LM, TEM AND SEM OBSERVATIONS OF ANTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THE GENIC MALE-STERILE (ms 9) MUTANT OF CORN ZEA MAYS

1980 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. Greyson ◽  
D. B. Walden ◽  
P. C. Cheng

The cytological development of the anther of the genic male-sterile ms 9/ms 9 of Zea mays L. was studied with the light microscope (LM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Anther development in this mutant is indistinguishable from that in normal fertile material until the late Pre-Callose (Stage IIb) condition. At this stage, both at the LM level and in TEM views, the cytolysomes of PMCs and tapetum reveal densely staining bodies (DSBs) which frequently appear to surround portions of cytoplasm. These DSBs are double membrane bounded and frequently associated with ER. PMC degeneration begins prior to meiosis though tapetal cells remain intact until the equivalent of the Near Mature Pollen Stage (VIII). Tapetal cells of ms 9/ms 9 material, following mitosis, frequently develop thin walls between the two nuclei. We conclude that the DSBs represent a class of lysosome called autophagic vacuoles or cytolosomes. It is not clear whether they are elaborated directly in response to the mutant allele or perhaps represent a cytological response to genetically based abnormal biochemistry. Despite the early failure of PMCs and tapetal cells, epidermal cells of ms 9/ms 9 anthers develop cuticular ridges quite similar to those formed on normal fertile anthers.


1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 435-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harry T. Horner Jr. ◽  
Milton A. Rogers

In the male-fertile line of pepper, microsporogenesis and pollen development are normal. During meiosis, the meiocytes become encased in callose and a locular cavity forms. A rudimentary pollen wall, preceded by primexine deposition, is formed at the tetrad stage around the microspores before their release from the callose. The tapetum remains peripheral in the locule until the vacuolate pollen stage when it disappears. The sporogenous cells of the cytoplasmic male-sterile line complete meiosis, and the callose-encased microspores also deposit a primexine. Further development of the microspores is arrested. Before and during meiosis the tapetal cells become highly vacuolate and remain appressed to the meiocytes; a locular cavity is not formed. After primexine deposition, the tetrads of microspores, which are still encased in callose, seem to collapse as they are encroached upon by the vacuolate tapetum. After abortion of the microspores the outer tapetal layer degenerates, followed by the inner tapetal layer. The aborted mass late in anther development consists of crushed microspore tetrads, primary walls of the sporogenous cells and tapetum, callose, and the collapsed tapetum. The manner of abortion in pepper is compared with previously described mechanisms.



1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 578-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Cheng ◽  
R. I. Greyson ◽  
D. B. Walden

Anther ontogeny of a genic male-sterile mutant (ms 10/ms 10) and a related fertile cultivar of Zea was studied from the primordial stage through to tassel maturity. From material glutaraldehyde–formalin fixed, OsO4 postfixed, and plastic embedded, light microscopy of 0.7-μm sections revealed no developmental differences between the two until the young microspore stage. Vacuolation or cytoplasmic disintegration of tapetal cells was detected in male-sterile anthers at this stage. Disintegration of microspores was not detected until the intermediate microspore stage. By the young pollen stage, tapetal cells were highly disorganized and degeneration of the middle layer and endothecium was apparent. No endothecial wall thickenings developed in male-sterile anthers.In normal anther development in Zea, endothecial thickenings are found only at the anterior and posterior ends of the anther. A highly ridged anther cuticle, which is essentially absent in male-sterile anthers, is a common feature of fertile flowers. Anther dehiscence involves a separation of the epidermis from the underlying parenchyma of the connective to form a large pollen cavity from the two microsporangial locules. This process does not involve endothecial fibrous wall thickenings as they are not present over the bulk of the anther. Formation of the anterior pore is a separate process which involves changes in the endothecium wall thickenings.During normal anther development starch accumulates in the endothecium and epidermis at the precallose stage and disappears during the young microspore stage. No differences were noted in the male-sterile anthers. During the formation of normal pollen, considerable starch accumulation is evident. However, none is deposited at this late stage in the male-sterile anther.



Author(s):  
R. A. Waugh ◽  
J. R. Sommer

Cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is a complex system of intracellular tubules that, due to their small size and juxtaposition to such electron-dense structures as mitochondria and myofibrils, are often inconspicuous in conventionally prepared electron microscopic material. This study reports a method with which the SR is selectively “stained” which facilitates visualizationwith the transmission electron microscope.



