Control of Daughter-Cell Number Variation in Multiple Fission: Genetic versus Environmental Determinants in Prototheca

Embryonic development seemingly proceeds with almost perfect precision. However, it is largely unknown how much underlying microscopic variability is compatible with normal development. Here, we quantified embryo-to-embryo variability in vertebrate development, by studying cell number variation in the zebrafish endoderm. We noticed that the size of a sub- population of the endoderm, the dorsal forerunner cells (which later form the left-right organizer), exhibits significantly more embryo-to-embryo variation than the rest of the endoderm. We found that, when incubated at elevated temperature, the frequency of left-right laterality defects is increased drastically in embryos with a low number of dorsal forerunner cells. Furthermore, we observed that these fluctuations have a large stochastic component among fish of the same genetic background. Hence, a stochastic variation in early development leads to a remarkably strong macroscopic phenotype. These fluctuations appear to be associated with maternal effects in the specification of the dorsal forerunner cells.

Download Full-text

Intestinal epithelium-derived BMP controls stem cell self-renewal in Drosophila adult midgut

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.01857 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 66

Author(s):

Aiguo Tian ◽

Jin Jiang

Keyword(s):

Stem Cell ◽

Intestinal Epithelium ◽

Stem Cell Niche ◽

Daughter Cell ◽

Cell Number ◽

Bmp Signaling ◽

Self Renewal ◽

Type Iv ◽

Signal Production ◽

Cell Niche

Stem cells are maintained in a specialized microenvironment called niche but the nature of stem cell niche remains poorly defined in many systems. Here we demonstrate that intestinal epithelium-derived BMP serves as a niche signal for intestinal stem cell (ISC) self-renewal in Drosophila adult midgut. We find that BMP signaling is asymmetric between ISC and its differentiated daughter cell. Two BMP ligands, Dpp and Gbb, are produced by enterocytes and act in conjunction to promote ISC self-renewal by antagonizing Notch signaling. Furthermore, the basement membrane-associated type IV collagens regulate ISC self-renewal by confining higher BMP signaling to ISCs. The employment of gut epithelia as a niche for stem cell self-renewal may provide a mechanism for direct communication between the niche and the environment, allowing niche signal production and stem cell number to be fine-tuned in response to various physiological and pathological stimuli.

Download Full-text

A LAPS-Based Differential Sensor for Parallelized Metabolism Monitoring of Various Bacteria

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s19214692 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (21) ◽

pp. 4692 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Shahriar Dantism ◽

Désirée Röhlen ◽

Torsten Wagner ◽

Patrick Wagner ◽

Michael J. Schöning

Keyword(s):

Fermentation Process ◽

Metabolic Response ◽

Ph Value ◽

Cellular Metabolism ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Lactobacillus Brevis ◽

Cell Number ◽

Fermentation Processes ◽

Number Variation ◽

Set Up

Monitoring the cellular metabolism of bacteria in (bio)fermentation processes is crucial to control and steer them, and to prevent undesired disturbances linked to metabolically inactive microorganisms. In this context, cell-based biosensors can play an important role to improve the quality and increase the yield of such processes. This work describes the simultaneous analysis of the metabolic behavior of three different types of bacteria by means of a differential light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) set-up. The study includes Lactobacillus brevis, Corynebacterium glutamicum, and Escherichia coli, which are often applied in fermentation processes in bioreactors. Differential measurements were carried out to compensate undesirable influences such as sensor signal drift, and pH value variation during the measurements. Furthermore, calibration curves of the cellular metabolism were established as a function of the glucose concentration or cell number variation with all three model microorganisms. In this context, simultaneous (bio)sensing with the multi-organism LAPS-based set-up can open new possibilities for a cost-effective, rapid detection of the extracellular acidification of bacteria on a single sensor chip. It can be applied to evaluate the metabolic response of bacteria populations in a (bio)fermentation process, for instance, in the biogas fermentation process.

Download Full-text

Size matters: height, cell number and a person's risk of cancer

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2018.1743 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 285 (1889) ◽

pp. 20181743 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Leonard Nunney

Keyword(s):

Cancer Risk ◽

Large Scale ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Cell Number ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Division Rate ◽

Multistage Model ◽

Number Variation ◽

Cancer Suppression ◽

Risk Of Cancer

The multistage model of carcinogenesis predicts cancer risk will increase with tissue size, since more cells provide more targets for oncogenic somatic mutation. However, this increase is not seen among mammal species of different sizes (Peto's paradox), a paradox argued to be due to larger species evolving added cancer suppression. If this explanation is correct, the cell number effect is still expected within species. Consistent with this, the hazard ratio for overall cancer risk per 10 cm increase in human height (HR 10 ) is about 1.1, indicating a 10% increase in cancer risk per 10 cm; however, an alternative explanation invokes an indirect effect of height, with factors that increase cancer risk independently increasing adult height. The data from four large-scale surveillance projects on 23 cancer categories were tested against quantitative predictions of the cell-number hypothesis, predictions that were accurately supported. For overall cancer risk the HR 10 predicted versus observed was 1.13 versus 1.12 for women and 1.11 versus 1.09 for men, suggesting that cell number variation provides a null hypothesis for assessing height effects. Melanoma showed an unexpectedly strong relationship to height, indicating an additional effect, perhaps due to an increasing cell division rate mediated through increasing IGF-I with height. Similarly, only about one-third of the higher incidence of non-reproductive cancers in men versus women can be explained by cell number. The cancer risks of obesity are not correlated with effects of height, consistent with different primary causation. The direct effect of height on cancer risk suggests caution in identifying height-related SNPs as cancer causing.

