scholarly journals OBSERVATIONS ON A SUBMICROSCOPIC BASOPHILIC COMPONENT OF CYTOPLASM

1953 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 727-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith R. Porter

The cytoplasmic ground substance of animal tissue cells grown in vitro has been found by electron microscopy to contain, as a part of its submicroscopic structure, a complex reticulum of strands, to be referred to as the endoplasmic reticulum. It has been found in all types of cells extensively studied. The components of this reticular system vary considerably in size and form, apparently in some relation to physiological changes in the cell. Thus in one cell of a culture colony it may be finely divided into strands or canaliculi, 50 to 100 mµ in diameter, whereas in an adjacent cell of the same type the components of the reticulum may be relatively coarse, 600 mµ in diameter, and vesiculated. The membrane, which can be shown to limit the system and separate it from the rest of the ground substance, is similar in thickness to the plasma membrane surrounding the cell. Photomicrographs of living cells taken by phase contrast and dark field microscopy define a structure of similar form and indicate that the reticulum of the electron microscope image has its equivalent in the living unit. Where its component units are sufficiently large, a structure of identical form can be resolved by light microscopy in cells stained with hematoxylin or with toluidine blue. This indicated that the endoplasmic reticulum is to be identified with the basophilic or chromophilic component (the ergastoplasm) of the cytoplasm and that such properties of this component as have been determined by cytochemical methods, such as a high RNA content, may be assigned to this "submicroscopic" system.

Author(s):  
K.R. Porter

Most types of cells are known from their structure and overall form to possess a characteristic organization. In some instances this is evident in the non-random disposition of organelles and such system subunits as cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum or the Golgi complex. In others it appears in the distribution and orientation of cytoplasmic fibrils. And in yet others the organization finds expression in the non-random distribution and orientation of microtubules, especially as found in highly anisometric cells and cell processes. The impression is unavoidable that in none of these cases is the organization achieved without the involvement of the cytoplasmic ground substance (CGS) or matrix. This impression is based on the fact that a matrix is present and that in all instances these formed structures, whether membranelimited or filamentous, are suspended in it. In some well-known instances, as in arrays of microtubules which make up axonemes and axostyles, the matrix resolves itself into bridges (and spokes) between the microtubules, bridges which are in some cases very regularly disposed and uniform in size (Mcintosh, 1973; Bloodgood and Miller, 1974; Warner and Satir, 1974).


1976 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Hooper ◽  
D A Dick

The volume of the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum (including Golgi complex), mitochondria, and cytoplasmic ground substance was measured in rat hepatocytes by stereological methods. The Na content was also measured by flame photometry. Variations in Na content correlated significantly with variations in volume of nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum. From the correlation parameters, Na concentrations were estimated as follows: nucleus, 108 mM; endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (including Golgie complex) 27 mM; cytoplasm (including and remaining organelles) 16 mM.


1980 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Higashi-Fujime

Subcortical fibrils composed of bundles of F-actin filaments and endoplasmic filaments are responsible for endoplasmic streaming. It is reported here that these fibrils and filaments move actively in an artificial medium containing Mg-ATP and sucrose at neutral pH, when the medium was added to the cytoplasm squeezed out of the cell. The movement was observed by phase-contrast microscopy or dark-field microscopy and recorded on 16-mm film. Chains of chloroplasts linked by subcortical fibrils showed translational movement in the medium. Even after all chloroplasts and the endoplasm were washed away by perfusion with fresh medium, free fibrils and/or filaments (henceforth, referred to as fibers) not attached to chloroplasts continued travelling in the direction of the fiber orientation. Sometimes the fibers formed rings and rotated. Chloroplast chains and free fibers or rings continued moving for 5-30 min at about half the rate of the endoplasmic streaming in vivo. Calcium ion concentrations < 10(-7) M permitted movement to take place. Electron microscopy revealed that both fibers and rings were bundles of F-actin filaments that showed the same polarity after decoration with heavy meromyosin.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. e00419-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joris Koetsveld ◽  
Annemijn Manger ◽  
Dieuwertje Hoornstra ◽  
Ronald O. Draga ◽  
Anneke Oei ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging relapsing fever (RF) Borrelia species that is reported to cause human disease in regions in which Lyme borreliosis is endemic. We recently showed that B. miyamotoi tick isolates are resistant to amoxicillin in vitro; however, clinical isolates have not been studied. Therefore, our aim was to show the antimicrobial susceptibility of recently obtained clinical isolates of B. miyamotoi. A dilution series of various antibiotics was made in modified Kelly-Pettenkofer medium with 10% fetal calf serum. The susceptibilities of different B. miyamotoi clinical, B. miyamotoi tick, RF Borrelia, and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates were tested by measuring MICs through colorimetric changes and by counting motile spirochetes by dark-field microscopy after 72 h of incubation. The ceftriaxone and azithromycin MIC ranges of the six B. miyamotoi clinical isolates tested were 0.03 to 0.06 mg/liter and 0.0016 to 0.0032 mg/liter, respectively. These values are similar to MICs for RF Borrelia strains and B. miyamotoi tick isolates. All tested RF Borrelia strains were susceptible to doxycycline (microscopic MIC range, 0.0625 to 0.25 mg/liter). In contrast to the MICs of the tested B. burgdorferi sensu lato strains and in line with our previous findings, the amoxicillin MICs (range, 8 to 32 mg/liter) of all RF Borrelia strains, including B. miyamotoi clinical isolates, were above the clinical breakpoint for resistance (≤4 mg/liter). Clinical isolates of B. miyamotoi are highly susceptible to doxycycline, azithromycin, and ceftriaxone in vitro. Interestingly, as described previously for tick isolates, amoxicillin shows poor in vitro activity against B. miyamotoi clinical isolates.


