[29] Organelle motility and membrane network formation from cultured mammalian cells

Author(s):  
Carol McGoldrick ◽  
Michael Sheetz
2005 ◽  
Vol 872 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Zhang ◽  
C. Ozkan ◽  
S. Prasad ◽  
M. Ozkan ◽  
S. Niyogi

AbstractIn this paper, we describe nanostructured substrates as suitable and functional platforms for neuron scaffolding. Neurons are electrically excitable mammalian cells that on network formation serve as conduits for information transfer. A vast amount of information is transferred through the cells in the spinal cord via synaptic and gap junctions in the electro-ionic fashion mediated by neutrotransmitters. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are strong, flexible, conduct electrical current and they are biocompatible and non-biodegradable. They can be functionalized with different biomolecules like neuron growth factors and adhesion agents, properties that come useful in formation of neuron hybrids. These properties of the nanotubes make them potentially successful candidates to form prosthetic substrates to guide neurite outgrowth. A combination of microlithography and chemical vapor deposition is used to engineer patterned vertical multiwalled carbon nanotube substrates. These substrates function as scaffolds and are used to demonstrate the formation of directed neuronal networks. Multiple substrate geometries and nanotube heights are fabricated to determine the most suitable combination for understand the cell morphological changes. Changes in the interaction between the cell membrane and the nanotube substrate are visually characterized. Cell viability is determined via calcium staining and different types of nano-structure substrates are also tested for further studies.


2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2397-2409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne Mercier ◽  
Jean-François Dubremetz ◽  
Béatrice Rauscher ◽  
Laurence Lecordier ◽  
L. David Sibley ◽  
...  

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondiidevelops within a nonfusogenic vacuole containing a network of elongated nanotubules that form connections with the vacuolar membrane. Parasite secretory proteins discharged from dense granules (known as GRA proteins) decorate this intravacuolar network after invasion. Herein, we show using specific gene knockout mutants, that the unique nanotubule conformation of the network is induced by the parasite secretory protein GRA2 and further stabilized by GRA6. The vacuolar compartment generated by GRA2 knockout parasites was dramatically disorganized, and the normally tubular network was replaced by small aggregated material. The defect observed inΔgra2 parasites was evident from the initial stages of network formation when a prominent cluster of multilamellar vesicles forms at a posterior invagination of the parasite. The secretory protein GRA6 failed to localize properly to this posterior organizing center in Δgra2 cells, indicating that this early conformation is essential to proper assembly of the network. Construction of a Δgra6 mutant also led to an altered mature network characterized by small vesicles instead of elongated nanotubules; however, the initial formation of the posterior organizing center was normal. Complementation of the Δgra2knockout with mutated forms of GRA2 showed that the integrity of both amphipathic alpha-helices of the protein is required for correct formation of the network. The induction of nanotubues by the parasite protein GRA2 may be a conserved feature of amphipathic alpha-helical regions, which have also been implicated in the organization of Golgi nanotubules and endocytic vesicles in mammalian cells.


Author(s):  
Dale E. McClendon ◽  
Paul N. Morgan ◽  
Bernard L. Soloff

It has been observed that minute amounts of venom from the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa, are capable of producing cytotoxic changes in cultures of certain mammalian cells (Morgan and Felton, 1965). Since there is little available information concerning the effect of venoms on susceptible cells, we have attempted to characterize, at the electron microscope level, the cytotoxic changes produced by the venom of this spider.Cultures of human epithelial carcinoma cells, strain HeLa, were initiated on sterile, carbon coated coverslips contained in Leighton tubes. Each culture was seeded with approximately 1x105 cells contained in 1.5 ml of a modified Eagle's minimum essential growth medium prepared in Hank's balanced salt solution. Cultures were incubated at 36° C. for three days prior to the addition of venom. The venom was collected from female brown recluse spiders and diluted in sterile saline. Protein determinations on the venom-were made according to the spectrophotometric method of Waddell (1956). Approximately 10 μg venom protein per ml of fresh medium was added to each culture after discarding the old growth medium. Control cultures were treated similarly, except that no venom was added. All cultures were reincubated at 36° C.


Author(s):  
J. P. Petrali ◽  
E. J. Donati ◽  
L. A. Sternberger

Specific contrast is conferred to subcellular antigen by applying purified antibodies, exhaustively labeled with uranium under immunospecific protection, to ultrathin sections. Use of Seligman’s principle of bridging osmium to metal via thiocarbohydrazide (TCH) intensifies specific contrast. Ultrathin sections of osmium-fixed materials were stained on the grid by application of 1) thiosemicarbazide (TSC), 2) unlabeled specific antiserum, 3) uranium-labeled anti-antibody and 4) TCH followed by reosmication. Antigens to be localized consisted of vaccinia antigen in infected HeLa cells, lysozyme in monocytes of patients with monocytic or monomyelocytic leukemia, and fibrinogen in the platelets of these leukemic patients. Control sections were stained with non-specific antiserum (E. coli).In the vaccinia-HeLa system, antigen was localized from 1 to 3 hours following infection, and was confined to degrading virus, the inner walls of numerous organelles, and other structures in cytoplasmic foci. Surrounding architecture and cellular mitochondria were unstained. 8 to 14 hours after infection, antigen was localized on the outer walls of the viral progeny, on cytoplasmic membranes, and free in the cytoplasm. Staining of endoplasmic reticulum was intense and focal early, and weak and diffuse late in infection.