Download Full-text

Asymmetric cell division of thoracic neuroblast 6–4 to bifurcate glial and neuronal lineage in Drosophila

Development ◽

10.1242/dev.126.9.1967 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 126 (9) ◽

pp. 1967-1974 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Y. Akiyama-Oda ◽

T. Hosoya ◽

Y. Hotta

Keyword(s):

Cell Division ◽

Glial Cells ◽

Daughter Cell ◽

Asymmetric Cell Division ◽

Cell Types ◽

Cell Number ◽

Protein Activity ◽

Neuronal Lineage ◽

Glial Fate ◽

Mother Cells

In the development of the Drosophila central nervous system, some of the neuroblasts designated as neuroglioblasts generate both glia and neurons. Little is known about how neuroglioblasts produce these different cell types. NB6-4 in the thoracic segment (NB6-4T) is a neuroglioblast, although the corresponding cell in the abdominal segment (NB6-4A) produces only glia. Here, we describe the cell divisions in the NB6-4T lineage, following changes in cell number and cell arrangement. We also examined successive changes in the expression of glial cells missing (gcm) mRNA and protein, activity of which is known to direct glial fate from the neuronal default state. The first cell division of NB6-4T occurred in the medial-lateral orientation, and was found to bifurcate the glial and neuronal lineage. After division, the medial daughter cell expressed GCM protein to produce three glial cells, while the lateral daughter cell with no GCM expression produced ganglion mother cells, secondary precursors of neurons. Although gcm mRNA was present evenly in the cytoplasm of NB6-4T before the first cell division, it became detected asymmetrically in the cell during mitosis and eventually only in the medial daughter cell. In contrast, NB6-4A showed a symmetrical distribution of gcm mRNA and GCM protein through division. Our observations suggest that mechanisms regulating gcm mRNA expression and its translation play an important role in glial and neuronal lineage bifurcation that results from asymmetric cell division.

Download Full-text

The ultrastructure of acinar cells in the external orbital gland of young and old male rats

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100082248 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 276-277

Author(s):

R. Carriere

Keyword(s):

Young Adulthood ◽

Acinar Cells ◽

Cell Number ◽

Male Rats ◽

Polyploid Cell ◽

Secretory Cells ◽

Age Changes ◽

Albino Rat ◽

Golgi Membranes ◽

Diploid Cells

The external orbital gland of the albino rat exhibits both sexual dimorphism and histological age changes. In males, many cells attain a remarkable degree of polyploidy and an increase of polyploid cell number constitutes the major age change until young adulthood. The acini of young adults have a small lumen and are composed of tall serous cells. Subsequently, many acini acquire a larger lumen with an irregular outline while numerous vacuoles accumulate throughout the secretory cells. At the same time, vesicular acini with a large lumen surrounded by pale-staining low cuboidal diploid cells begin to appear and their number increases throughout old age. The fine structure of external orbital glands from both sexes has been explored and in considering acinar cells from males, emphasis was given to the form of the Golgi membranes and to nuclear infoldings of cytoplasmic constituents.

Download Full-text

Effects of the pseudomonad phytotoxin coronatine on tomato leaf structure and ultrastructure

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100140683 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 862-863

Author(s):

D.A. Palmer ◽

C.L. Bender

Keyword(s):

Pseudomonas Syringae ◽

Membrane Integrity ◽

Leaf Tissue ◽

Cell Number ◽

Cell Ultrastructure ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Prominent Symptom ◽

Chlorophylls A And B ◽

Cell Dimensions ◽

Structure And Ultrastructure

Coronatine is a non-host-specific phytotoxin produced by several members of the Pseudomonas syringae group of pathovars. The toxin acts as a virulence factor in P. syringae pv. tomato, allowing the organism to multiply to a higher population density and develop larger lesions than mutant strains unable to produce the toxin. The most prominent symptom observed in leaf tissue treated with coronatine is an intense spreading chlorosis; this has been attributed to a loss of chlorophylls a and b in tobacco. Coronatine's effects on membrane integrity and cell ultrastructure have not been previously investigated. The present study describes changes in tomato leaves in response to treatment with purified coronatine, infection by a coronatine-producing strain of P. syringae pv. tomato, and infection by a cor" mutant.In contrast to H2O-treated tissue, coronatine-treated tissue showed a diffuse chlorosis extending approximately 5 mm from the inoculation site. Leaf thickness, cell number, and cell dimensions were similar for both healthy and coronatine-treated, chlorotic tissue; however, the epidermal cell walls were consistently thicker in coronatine-treated leaves (Figs, la and lb).

Download Full-text

Apoptosis and development

Essays in Biochemistry ◽

10.1042/bse0390011 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 39 ◽

pp. 11-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Justin V McCarthy

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

Cell Number ◽

Model Organisms ◽

Biological Processes ◽

Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽

Apoptotic Pathway ◽

Genetic Pathways ◽

Evolutionarily Conserved ◽

Multicellular Organisms

Apoptosis is an evolutionarily conserved process used by multicellular organisms to developmentally regulate cell number or to eliminate cells that are potentially detrimental to the organism. The large diversity of regulators of apoptosis in mammalian cells and their numerous interactions complicate the analysis of their individual functions, particularly in development. The remarkable conservation of apoptotic mechanisms across species has allowed the genetic pathways of apoptosis determined in lower species, such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, to act as models for understanding the biology of apoptosis in mammalian cells. Though many components of the apoptotic pathway are conserved between species, the use of additional model organisms has revealed several important differences and supports the use of model organisms in deciphering complex biological processes such as apoptosis.

Download Full-text