scholarly journals The ontology of the anatomy and development of the solitary ascidian Ciona

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kohji Hotta ◽  
Delphine Dauga ◽  
Lucia Manni
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Cell Lineage ◽  
Rotation Period ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Axis ◽  
Tissue Degeneration ◽  
Biological Studies ◽  
Axis Rotation

AbstractCiona robusta (Ciona intestinalis type A), a model organism for biological studies, belongs to ascidians, the main class of tunicates, which are the closest relatives of vertebrates. In Ciona, a project on the ontology of both development and anatomy is ongoing for several years. Its goal is to standardize a resource relating each anatomical structure to developmental stages. Today, the ontology is codified until the hatching larva stage. Here, we present its extension throughout the swimming larva stages, the metamorphosis, until the juvenile stages. For standardizing the developmental ontology, we acquired different time-lapse movies, confocal microscope images and histological serial section images for each developmental event from the hatching larva stage (17.5 hour post fertilization) to the juvenile stage (7 days post fertilization). Combining these data, we defined 12 new distinct developmental stages (from Stage 26 to Stage 37), in addition to the previously defined 26 stages, referred to embryonic development. The new stages were grouped into four Periods named: Adhesion, Tail Absorption, Body Axis Rotation, and Juvenile. To build the anatomical ontology, 203 anatomical entities were identified, defined according to the literature, and annotated, taking advantage from the high resolution and the complementary information obtained from confocal microscopy and histology. The ontology describes the anatomical entities in hierarchical levels, from the cell level (cell lineage) to the tissue/organ level. Comparing the number of entities during development, we found two rounds on entity increase: in addition to the one occurring after fertilization, there is a second one during the Body Axis Rotation Period, when juvenile structures appear. Vice versa, one-third of anatomical entities associated with the embryo/larval life were significantly reduced at the beginning of metamorphosis. Data was finally integrated within the web-based resource “TunicAnatO”, which includes a number of anatomical images and a dictionary with synonyms. This ontology will allow the standardization of data underpinning an accurate annotation of gene expression and the comprehension of mechanisms of differentiation. It will help in understanding the emergence of elaborated structures during both embryogenesis and metamorphosis, shedding light on tissue degeneration and differentiation occurring at metamorphosis.

scholarly journals The ontology of the anatomy and development of the solitary ascidian Ciona: the swimming larva and its metamorphosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kohji Hotta ◽  
Delphine Dauga ◽  
Lucia Manni
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Cell Lineage ◽  
Rotation Period ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Axis ◽  
Biological Studies ◽  
Axis Rotation ◽  
Swimming Larva

Abstract Ciona robusta (Ciona intestinalis type A), a model organism for biological studies, belongs to ascidians, the main class of tunicates, which are the closest relatives of vertebrates. In Ciona, a project on the ontology of both development and anatomy is ongoing for several years. Its goal is to standardize a resource relating each anatomical structure to developmental stages. Today, the ontology is codified until the hatching larva stage. Here, we present its extension throughout the swimming larva stages, the metamorphosis, until the juvenile stages. For standardizing the developmental ontology, we acquired different time-lapse movies, confocal microscope images and histological serial section images for each developmental event from the hatching larva stage (17.5 h post fertilization) to the juvenile stage (7 days post fertilization). Combining these data, we defined 12 new distinct developmental stages (from Stage 26 to Stage 37), in addition to the previously defined 26 stages, referred to embryonic development. The new stages were grouped into four Periods named: Adhesion, Tail Absorption, Body Axis Rotation, and Juvenile. To build the anatomical ontology, 203 anatomical entities were identified, defined according to the literature, and annotated, taking advantage from the high resolution and the complementary information obtained from confocal microscopy and histology. The ontology describes the anatomical entities in hierarchical levels, from the cell level (cell lineage) to the tissue/organ level. Comparing the number of entities during development, we found two rounds on entity increase: in addition to the one occurring after fertilization, there is a second one during the Body Axis Rotation Period, when juvenile structures appear. Vice versa, one-third of anatomical entities associated with the embryo/larval life were significantly reduced at the beginning of metamorphosis. Data was finally integrated within the web-based resource "TunicAnatO", which includes a number of anatomical images and a dictionary with synonyms. This ontology will allow the standardization of data underpinning an accurate annotation of gene expression and the comprehension of mechanisms of differentiation. It will help in understanding the emergence of elaborated structures during both embryogenesis and metamorphosis, shedding light on tissue degeneration and differentiation occurring at metamorphosis.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Cosmetic Properties of Natural Ingredients in the Trás-os-Montes area: a PhD Project

