 454 nm, while reflection spectra of the iridophores exhibit peaks at longer wavelength, which accomplish to alter the luminescence emitted from photocytes to longer wavelength to fit the mesopelagic light environment. Taken together, we revealed multiple mechanistic elaborations in myctophid body photophores to achieve effective control of biochemical luminescence for counterillumination.     

透明鲫—一个适合活体研究的鱼类模型

目的了解鲫成体透明的原因,探讨该性状的应用特性,为透明鲫作为水生实验动物材料系统开发提供基础。方法对透明鲫进行繁殖,并观察其后代性状,了解透明性状的遗传规律;体视镜观察透明鲫色素细胞的种类与分布,并与鲫比较;组织切片和压片确认微孢子虫对透明鲫的感染,并观察感染症状的变化。结果鲫的透明性状可以遗传,大部分后代表现为通体透明,心、肝、肾、肠、鳔、鳃、脊椎等组织器官肉眼清晰可见。与正常鲫比较,透明鲫的主要色素细胞为黄色素细胞,并未发现虹彩色素细胞,黑色素细胞的数量也大为减少。微孢子虫对鱼体的感染过程可直观观察,病原的扩散和空间分布能实时获得,具普通鱼类无法比拟的应用优势。结论虹彩色素细胞的缺失是鲫透明突变的结构基础。由于透明鲫内部器官可直接观测,无需依靠解剖或复杂仪器系统,在同一动物身上可能获得一系列的动态试验数据,或可作为模型材料广泛应用于生命科学不同领域。     

Electron microscopy of two types of reflecting chromatophores (iridophores and leucophores) in the guppy,Lebistes reticulatus Peters

Summary Reflecting chromatophores in the integument of the guppy, Lebistes reticulatus Peters, are of two distinct types, iridophores and leucophores. The iridophores are smaller and fixed, producing a metallic iridescent color. The cytoplasmic organelles involved in the coloration of iridophores are the reflecting platelets, as in the iridophores of other fish and amphibian species on which earlier reports have been made. Spherical granules of pleiomorphic internal structure, quite variable in size but generally 0.2 m to 1.0 m in diameter, are also numerous in the iridophores. The nature of these granules remains unknown.The leucophores are larger, and highly dendritic; their pigment granules are migratory and they exhibit a dull whitish color. Pigment granules of the leucophores are spherical in form, varying from 0.5–0.8 m in diameter, with a double membrane enclosing the internal fibrous materials. Melamine-treatment of the fish caused degenerative changes in the pigment granules and also the other cytoplasmic organelles of the leucophores, whereas the other kinds of chromatophores, including the iridiophores, remained intact. Some problems in general characterization and classification between these two types of chromatophores were discussed.The author wishes to thank Mr. Yoshiro Yamazaki for his assistance in operating the electron microscope, and Dr. Takao Kajishima (Biological Institute, Nagoya University) for his encouragements