scholarly journals Morphology of powerful suction organs from blepharicerid larvae living in raging torrents

BMC Zoology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Kang ◽  
Richard Johnston ◽  
Thomas van de Kamp ◽  
Tomáš Faragó ◽  
Walter Federle
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flow Speeds ◽  
Micro Tomography ◽  
Structural Adaptations ◽  
Attachment Devices

Abstract Background Suction organs provide powerful yet dynamic attachments for many aquatic animals, including octopus, squid, remora, and clingfish. While the functional morphology of suction organs from some cephalopods and fishes has been investigated in detail, there are only few studies on such attachment devices in insects. Here we characterise the morphology and ultrastructure of the suction attachment organs of net-winged midge larvae (genus Liponeura; Diptera: Blephariceridae) – aquatic insects that live on rocks in rapid alpine waterways where flow speeds can reach 3 m s− 1 – using scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and X-ray computed micro-tomography (micro-CT). Furthermore, we study the function of these organs in vivo using interference reflection microscopy. Results We identified structural adaptations important for the function of the suction attachment organs in L. cinerascens and L. cordata. First, a dense array of spine-like microtrichia covering each suction disc comes into contact with the substrate upon attachment, analogous to hairy structures on suction organs from octopus, clingfish, and remora fish. These spine-like microtrichia may contribute to the seal and provide increased shear force resistance in high-drag environments. Second, specialised rim microtrichia at the suction disc periphery were found to form a continuous ring in close contact and may serve as a seal on a variety of surfaces. Third, a V-shaped cut on the suction disc (“V-notch“) is actively opened via two cuticular apodemes inserting on its flanks. The apodemes are attached to dedicated V-notch opening muscles, thereby providing a unique detachment mechanism. The complex cuticular design of the suction organs, along with specialised muscles that attach to them, allows blepharicerid larvae to generate powerful attachments which can withstand strong hydrodynamic forces and quickly detach for locomotion. Conclusion The suction organs from Liponeura are underwater attachment devices specialised for resisting extremely fast flows. Structural adaptations from these suction organs could translate into future bioinspired attachment systems that perform well on a wide range of surfaces.

scholarly journals Sophisticated suction organs from insects living in raging torrents: Morphology and ultrastructure of the attachment devices of net-winged midge larvae (Diptera: Blephariceridae)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Kang ◽  
Richard Johnston ◽  
Thomas van de Kamp ◽  
Tomáš Faragó ◽  
Walter Federle
Keyword(s):  
Close Contact ◽  
Laser Confocal Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Confocal Scanning ◽  
X Ray Computed ◽  
Confocal Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Micro Tomography ◽  
Structural Adaptations ◽  
Attachment Devices

2.AbstractSuction organs provide powerful yet dynamic attachments for many aquatic animals, including octopus, squid, remora, and clingfish. While the functional morphology of suction organs from various cephalopods and fishes has been investigated in detail, there are only few studies on such attachment devices in insects. Here we characterise the morphology, ultrastructure, and in vivo movements of the suction attachment organs of net-winged midge larvae (genus Liponeura) – aquatic insects that live on rocks in rapid alpine waterways where flow rates can reach 3 m s-1 – using scanning electron microscopy, laser confocal scanning microscopy, and X-ray computed micro-tomography (micro-CT). We identified structural adaptations important for the function of the suction attachment organs from L. cinerascens and L. cordata. First, a dense array of spine-like microtrichia covering each suction disc comes into contact with the substrate upon attachment. Similar hairy structures have been found on the contact zones of suction organs from octopus, clingfish, and remora fish. These structures are thought to contribute to the seal and to provide increased shear force resistance in high-drag environments. Second, specialised rim microtrichia at the suction disc periphery form a continuous ring in close contact with a surface and may serve as a seal on a variety of surfaces. Third, a V-shaped cut on the suction disc (the V-notch) is actively peeled open via two cuticular apodemes inserting into its flanks. The apodemes are attached to dedicated V-notch opening muscles, thereby providing a unique detachment mechanism. The complex cuticular design of the suction organs, along with specialised muscles that attach to them, allows blepharicerid larvae to generate powerful attachments which can withstand strong hydrodynamic forces and quickly detach for locomotion. Our findings could be applied to bio-inspired attachment devices that perform well on a wide range of surfaces.

scholarly journals Astrogliosis in an Experimental Model of Hypovitaminosis B12: A Cellular Basis of Neurological Disorders due to Cobalamin Deficiency

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2261
Author(s):  
Zuzanna Rzepka ◽  
Jakub Rok ◽  
Justyna Kowalska ◽  
Klaudia Banach ◽  
Justyna Magdalena Hermanowicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Cobalamin Deficiency ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
In Vivo Model ◽  
Cellular Expression ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vitro Model