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Gonçalves ◽  
Isabel Gaivão
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Human Lymphocytes ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
The Body ◽  
In Vivo Model ◽  
Dna Integrity ◽  
The European Union

The term cosmetics refers to a product applied to the body for the purpose of beautifying, cleansing or improving appearance and enhancing attractive features. The natural cosmetics market has grown since the consumer took consciousness of the concept of natural-based ingredients. A great number of cosmetics have noxious and chemically-potent substances and have an ecological impact on the environment. A study performed by the Danish Council THINK Chemicalsfound that in total 65 chemicals of concern were found in 39 products. This means consumers are exposed to these chemicals, perhaps in a daily basis. They also found that three products contained illegal ingredients in the European Union. Thus, the use of natural and organic cosmetics becomes increasingly important. This requires a strong investigation into the benefits that fruits and plants can bring to health. The PhD project will focus on four natural ingredients common in the Trás-os-Montes area: almond (Prunus dulcis), elderberry (Sambucus nigra), olive (Olea europaea) and grapes (Vitis vinifera). The general purpose of this PhD project is to evaluate the cosmetic properties of the natural ingredients towards the DNA integrity promotion. Additionally, it is intended to evaluate genoprotection, longevity and prolificacy of the natural ingredients in Drosophila melanogaster. The short life cycle, the distinct developmental stages, the availability of various tools and reagents, known genome sequence and the physiological similarity of Drosophila with humans make them an excellent in vivo model organism to rapidly test toxicity in whole organism and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicity. The natural product with the best result will be used to evaluate genoprotection in human lymphocytes. These are used as a surrogate tissue, as they are easily obtained, in large numbers, do not require cell culture, are diploids and are almost all in the same phase of the cell cycle. This project is in an initial phase and lacks results, which will be available along this year.

scholarly journals The choice of external morphological characters and developmental stages for tadpole-based anuran taxonomy: a case study in Rana (Sylvirana) nigrovittata (Blyth, 1855) (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae)

2005 ◽  
Vol 74 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 61-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Grosjean
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stage ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Model Organism ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
The Body ◽  
Morphometric Character ◽  
Morphometric Characters ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Character Variation ◽  
Interspecific Comparisons

The morphology of tadpoles has long received too little attention in taxonomic and phylogenetic contexts, beyond the use of Orton’s general tadpole types, despite the potential of larval characters for resolving problems in systematics. A possible explanation for this neglect is the ontogenetic variation of external morphology. In order to understand the value of larval characters in taxonomy and systematics, it is necessary to determine the developmental stage at which characters reach their definitive size, form and colour before meaningful comparisons can be made within and between species. Here I use the tadpole of Rana (Sylvirana) nigrovittata as a model organism to assess ontogenetic character variation. Morphometric measurements were taken, and external oral and internal buccal characters were assessed separately for each developmental stage from 26 to 38. Coefficients of variation were calculated for each morphometric character at each stage of development to test the character’s efficiency in reflecting the morphology of the tadpole. Most morphometric characters taken from the body described the shape of the animal well and varied little among individuals, whereas those taken from the tail were less reliable and those of the oral disk were quite variable due to contraction during fixation. A developmental 'climax' for most characters was reached by specimens between stages 32-40, indicating that they are best suited for morphological intra- and interspecific comparisons.

scholarly journals Crayfish hemocytes develop along the granular cell lineage

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Li ◽  
Zaichao Zheng ◽  
Hongyu Li ◽  
Rongrong Fu ◽  
Limei Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Cell Lineage ◽  
Granular Cell ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Hematopoietic Tissue ◽  
Differentiated Cells ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Relationship Of