Author(s):  
I. Brent Heath

Detailed ultrastructural analysis of fungal mitotic systems and cytoplasmic microtubules might be expected to contribute to a number of areas of general interest in addition to the direct application to the organisms of study. These areas include possibly fundamental general mechanisms of mitosis; evolution of mitosis; phylogeny of organisms; mechanisms of organelle motility and positioning; characterization of cellular aspects of microtubule properties and polymerization control features. This communication is intended to outline our current research results relating to selected parts of the above questions.Mitosis in the oomycetes Saprolegnia and Thraustotheca has been described previously. These papers described simple kinetochores and showed that the kineto- chores could probably be used as markers for the poorly defined chromosomes. Kineto- chore counts from serially sectioned prophase mitotic nuclei show that kinetochore replication precedes centriole replication to yield a single hemispherical array containing approximately the 4 n number of kinetochore microtubules diverging from the centriole associated "pocket" region of the nuclear envelope (Fig. 1).


Author(s):  
K. Shankar Narayan ◽  
Kailash C. Gupta ◽  
Tohru Okigaki

The biological effects of short-wave ultraviolet light has generally been described in terms of changes in cell growth or survival rates and production of chromosomal aberrations. Ultrastructural changes following exposure of cells to ultraviolet light, particularly at 265 nm, have not been reported.We have developed a means of irradiating populations of cells grown in vitro to a monochromatic ultraviolet laser beam at a wavelength of 265 nm based on the method of Johnson. The cell types studies were: i) WI-38, a human diploid fibroblast; ii) CMP, a human adenocarcinoma cell line; and iii) Don C-II, a Chinese hamster fibroblast cell strain. The cells were exposed either in situ or in suspension to the ultraviolet laser (UVL) beam. Irradiated cell populations were studied either "immediately" or following growth for 1-8 days after irradiation.Differential sensitivity, as measured by survival rates were observed in the three cell types studied. Pattern of ultrastructural changes were also different in the three cell types.


Author(s):  
G-A. Keller ◽  
S. J. Gould ◽  
S. Subramani ◽  
S. Krisans

Subcellular compartments within eukaryotic cells must each be supplied with unique sets of proteins that must be directed to, and translocated across one or more membranes of the target organelles. This transport is mediated by cis- acting targeting signals present within the imported proteins. The following is a chronological account of a series of experiments designed and carried out in an effort to understand how proteins are targeted to the peroxisomal compartment.-We demonstrated by immunocryoelectron microscopy that the enzyme luciferase is a peroxisomal enzyme in the firefly lantern. -We expressed the cDNA encoding firefly luciferase in mammalian cells and demonstrated by immunofluorescence that the enzyme was transported into the peroxisomes of the transfected cells. -Using deletions, linker insertions, and gene fusion to identify regions of luciferase involved in its transport to the peroxisomes, we demonstrated that luciferase contains a peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS) within its COOH-terminal twelve amino acid.


Author(s):  
M. H. Chestnut ◽  
C. E. Catrenich

Helicobacter pylori is a non-invasive, Gram-negative spiral bacterium first identified in 1983, and subsequently implicated in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal disease including gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. Cytotoxic activity, manifested by intracytoplasmic vacuolation of mammalian cells in vitro, was identified in 55% of H. pylori strains examined. The vacuoles increase in number and size during extended incubation, resulting in vacuolar and cellular degeneration after 24 h to 48 h. Vacuolation of gastric epithelial cells is also observed in vivo during infection by H. pylori. A high molecular weight, heat labile protein is believed to be responsible for vacuolation and to significantly contribute to the development of gastroduodenal disease in humans. The mechanism by which the cytotoxin exerts its effect is unknown, as is the intracellular origin of the vacuolar membrane and contents. Acridine orange is a membrane-permeant weak base that initially accumulates in low-pH compartments. We have used acridine orange accumulation in conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy of toxin-treated cells to begin probing the nature and origin of these vacuoles.


Author(s):  
Gustav Ofosu

Platinum-thymine has been found to be a potent antitumor agent, which is quite soluble in water, and lack nephrotoxicity as the dose-limiting factor. The drug has been shown to interact with DNA and inhibits DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in mammalian cells in vitro. This investigation was undertaken to elucidate the cytotoxic effects of piatinum-thymine on sarcoma-180 cells in vitro ultrastructurally, Sarcoma-180 tumor bearing mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection of platinum-thymine 40mg/kg. A concentration of 60μg/ml dose of platinum-thymine was used in in vitro experiments. Treatments were at varying time intervals of 3, 7 and 21 days for in vivo experiments, and 30, 60 and 120 min., 6, 12, and 24th in vitro. Controls were not treated with platinum-thymine.Electron microscopic analyses of the treated cells in vivo and in vitro showed drastic cytotoxic effect.


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