Cobalamin deficiency affects human physiology with sequelae ranging from mild fatigue to severe neuropsychiatric abnormalities. The cellular and molecular aspects of the nervous system disorders associated with hypovitaminosis B12 remain largely unknown. Growing evidence indicates that astrogliosis is an underlying component of a wide range of neuropathologies. Previously, we developed an in vitro model of cobalamin deficiency in normal human astrocytes (NHA) by culturing the cells with c-lactam of hydroxycobalamin (c-lactam OH-Cbl). We revealed a non-apoptotic activation of caspases (3/7, 8, 9) in cobalamin-deficient NHA, which may suggest astrogliosis. The aim of the current study was to experimentally verify this hypothesis. We indicated an increase in the cellular expression of two astrogliosis markers: glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin in cobalamin-deficient NHA using Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry with confocal laser scanning microscopy. In the next step of the study, we revealed c-lactam OH-Cbl as a potential non-toxic vitamin B12 antagonist in an in vivo model using zebrafish embryos. We believe that the presented results will contribute to a better understanding of the cellular mechanism underlying neurologic pathology due to cobalamin deficiency and will serve as a foundation for further studies.

scholarly journals Hydrophobic analogues of rhodamine B and rhodamine 101: potent fluorescent probes of mitochondria in living C. elegans

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 2156-2165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie F Mottram ◽  
Safiyyah Forbes ◽  
Brian D Ackley ◽  
Blake R Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Fluorescent Probes ◽  
Rhodamine B ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Fluorescent Dyes ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
C Elegans ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Rhodamine 101

Mitochondria undergo dynamic fusion and fission events that affect the structure and function of these critical energy-producing cellular organelles. Defects in these dynamic processes have been implicated in a wide range of human diseases including ischemia, neurodegeneration, metabolic disease, and cancer. To provide new tools for imaging of mitochondria in vivo, we synthesized novel hydrophobic analogues of the red fluorescent dyes rhodamine B and rhodamine 101 that replace the carboxylate with a methyl group. Compared to the parent compounds, methyl analogues termed HRB and HR101 exhibit slightly red-shifted absorbance and emission spectra (5–9 nm), modest reductions in molar extinction coefficent and quantum yield, and enhanced partitioning into octanol compared with aqueous buffer of 10-fold or more. Comparison of living C. elegans (nematode roundworm) animals treated with the classic fluorescent mitochondrial stains rhodamine 123, rhodamine 6G, and rhodamine B, as well as the structurally related fluorophores rhodamine 101, and basic violet 11, revealed that HRB and HR101 are the most potent mitochondrial probes, enabling imaging of mitochondrial motility, fusion, and fission in the germline and other tissues by confocal laser scanning microscopy after treatment for 2 h at concentrations as low as 100 picomolar. Because transgenes are poorly expressed in the germline of these animals, these small molecules represent superior tools for labeling dynamic mitochondria in this tissue compared with the expression of mitochondria-targeted fluorescent proteins. The high bioavailabilty of these novel fluorescent probes may facilitate the identification of agents and factors that affect diverse aspects of mitochondrial biology in vivo.

Vacuoles Induced in Mammalian Cells by Helicobacter Cytotoxin are Acidic Organelles

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 168-169
Author(s):  
M. H. Chestnut ◽  
C. E. Catrenich
Keyword(s):  
Acridine Orange ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Ulcer Disease ◽  
Gastroduodenal Disease ◽  
H Pylori

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.

scholarly journals Targeted Liposomal Chemotherapies to Treat Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3749
Author(s):  
Yingnan Si ◽  
Ya Zhang ◽  
Hanh Giai Ngo ◽  
Jia-Shiung Guan ◽  
Kai Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Triple Negative ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Surface Binding ◽  
Synthesis Inhibitor ◽  
Tnbc Cell

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are highly aggressive and recurrent. Standard cytotoxic chemotherapies are currently the main treatment options, but their clinical efficacies are limited and patients usually suffer from severe side effects. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate targeted liposomes-delivered combined chemotherapies to treat TNBCs. Specifically, the IC50 values of the microtubule polymerization inhibitor mertansine (DM1), mitotic spindle assembly defecting taxane (paclitaxel, PTX), DNA synthesis inhibitor gemcitabine (GC), and DNA damage inducer doxorubicin (AC) were tested in both TNBC MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. Then we constructed the anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody (mAb) tagged liposomes and confirmed its TNBC cell surface binding using flow cytometry, internalization with confocal laser scanning microscopy, and TNBC xenograft targeting in NSG female mice using In Vivo Imaging System. The safe dosage of anti-EGFR liposomal chemotherapies, i.e., <20% body weight change, was identified. Finally, the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy studies in TNBC cell line-derived xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models revealed that the targeted delivery of chemotherapies (mertansine and gemcitabine) can effectively inhibit tumor growth. This study demonstrated that the targeted liposomes enable the new formulations of combined therapies that improve anti-TNBC efficacy.

scholarly journals One-step preparation of antimicrobial silicone materials based on PDMS and salicylic acid: insights from spatially and temporally resolved techniques