AbstractDespite the central role of hemocytes in crustacean immunity, the process of hemocyte differentiation and maturation remains unclear. In some decapods, it has been proposed that the two main types of hemocytes, granular cells (GCs) and semigranular cells (SGCs), differentiate along separate lineages. However, our current findings challenge this model. By tracking newly produced hemocytes and transplanted cells, we demonstrate that almost all the circulating hemocytes of crayfish belong to the GC lineage. SGCs and GCs may represent hemocytes of different developmental stages rather than two types of fully differentiated cells. Hemocyte precursors produced by progenitor cells differentiate in the hematopoietic tissue (HPT) for 3 ~ 4 days. Immature hemocytes are released from HPT in the form of SGCs and take 1 ~ 3 months to mature in the circulation. GCs represent the terminal stage of development. They can survive for as long as 2 months. The changes in the expression pattern of marker genes during GC differentiation support our conclusions. Further analysis of hemocyte phagocytosis indicates the existence of functionally different subpopulations. These findings may reshape our understanding of crustacean hematopoiesis and may lead to reconsideration of the roles and relationship of circulating hemocytes.

scholarly journals Development of a new method for assessing otolith function in mice using three-dimensional binocular analysis of the otolith-ocular reflex

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shotaro Harada ◽  
Takao Imai ◽  
Yasumitsu Takimoto ◽  
Yumi Ohta ◽  
Takashi Sato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eye Movement ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Vertical Component ◽  
Inertial Force ◽  
Linear Acceleration ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Axis ◽  
Gravitational Acceleration ◽  
Ocular Reflex ◽  
Translational Movement

AbstractIn the interaural direction, translational linear acceleration is loaded during lateral translational movement and gravitational acceleration is loaded during lateral tilting movement. These two types of acceleration induce eye movements via two kinds of otolith-ocular reflexes to compensate for movement and maintain clear vision: horizontal eye movement during translational movement, and torsional eye movement (torsion) during tilting movement. Although the two types of acceleration cannot be discriminated, the two otolith-ocular reflexes can distinguish them effectively. In the current study, we tested whether lateral-eyed mice exhibit both of these otolith-ocular reflexes. In addition, we propose a new index for assessing the otolith-ocular reflex in mice. During lateral translational movement, mice did not show appropriate horizontal eye movement, but exhibited unnecessary vertical torsion-like eye movement that compensated for the angle between the body axis and gravito-inertial acceleration (GIA; i.e., the sum of gravity and inertial force due to movement) by interpreting GIA as gravity. Using the new index (amplitude of vertical component of eye movement)/(angle between body axis and GIA), the mouse otolith-ocular reflex can be assessed without determining whether the otolith-ocular reflex is induced during translational movement or during tilting movement.

scholarly journals Seasonal occurrence of some larval stages of endoparasites in three cyprinids from the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, the Limpopo River System, South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Mbokane ◽  
J. Theron ◽  
W. J. Luus-Powell
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
River System ◽  
Intestinal Wall ◽  
The Body ◽  
Seasonal Occurrence ◽  
Seasonal Fluctuations ◽  
Metazoan Parasites ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Third Stage

Abstract This study provides information on seasonal occurrence of developmental stages of endoparasites infecting three cyprinids in the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, Limpopo River System. Labeobarbus marequensis (Smith, 1841), Barbus trimaculatus Peters, 1852 and Barbus radiatus Peters, 1853 were investigated seasonally from January 2008 to October 2008. The following larvae of metazoan parasites were collected: Diplostomum sp. from the eyes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus; Ornithodiplostomum sp. from the gills of B. trimaculatus; Posthodiplostomum sp. from muscle, skin and fins of B. trimaculatus and B. radiatus; third-stage Contracaecum larvae (L3) from the mesentery fats and on the liver lobes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus and gryporynchid cestode larvae from the outer intestinal wall of B. radiatus. All the flukes encountered were metacercariae. Diplostomum sp. and Contracaecum sp. dominated the parasite communities. Their prevalence exhibited seasonal fluctuations with maxima in summer. Factors likely to influence fish infection such as the body size of fish and their condition factors were also briefly considered in this study.