1965 ◽  
Vol s3-106 (73) ◽  
pp. 99-114
Author(s):  
AUGUST RUTHMANN

Gemmules of fresh-water sponges contain about 500 binucleated cells (‘archaeocytes’) which are loaded with reserve substances including ribonucleoprotein, acidophilic proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides. These substances are utilized during the early phase of histogenesis after germination of the gemmules. Apart from the presence of reserve bodies, the basic fine structure of metabolically inactive archaeocytes within the closed system of a gemmule is not fundamentally different from actively metabolizing cells of rapidly growing tissues. In particular, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi bodies, and RNA-containing nucleoli are present during inactivity as well as after germination and resumption of growth and synthesis. Changes in cellular fine structure after germination include an increased density of the cytoplasmic ground substance, the appearance of small vesicles in the vicinity of the Golgi bodies and of annulate lamellae and a large, cylindrical centriole near the nuclear envelope. Two general conclusions are drawn from these results. Neither the ultra-structural aspect of a cell nor the presence of high concentrations of RNA in cytoplasm and nucleolus is a valid indication of cellular activity or inactivity. The persistence of Golgi bodies and endoplasmic reticulum through long periods of inactivity shows that their structural integrity is not dependent upon continuous energy input, although these intracellular membrane systems are undoubtedly dynamic structures in metabolically active cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 501-509
Author(s):  
G A Timerbulatova ◽  
P D Dunaev ◽  
A M Dimiev ◽  
G F Gabidinova ◽  
N N Khaertdinov ◽  
...  

Aim. Comparative assessment of the effect of fibrous materials on cell cultures RAW264.7 and BEAS-2B. Methods. The effects of various fibrous materials single-walled carbon nanotubes of two types (SWCNT-1 and SWCNT-2), differing in morphological characteristics, and chrysotile asbestos as a positive control was assessed on two cell lines macrophages RAW 264.7 and human bronchial epithelium BEAS-2B cells. The studied materials concentration range for experiments on cells was selected taking into account the SWCNT content in the air of the working area and the subsequent modeling of SWCNT deposition in the human respiratory tract. Suspensions of the studied materials were prepared based on cell culture media by ultrasonication. Cytotoxicity assessment after 48 hours of incubation was performed by using the MTS colorimetric assay. The expression level of apoptosis markers was assessed by immunoblotting using the corresponding monoclonal antibodies. Visualization of SWCNT-1, SWCNT-2 and chrysotile asbestos in BEAS-2B cell cultures was carried out by improved dark-field microscopy. Results. According to dark-field microscopy, all the studied fibrous materials were found on the surface or cytoplasm of the cells. SWCNT and chrysotile asbestos did not have a direct cytotoxic effect in the MTS assay and did not induce apoptosis according to the results of Western blotting in cell cultures of RAW264.7 macrophages and BEAS-2B bronchial epithelium. In the cells of the bronchial epithelium (BEAS-2B) that showed greater sensitivity, a slight increase in the expression of pro-apoptotic protein PARP, which was more pronounced for shorter SWCNT-2, was revealed. Conclusion. Both types of SWCNTs, despite the differences in morphological characteristics, demonstrated similar effects in in vitro experiments; this result, with its further verification, can have an important practical application in justifying approaches to determining the safety criteria for single-walled carbon nanotubes as a class of nanomaterials of the same type.


1976 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 360-371
Author(s):  
P L Sandok ◽  
S T Knight ◽  
H M Jenkin

Treponema pallidum (Nichols virulent) was incubated with and without cells in cell culture medium reduced to -275 mV Ecal, pH 7.3, under deoxygenated conditions. Five to ten percent of the treponemes attached to cells and remained motile for at least 120 h in cell-treponeme systems of co-incubation. Virulent treponemes could be detected after 120 to 144 h in the supernatant fluids of cell-treponeme co-incubation cultures and in cell-free tubes containing medium harvested from aerobically cultivated mammalian cells. Medium supplemented with ox serum ultrafiltrate, pyruvate, and sodium thioglycolate and gas mixtures containing H2 and CO2 enhanced treponemal survival. Increases in treponemal numbers were observed using dark-field microscopy but were not substantiated using the rabbit lesion test. Continuous passage of the treponeme was not achieved in vitro.


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.


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