Author(s):  
Sanford H. Vernick ◽  
Anastasios Tousimis ◽  
Victor Sprague

Recent electron microscope studies have greatly expanded our knowledge of the structure of the Microsporida, particularly of the developing and mature spore. Since these studies involved mainly sectioned material, they have revealed much internal detail of the spores but relatively little surface detail. This report concerns observations on the spore surface by means of the transmission electron microscope.



Author(s):  
A. V. Crewe

The high resolution STEM is now a fact of life. I think that we have, in the last few years, demonstrated that this instrument is capable of the same resolving power as a CEM but is sufficiently different in its imaging characteristics to offer some real advantages.It seems possible to prove in a quite general way that only a field emission source can give adequate intensity for the highest resolution^ and at the moment this means operating at ultra high vacuum levels. Our experience, however, is that neither the source nor the vacuum are difficult to manage and indeed are simpler than many other systems and substantially trouble-free.



Author(s):  
O. E. Bradfute ◽  
R. E. Whitmoyer ◽  
L. R. Nault

A pathogen transmitted by the eriophyid mite, Aceria tulipae, infects a number of Gramineae producing symptoms similar to wheat spot mosaic virus (1). An electron microscope study of leaf ultrastructure from systemically infected Zea mays, Hordeum vulgare, and Triticum aestivum showed the presence of ovoid, double membrane bodies (0.1 - 0.2 microns) in the cytoplasm of parenchyma, phloem and epidermis cells (Fig. 1 ).



Author(s):  
G. M. Greene ◽  
J. W. Sprys

The present study demonstrates that fracture surfaces appear strikingly different when observed in the transmission electron microscope by replication and in the scanning electron microscope by backscattering and secondary emission. It is important to know what form these differences take because of the limitations of each instrument. Replication is useful for study of surfaces too large for insertion into the S.E.M. and for resolution of fine detail at high magnification with the T.E.M. Scanning microscopy reduces sample preparation time and allows large sections of the actual surface to be viewed.In the present investigation various modes of the S.E.M. along with the transmission mode in the T.E.M. were used to study one area of a fatigue surface of a low carbon steel. Following transmission study of a platinum carbon replica in the T.E.M. and S.E.M. the replica was coated with a gold layer approximately 200A° in thickness to improve electron emission.



Author(s):  
K. Hama

The lateral line organs of the sea eel consist of canal and pit organs which are different in function. The former is a low frequency vibration detector whereas the latter functions as an ion receptor as well as a mechano receptor.The fine structure of the sensory epithelia of both organs were studied by means of ordinary transmission electron microscope, high voltage electron microscope and of surface scanning electron microscope.The sensory cells of the canal organ are polarized in front-caudal direction and those of the pit organ are polarized in dorso-ventral direction. The sensory epithelia of both organs have thinner surface coats compared to the surrounding ordinary epithelial cells, which have very thick fuzzy coatings on the apical surface.



Author(s):  
J. D. Hutchison

When the transmission electron microscope was commercially introduced a few years ago, it was heralded as one of the most significant aids to medical research of the century. It continues to occupy that niche; however, the scanning electron microscope is gaining rapidly in relative importance as it fills the gap between conventional optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.IBM Boulder is conducting three major programs in cooperation with the Colorado School of Medicine. These are the study of the mechanism of failure of the prosthetic heart valve, the study of the ultrastructure of lung tissue, and the definition of the function of the cilia of the ventricular ependyma of the brain.



Author(s):  
K. Shibatomi ◽  
T. Yamanoto ◽  
H. Koike

In the observation of a thick specimen by means of a transmission electron microscope, the intensity of electrons passing through the objective lens aperture is greatly reduced. So that the image is almost invisible. In addition to this fact, it have been reported that a chromatic aberration causes the deterioration of the image contrast rather than that of the resolution. The scanning electron microscope is, however, capable of electrically amplifying the signal of the decreasing intensity, and also free from a chromatic aberration so that the deterioration of the image contrast due to the aberration can be prevented. The electrical improvement of the image quality can be carried out by using the fascionating features of the SEM, that is, the amplification of a weak in-put signal forming the image and the descriminating action of the heigh level signal of the background. This paper reports some of the experimental results about the thickness dependence of the observability and quality of the image in the case of the transmission SEM.



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