Fine-Structural Aspects of Fertilization in Chlamydomonas Reinhardi

1968 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-128
Author(s):  
I. FRIEDMANN ◽  
A. L. COLWIN ◽  
LAURA H. COLWIN
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Mating Type ◽  
Starch Content ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Basal Bodies ◽  
Cytoplasmic Organelle ◽  
Animal Phyla ◽  
Small Structure ◽  
Specialized Structure

Gametes of C. reinhardi lack the cell wall which vegetative cells possess. Just below the cell apex gametes form a fertilization tubule which is up to 2 µ long and 0.2 µ in diameter; its plasma membrane and that of the apex have slender tubular projections. At the base of the fertilization tubule regularly lies the choanoid body, a collar-shaped cytoplasmic organelle; the plasma membrane overlying the body appears as an electron-dense ring. Gametes possess two ‘free’ basal bodies in addition to the basal bodies of the two flagella. In the initial stage of union the conjugating cells are connected by the fertilization tubule whose plasma membrane is continuous with that of both copulants. At one end of the tubule lies a conspicuous choanoid body, but at the other end is a small structure which possibly is a homologue of the choanoid body. Subsequently, the fertilization tubule shortens and widens until finally no tubule exists and the apical ends of the two protoplasts adjoin. The merging cells then bend like a jack-knife and lateral alignment of the protoplasts occurs. This four-flagellated zygote becomes motile at about the time when the flagellar bases of the former gametes seem to approach each other and when fibrillar elements of the flagellar roots come into contact. In the motile zygote the nuclei do not fuse but remain ensheathed in the cup-shaped plastids of the two gametes. A mating of plus (+) and minus (-) strains cultured, respectively, for high and low starch content suggested that gametes of only the plus (+) mating type contain the choanoid body. Since it appears that the gamete containing the choanoid body also produces the fertilization tubule, it is inferred that gametes of only the plus (+) mating type produce the fertilization tubule. Should further investigation support this inference, it would be established that there is a structural basis for designating the plus (+) mating type as male and the minus (-) type as female. Fertilization involves fusion of the gamete membranes through the mediation of a specialized structure (the fertilization tubule) and in this respect there are similarities to certain aspects of fertilization in animal phyla. The relation of the fertilization tubule to the protoplasmic bridge of other species of Chlamydomonas is discussed.

An Ultrastructural Study of Pericytes

1968 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 66-67
Author(s):  
T. M. Murad ◽  
E. von Haam
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Endothelial Cell ◽  
Basement Membrane ◽  
Blood Vessel ◽  
Vascular Endothelial Cells ◽  
Myoepithelial Cells ◽  
Capillary Blood ◽  
The Body ◽  
Capillary Blood Vessel ◽  
Outer Plasma Membrane

Pericytes are vascular satellites present around capillary blood vessels and small venules. They have been observed in almost every tissue of the body and are thought to be related to vascular smooth muscle cells. Morphologically pericytes have great similarity to vascular endothelial cells and also slightly resemble myoepithelial cells.The present study describes the ultrastructural morphology of pericytes in normal breast tissue and in benign tumor of the breast. The study showed that pericytes are ovoid or elongated cells separated from the endothelial cell of the capillary blood vessel by the basement membrane of endothelial cell. The nuclei of pericytes are often very distinctive. Although some are round, oval, or elongated, others show marked irregularity and infolding of the nuclear membrane. The cytoplasm shows mono-or bipolar extension in which the cytoplasmic organelles are located (Fig. 1). These cytoplasmic extensions embrace the capillary blood vessel incompletely. The plasma membrane exhibits multiple areas of focal condensation called hemidesmosomes (Fig. 2, arrow). A variable number of pinocytotic vesicles are frequently seen lining the outer plasma membrane. Normally pericytes are surrounded by a basement membrane which is found more consistently on the outer plasma membrane separating the pericytes from the stromal connective tissue.

scholarly journals Cannabinoid receptors distribution in mouse cortical plasma membrane compartments

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajar Miranzadeh Mahabadi ◽  
Haseeb Bhatti ◽  
Robert B. Laprairie ◽  
Changiz Taghibiglou
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Lipid Raft ◽  
Cannabinoid Receptors ◽  
Gradient Centrifugation ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Cb1 Receptor ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cb2 Receptor ◽  
Cortical Tissue ◽  
Ionic Detergent