Developmental stages in the Digenea

Parasitology ◽  
1964 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elon E. Byrd ◽  
William P. Maples
Keyword(s):  
Body Wall ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Snail Host ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Movements ◽  
Hatching Enzyme ◽  
Apical Papilla ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Membranous Body ◽  
Egg Capsule

The naturally oviposited egg of Dasymetra conferta is fully embryonated and it hatches only after it is ingested by the snail host, Physa spp.Hatching appears to be in response to some stimulus supplied by the living snail. The stimulus causes the larva to exercise a characteristic series of body movements and to liberate a granular sustance (hatching enzyme) from the larger pair of its cephalic glands. This enzyme reacts with the vitelline fluid to create pressure within the egg capsule, and with the cementum of the operculum, so that it may be lifted away. The larva's escape from the shell, therefore, is due to a combination of pressure and body movements.The hatched larva has a membranous body wall, supporting six epidermal plates, an apical papilla, two penetration glands and a central matrix (the presumptive brood mass).It lives for about an hour within the snail and during this time there is a reorganization of the central matrix which terminates in the formation of an 8-nucleated syncytial brood mass.The miracidial ‘case’, consisting of the body wall and the epidermal plates, ultimately ruptures to liberate the brood mass. Once the brood mass is free it penetrates through the gut wall in an incredibly short time.

The Caenorhabditis elegans gene lin-44 controls the polarity of asymmetric cell divisions

Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 1035-1047 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Herman ◽  
H.R. Horvitz
Keyword(s):  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Axis ◽  
Nematode Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Asymmetric Cell Divisions ◽  
Cell Divisions ◽  
Sister Cells

The generation and orientation of cellular and organismic polarity are fundamental aspects of development. Mutations in the gene lin-44 of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans reverse both the relative positions of specific sister cells and the apparent polarities of these cells. Thus, lin-44 mutants appear to generate polar cells but to misorient these cells along the body axis of the animal. We postulate that lin-44 acts to specify the orientation of polar cells.

Demonstration of a phagocytic cell system belonging to the hemopoietic lineage and originating from the yolk sac in the early avian embryo

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Cuadros ◽  
P. Coltey ◽  
M. Carmen Nieto ◽  
C. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Acid Phosphatase ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Cell Lineage ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Yolk Sac ◽  
Double Labelling ◽  
Avian Embryo ◽  
Phagocytic Cell ◽  
Phagocytic Capacity ◽  
Hemopoietic Cells

It is well established that hemopoietic cells arising from the yolk sac invade the avian embryo. To study the fate and role of these cells during the first 2.5-4.5 days of incubation, we constructed yolk sac chimeras (a chick embryo grafted on a quail yolk sac and vice versa) and immunostained them with antibodies specific to cells of quail hemangioblastic lineage (MB1 and QH1). This approach revealed that endothelial cells of the embryonic vessels are of intraembryonic origin. In contrast, numerous hemopoietic cells of yolk sac origin were seen in embryos ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 days of incubation. These cells were already present within the vessels and in the mesenchyme at the earliest developmental stages analyzed. Two hemopoietic cell types of yolk sac origin were distinguishable, undifferentiated cells and macrophage-like cells. The number of the latter cells increased progressively as development proceeded, and they showed marked acid phosphatase activity and phagocytic capacity, as revealed by the presence of numerous phagocytic inclusions in their cytoplasm. The macrophage-like cells were mostly distributed in the mesenchyme and also appeared within some organ primordia such as the neural tube, the liver anlage and the nephric rudiment. Comparison of the results in the two types of chimeras and the findings obtained with acid phosphatase/MB1 double labelling showed that some hemopoietic macrophage-like cells of intraembryonic origin were also present at the stages considered. These results support the existence in the early avian embryo of a phagocytic cell system of blood cell lineage, derived chiefly from the yolk sac. Cells belonging to this system perform phagocytosis in cell death and may also be involved in other morphogenetic processes.

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