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Barbieri ◽  
Ioritz Sorzabal Bellido ◽  
Alison J. Beckett ◽  
Ian A. Prior ◽  
Jo Fothergill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salicylic Acid ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Pharmaceutical Products ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Wound Dressings ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Vis Spectroscopy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
One Step

AbstractIn this work, we introduce a one-step strategy that is suitable for continuous flow manufacturing of antimicrobial PDMS materials. The process is based on the intrinsic capacity of PDMS to react to certain organic solvents, which enables the incorporation of antimicrobial actives such as salicylic acid (SA), which has been approved for use in humans within pharmaceutical products. By combining different spectroscopic and imaging techniques, we show that the surface properties of PDMS remain unaffected while high doses of the SA are loaded inside the PDMS matrix. The SA can be subsequently released under physiological conditions, delivering a strong antibacterial activity. Furthermore, encapsulation of SA inside the PDMS matrix ensured a diffusion-controlled release that was tracked by spatially resolved Raman spectroscopy, Attenuated Total Reflectance IR (ATR-IR), and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The biological activity of the new material was evaluated directly at the surface and in the planktonic state against model pathogenic bacteria, combining confocal laser scanning microscopy, electron microscopy, and cell viability assays. The results showed complete planktonic inhibition for clinically relevant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and a reduction of up to 4 orders of magnitude for viable sessile cells, demonstrating the efficacy of these surfaces in preventing the initial stages of biofilm formation. Our approach adds a new option to existing strategies for the antimicrobial functionalisation of a wide range of products such as catheters, wound dressings and in-dwelling medical devices based on PDMS.

scholarly journals Degradation of Drug Delivery Nanocarriers and Payload Release: A Review of Physical Methods for Tracing Nanocarrier Biological Fate

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 770
Author(s):  
Patrick M. Perrigue ◽  
Richard A. Murray ◽  
Angelika Mielcarek ◽  
Agata Henschke ◽  
Sergio E. Moya
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Single Photon ◽  
Photon Emission ◽  
Correlation Spectroscopy ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Emission Computed Tomography ◽  
Systemic Delivery

Nanoformulations offer multiple advantages over conventional drug delivery, enhancing solubility, biocompatibility, and bioavailability of drugs. Nanocarriers can be engineered with targeting ligands for reaching specific tissue or cells, thus reducing the side effects of payloads. Following systemic delivery, nanocarriers must deliver encapsulated drugs, usually through nanocarrier degradation. A premature degradation, or the loss of the nanocarrier coating, may prevent the drug’s delivery to the targeted tissue. Despite their importance, stability and degradation of nanocarriers in biological environments are largely not studied in the literature. Here we review techniques for tracing the fate of nanocarriers, focusing on nanocarrier degradation and drug release both intracellularly and in vivo. Intracellularly, we will discuss different fluorescence techniques: confocal laser scanning microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, lifetime imaging, flow cytometry, etc. We also consider confocal Raman microscopy as a label-free technique to trace colocalization of nanocarriers and drugs. In vivo we will consider fluorescence and nuclear imaging for tracing nanocarriers. Positron emission tomography and single-photon emission computed tomography are used for a quantitative assessment of nanocarrier and payload biodistribution. Strategies for dual radiolabelling of the nanocarriers and the payload for tracing carrier degradation, as well as the efficacy of the payload delivery in vivo, are also discussed.

Probing Enhanced Cytochrome P450 2B1/2 Activity in Rat Hepatocyte Spheroids through Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy

2001 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanouhl S. Tzanakakis ◽  
Chang-Chun Hsiao ◽  
Taku Matsushita ◽  
Rory P. Remmel ◽  
Wei-Shou Hu
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome P450 ◽  
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Rat Hepatocytes ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser Scanning ◽  
Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes are essential for xenobiotic metabolism. Although CYP450s are found in many tissues, CYP2B1/2 are primarily expressed in the rat liver. The constitutive expression in vivo of CYP2B1/2 is low but it is induced in the presence of various drugs such as phenobarbital (PB). In this study, CYP2B1/2 activity in cultured hepatocytes was assessed in situ with the introduction of a fluorogenic sub-strate, pentoxyresorufin. The product of 7-pentoxyresorufin-O-dealkylation (PROD), which is catalyzed specifically by CYP2B1/2, was detected using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Primary hepatocytes cultured as monolayers on collagen-coated surfaces exhibited background PROD activity and minimal PB inducibility after 4 days in culture. In contrast, rat hepatocytes organized in compacted aggregates, or spheroids, exhibited higher levels of PROD activity and retained their ability for PB induction. The results from the CLSM analysis were verified by RT-PCR and Western immunoblotting analysis. Furthermore, CLSM in conjunction with image processing techniques and three-dimensional reconstruction revealed the localization of enhanced PROD activity in the center of spheroids. The results support the use of CLSM as a powerful tool for investigating CYP2B1/2 activity in cultured rat hepatocytes.

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