Ultrastructural Localization of Granules and Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum with Permanganate Fixation in Monoamine Cells

Author(s):  
L. Kanerva ◽  
A. Hervonen ◽  
L. Rechardt ◽  
H. Hervonen ◽  
M. Partanen
1975 ◽  
Vol 191 (1103) ◽  
pp. 271-283 ◽  

The ultrastructural localization of acetylcholinesterase and non-specific cholinesterase activity has been studied in sections of ox adrenal medulla by cytochemical methods. Non-specific cholinesterase activity, identified by using butyrylthiocholine as substrate and ethopropazine as inhibitor, occurs intracellularly in some adrenaline-containing chromaffin cells: the reaction end-product is deposited within the cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum and in the nuclear envelope. Reaction end-product of non-specific cholinesterase also occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum of pericytes, around sinusoids and capillaries and within smooth muscle cells. Acetylcholinesterase activity, identified by using acetylthiocholine as substrate and BW 284C51 as inhibitor, occurs in both the splanchnic nerve and in chromaffin cells. Reaction end-product is found at the following sites (i) around myelinated and unmyelinated non-terminal axons of splanchnic nerve, between the axolemma and the Schwann cell membrane; (ii) within the cisternae of axonal smooth endoplasmic reticulum; sometimes these cisternae appear to be connected to the axolemma; (iii) between the axolemmas of preterminal axons and the plasma membranes of chromaffin cells; (iv) between the axolemmas of nerve terminals and the plasma membranes of chromaffin cells, including the synaptic cleft; (v) within cisternae of rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, and also within the nuclear envelope, of both adrenaline- and noradrenaline-containing chromaffin cells; (vi) between the plasma membranes of adjacent chromaffin cells, but only when one or both of these cells contain reaction product within the cisternae of its endoplasmic reticulum; these cisternae sometimes appear to be connected to the plasma membrane. These observations raise the question whether the acetylcholinesterase activity released from the perfused adrenal gland might originate from the cisternae of the endoplasmic reticula of splanchnic nerve and/or chromaffin cell.


Author(s):  
John J. Wolosewick ◽  
John H. D. Bryan

Early in spermiogenesis the manchette is rapidly assembled in a distal direction from the nuclear-ring-densities. The association of vesicles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and the manchette microtubules (MTS) has been reported. In the mouse, osmophilic densities at the distal ends of the manchette are the organizing centers (MTOCS), and are associated with the SER. Rapid MT assembly and the lack of rough ER suggests that there is an existing pool of MT protein. Colcemid potentiates the reaction of vinblastine with tubulin and was used in this investigation to detect this protein.


Author(s):  
F. G. Zaki

Addition of lithocholic acid (LCA), a naturally occurring bile acid in mammals, to a low protein diet fed to rats induced marked inflammatory reaction in the hepatic cells followed by hydropic degeneration and ductular cell proliferation. These changes were accompanied by dilatation and hyperplasia of the common bile duct and formation of “gallstones”. All these changes were reversible when LCA was withdrawn from the low protein diet except for the hardened gallstones which persisted.Electron microscopic studies revealed marked alterations in the hepatic cells. Early changes included disorganization, fragmentation of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and detachment of its ribosomes. Free ribosomes, either singly or arranged in small clusters were frequently seen in most of the hepatic cells. Vesiculation of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum was often encountered as early as one week after the administration of LCA (Fig. 1).


Author(s):  
Kazushige Hirosawa ◽  
Eichi Yamada

The pigment epithelium is located between the choriocapillary and the visual cells. The pigment epithelial cell is characterized by a large amount of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) in its cytoplasm. In addition, the pigment epithelial cell of some lower vertebrate has myeloid body as a specialized form of the SER. Generally, SER is supposed to work in the lipid metabolism. However, the functions of abundant SER and myeloid body in the pigment epithelial cell are still in question. This paper reports an attempt, to depict the functions of these organelles in the frog retina by administering one of phospholipid precursors.


Author(s):  
S.M. Geyer ◽  
C.L. Mendenhall ◽  
J.T. Hung ◽  
E.L. Cardell ◽  
R.L. Drake ◽  
...  

Thirty-three mature male Holtzman rats were randomly placed in 3 treatment groups: Controls (C); Ethanolics (E); and Wine drinkers (W). The animals were fed synthetic diets (Lieber type) with ethanol or wine substituted isocalorically for carbohydrates in the diet of E and W groups, respectively. W received a volume of wine which provided the same gram quantity of alcohol consumed by E. The animals were sacrificed by decapitation after 6 weeks and the livers processed for quantitative triglycerides (T3), proteins, malic enzyme activity (MEA), light microscopy (LM) and electron microscopy (EM). Morphometric analysis of randomly selected LM and EM micrographs was performed to determine organellar changes in centrilobular (CV) and periportal (PV) regions of the liver. This analysis (Table 1) showed that hepatocytes from E were larger than those in C and W groups. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum decreased in E and increased in W compared to C values.


Author(s):  
Becky Jackson

Preliminary investigation has indicated similarity in hepatic ultrastructural morphology in nutritional deprivation, and cyanide induced hepatic necrosis. Analysis of hepatic tissue has indicated disruption of intracellular membranes, specifically, reduction in rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) mitochondrial integrity, and glycogen stores. An increase in smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) portion was observed.To further investigate the apparent equivalence of necrotic morphology, ultrastructura1ly, BDF1 mice were subjected to senescence, nutritional deprevation, potassium cyanide (KCN) induced toxemia, and acetaminophen induced toxemia. Controls were utilized to ellucidate non-necrotic hepatocellular normals. U1trastructura1 investigation of controls (Fig. 1) shows densely granular RER, abundant glycogen stores, and morphologically normal mitochondria. Subjects with acetaminophen induced necrosis exhibit reduced normal RER with increased levels of dialated, vesicular RER in apparent conversion to SER (Fig. 2), loss of mitochondrial integrity, and glycogen store reduction. Senescent subjects exhibit a pronounced increase in SER and loss of glycogen store. (Fig. 3). Investigation of the senescent SER at high magnification (Fig. 5) indicates that the SER is arising from degranulating and vesiculating RER.


Author(s):  
R.T.F. Bernard ◽  
R.H.M. Cross

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) is involved in the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, and changes in the organisation and abundance of this organelle are regularly used as indicators of changes in the level of steroidogenesis. SER is typically arranged as a meshwork of anastomosing tubules which, with the transmission electron microscope, appear as a random mixture of cross, oblique and longitudinal sections. Less commonly the SER appears as swollen vesicles and it is generally suggested that this is an artefact caused during immersion fixation or during immersion of poorly-perfused tissue.During a previous study of the Leydig cells of a seasonally reproducing bat, in which tissue was fixed by immersion, we noted that tubular SER and vesicular SER often occured in adjacent cells and sometimes in the same cell, and that the abundance of the two types of SER changed seasonally. We came to doubt the widelyheld dogma that vesicular SER was an artefact of immersion fixation and set out to test the hypothesis that the method of fixation does not modify the ultrastructure of the SER.


1968 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poul Hjortkjær Pedersen ◽  
Jørgen Falck Larsen

ABSTRACT The ultrastructure of granulosal lutein cells of 13 corpora lutea in early human pregnancy was studied. The predominant cytoplasmic element was the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. No convincing signs of degeneration of the lutein cells could be demonstrated within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, as the mitochondria as well as the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum were well preserved. However, lysosomes may be slightly more numerous in older specimens and the subendothelial space increases with the age of gestation. A particular type of multilaminated structure one to five micron in diameter was observed, particularly in the earliest specimens. The possible intracellular location of steroid synthesis is discussed.


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