AbstractThe type 1 and type 2 cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2 receptors) are class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are activated by endogenous lipids called endocannabinoids to modulate neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission in neurons throughout the central nervous system (CNS), and inflammatory processes throughout the body. CB1 receptor is one of the most abundant GPCRs in the CNS and is involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes, including mood, appetite, and nociception. CB2 receptor is primarily found on immunomodulatory cells of both the CNS and the peripheral immune system. In this study, we isolated lipid raft and non-lipid raft fractions of plasma membrane (PM) from mouse cortical tissue by using cold non-ionic detergent and sucrose gradient centrifugation to study the localization of CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor. Lipid raft and non-lipid raft fractions were confirmed by flotillin-1, caveolin-1 and transferrin receptor as their protein biomarkers. Both CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor were found in non-raft compartments that is inconsistent with previous findings in cultured cell lines. This study demonstrates compartmentalization of both CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor in cortical tissue and warrants further investigation of CB1 receptor and CB2 receptor compartmental distribution in various brain regions and cell types.

scholarly journals Structural basis for activation of plasma-membrane Ca2+-ATPase by calmodulin

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julius Nitsche ◽  
Inokentijs Josts ◽  
Johannes Heidemann ◽  
Haydyn D. Mertens ◽  
Selma Maric ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Structural Basis

scholarly journals Coexistence of Two Chiral Helices Produces Kink Translation in Spiroplasma Swimming

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Nakane ◽  
Tatsuro Ito ◽  
Takayuki Nishizaka
Keyword(s):  
Cell Body ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Helical Structures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Carbonyl Cyanide ◽  
Rotary Motors ◽  
Propulsion Force ◽  
Swimming Bacteria ◽  
The Right

ABSTRACT The mechanism underlying Spiroplasma swimming is an enigma. This small bacterium possesses two helical shapes with opposite-handedness at a time, and the boundary between them, called a kink, travels down, possibly accompanying the dual rotations of these physically connected helical structures, without any rotary motors such as flagella. Although the outline of dynamics and structural basis has been proposed, the underlying cause to explain the kink translation is missing. We here demonstrated that the cell morphology of Spiroplasma eriocheiris was fixed at the right-handed helix after motility was stopped by the addition of carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), and the preferential state was transformed to the other-handedness by the trigger of light irradiation. This process coupled with the generation and propagation of the artificial kink, presumably without any energy input through biological motors. These findings indicate that the coexistence of two chiral helices is sufficient to propagate the kink and thus to propel the cell body. IMPORTANCE Many swimming bacteria generate a propulsion force by rotating helical filaments like a propeller. However, the nonflagellated bacteria Spiroplasma spp. swim without the use of the appendages. The tiny wall-less bacteria possess two chiral helices at a time, and the boundary called a kink travels down, possibly accompanying the dual rotations of the helices. To solve this enigma, we developed an assay to determine the handedness of the body helices at the single-wind level, and demonstrated that the coexistence of body helices triggers the translation of the kink and that the cell body moves by the resultant cell bend propagation. This finding provides us a totally new aspect of bacterial motility, where the body functions as a transformable screw to propel itself forward.

scholarly journals Melatonin Effect on Cryopreserved Sperm Cells of Crioulo Stallions

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Eraldo L Zanella
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Membrane Integrity ◽  
Male Gamete ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cellular Damage ◽  
Ros Generation ◽  
Sperm Cells ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Endogenous Antioxidant

The freezing/thawing process of spermatozoa can cause cellular damage to the male gamete, decreasing the fertilization potential due to the increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Melatonin is a potent endogenous antioxidant that protects the body against the damage caused by ROS. This study has evaluated different melatonin concentrations on the sperm viability of cryopreserved semen of Crioulo stallions. For that, three ejaculates were collected from five stallions diluted in a commercial extender followed by centrifugation and resuspension in a commercial freezing extender supplemented with 0; 1.25; 2.5. 5mM of Melatonin before the cryopreservation process. After thawing, the evaluation was performed assessing motility and flow cytometry evaluations: the plasma membrane integrity (PI), the integrity of the acrosomal membrane (FITC-PNA), mitochondrial membrane potential (JC1), and ROS generation (DCF-DA). Our results showed that sperm motility in the group without Melatonin and the 1.25mM group did not show the difference; however, the groups 2.5mM and 5mM presented a reduction in sperm motility. The 1.25 mM concentration was able to protect the plasma membrane during the cryopreservation process, in addition to showing a significant reduction in the production of ROS and increasing the percentage of sperm with integral acrosome. It can also be seen that high concentrations of Melatonin did not show beneficial effects. In conclusion, the addition of 1.25 mM of the Melatonin in Crioulo sperm cells showed to have a protective effect on the sperm cell during cryopreservation.

scholarly journals Structural basis for cholesterol transport-like activity of the Hedgehog receptor Patched

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunxiao Zhang ◽  
David P. Bulkley ◽  
Kelsey J. Roberts ◽  
Yao Xin ◽  
Daniel E. Asarnow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Basal Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Extracellular Domain ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Cholesterol Transport ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Common Receptor

AbstractHedgehog protein signals mediate tissue patterning and maintenance via binding to and inactivation of their common receptor Patched, a twelve-transmembrane protein that otherwise would suppress activity of the seven-transmembrane protein, Smoothened. Loss of Patched function, the most common cause of basal cell carcinoma, permits unregulated activation of Smoothened and of the Hedgehog pathway. A cryo-EM structure of the Patched protein reveals striking transmembrane domain similarities to prokaryotic RND transporters. The extracellular domain mediates association of Patched monomers in an unusual dimeric architecture that implies curvature in the associated membrane. A central conduit with cholesterol-like contents courses through the extracellular domain and resembles that used by other RND proteins to transport substrates, suggesting Patched activity in cholesterol transport. Patched expression indeed reduces cholesterol activity in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, in a manner antagonized by Hedgehog stimulation and with implications for regulation of Smoothened.

Fine-Structural Localization of Adenosine Triphosphatase in the Rectum of Calliphora

1968 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-32
Author(s):  
M. J. BERRIDGE ◽  
B. L. GUPTA
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Adenosine Triphosphatase ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Fluid Transport ◽  
Microsomal Fraction ◽  
Adenosine Diphosphate ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Osmotic Gradient ◽  
Ph Optimum ◽  
Structural Localization

Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity in the rectal papillae of Calliphora has been studied by biochemical and histochemical techniques. The microsomal fraction contained a Mg2+-activated ATPase with a pH optimum of 8.0. The enzyme was not stimulated by the addition of Na+ plus K+ and was insensitive to ouabain. Histochemical studies using modifications of the Wachstein-Meisel method showed that at pH 7.2 this Mg2+-activated ATPase was specifically localized on the intracellular surface of the lateral plasma membranes. A similar though less intense reaction was obtained with adenosine diphosphate and inosine triphosphate, but not with guanosine triphosphate, uridine triphosphate or β-glycerophosphate as substrates. At an acid pH (6.6-6.8), very little reaction occurred on the lateral plasma membrane but some reaction product was present in mitochondria and nuclei. Very little enzyme activity was found in the flattened rectal epithelium. These results are discussed in relation to the available data on transport ATPases and on the structural basis of fluid transport by rectal papillae. It is proposed that the ATPase localized on the stacks of lateral plasma membrane may be involved with ion secretion into the intercellular spaces to create the osmotic gradient necessary to extract water from the lumen.

Cellular structure and function

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-104
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Nucleic Acids ◽  
Cellular Structure ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
The Body ◽  
Signalling Pathways ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
Intracellular Organelles ◽  
And Function

‘Cellular structure and function’ covers the roles, structures, and functions of the main four types of macromolecules of the human body, namely proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. For these macromolecules, the roles and types of each class are discussed (for proteins this includes their roles as structural proteins and enzymes and their kinetics; for lipids, the roles and types of lipid found in the body are considered; for carbohydrates, their roles including structural and metabolic are discussed; and the structure of nucleic acids is described). Then follows a description of the organization of the cell, including the plasma membrane and its components, and the intracellular organelles. Cell growth, division, and apoptosis are covered, as are the formation of gametes, and finally the principles of how cellular functions can be modulated by pharmacological agents through receptors and signalling pathways are discussed.

The Substrate and Properties of Meridians: A Review of Modern Research

1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haifeng Wei ◽  
Lawrence Chung-Long Huang ◽  
Jian Kong
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Theory ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Partial Explanation ◽  
Normal Tissues ◽  
Vascular Channels ◽  
Ionic Movement ◽  
Orderly Arrangement

Meridians are regarded as the base upon which traditional acupuncture theory is built but, although much research time has been spent on their investigation, no coherent scientific theory has emerged to explain their structure or mode of action. There have been several hypotheses that offer sufficient evidence for a partial explanation for certain meridians. This paper suggests that there is indeed no single answer, but that the various hypotheses should be combined, accepting that different explanations are likely for different meridians or parts of the body. The most useful tool for investigation seems to be the phenomenon of propagated sensation along meridians. Experiments indicate that physical transmission occurs most generally through the interstitial space, specifically along the neurovascular bundles, rather than through vascular channels. The mechanism of meridian activity is likely to be via neuro-transmitters, found particularly along meridian lines, and by ionic movement. This review of research literature, much of which has emanated from China, concludes that there is a real structural basis for the meridians, but that this structure is the orderly arrangement of normal tissues along the line of meridians rather than any special histological feature.

THE STRUCTURAL BASIS OF THE BODY

1934 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 280-281
Author(s):  
T. Schneider.
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Structural Basis
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