scholarly journals First detailed description of the nervous system of the most complex lophophore and evolution of Brachiopoda

Author(s):  
Elena Temereva ◽  
Tatyana Kuzmina

Abstract The lophophore is a tentacle organ unique to the lophophorates. Recent research has revealed that the organization of the nervous and muscular systems of the lophophore is similar in phoronids, brachiopods, and bryozoans. At the same time, the evolution of the lophophore in certain lophophorates is still being debated. Innervation of the lophophore has been studied for only two brachiopod species belonging to two subphyla: Linguliformea and Rhynchonelliformea. Species from both groups have the spirolophe, which is the most common type of the lophophore among brachiopods. In this study, we used transmission electron microscopy, immunocytochemistry, and confocal laser scanning microscopy to describe the innervation of the most complex lophophore (the plectolophe) of the rhynchonelliform species Coptothyris grayi. The C. grayi lophophore (the plectolophe) is innervated by three brachial nerves: the main, second accessory, and lower. Thus, the plectolophe lacks the accessory brachial nerve, which is typically present in other studied brachiopods. All C. grayi brachial nerves contain two types of perikarya. Because the accessory nerve is absent, the cross nerves, which pass into the connective tissue, have a complex morphology and two ascending and one descending branches. The outer and inner tentacles are innervated by several groups of neurite bundles: one frontal, two lateral, two abfrontal, and two latero-abfrontal (the latter is present in only the outer tentacles). Tentacle nerves originate from the second accessory and lower brachial nerves. The inner and outer tentacles are also innervated by numerous peritoneal neurites, which exhibit acetylated alpha-tubulin immunoreactivity. This result supports the following previously proposed hypothesis about the evolution of the lophophore in brachiopods: the morphology of the lophophore has evolved from simple to complex, whereas the innervation of the lophophore has evolved from complex to simple; the latter is indicated by a smaller number of lophophoral nerve tracts in species with complex lophophores. The reduction of the accessory brachial nerve and diminution of the main brachial nerve are associated with general reduction of the prosoma in brachiopods.

2016 ◽  
Vol 186 ◽  
pp. 45-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radhika Poojari ◽  
Rohit Srivastava ◽  
Dulal Panda

Polymeric nanoassemblies represent an attractive strategy for efficient cellular internalization of microtubule targeted anticancer drugs. Using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the physical properties and surface morphology of microtubule-binding PEGylated PLGA assembled nanospheres (100–200 nm) were analyzed. The present approach leads to strong internalization as observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy in hepatocarcinoma cells. The effect of these nanoassemblies on microtubules and mitosis were explored using immunofluorescence microscopy. The effects of these nanoassemblies on cancer cell proliferation and cell death revealed their antitumor enhancing effects. Perturbation of the microtubule assembly, mitosis and nuclear modulations potentiated the antineoplastic effects delivered via nanospheres in hepatocarcinoma cells. The extensive biomolecular and physical characterizations of the synthesized nanoassemblies will help to design potent therapeutic materials and the present approach can be applied to deliver microtubule-targeted drugs for liver cancer therapy.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 3311-3339 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Couradeau ◽  
K. Benzerara ◽  
E. Gérard ◽  
I. Estève ◽  
D. Moreira ◽  
...  

Abstract. The search for microfossils in the geological record has been a long-term challenge. Part of the problem comes from the difficulty of identifying such microfossils unambiguously, since they can be morphologically confused with abiotic biomorphs. One route to improve our ability to correctly identify microfossils consists in studying fossilization processes affecting bacteria in modern settings. We studied the initial stages of fossilization of cyanobacterial cells in modern microbialites from Lake Alchichica (Mexico), a Mg-rich hyperalkaline crater lake (pH 8.9) hosting currently growing stromatolites composed of aragonite [CaCO3] and hydromagnesite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2 × 4(H2O)]. Most of the biomass associated with the microbialites is composed of cyanobacteria. Scanning electron microscopy analyses coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy observations were conducted to co-localize cyanobacterial cells and associated minerals. These observations showed that cyanobacterial cells affiliating to the order Pleurocapsales become specifically encrusted within aragonite with an apparent preservation of cell morphology. Encrustation gradients from non-encrusted to totally encrusted cells spanning distances of a few hundred micrometers were observed. Cells exhibiting increased levels of encrustation along this gradient were studied down to the nm-scale using a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) milling, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at the C, O and N K-edges. Two different types of aragonite crystals were observed: one type was composed of needle-shaped nano-crystals growing outward from the cell body with a crystallographic orientation perpendicular to the cell wall, and another type was composed of larger crystals that progressively filled the cell interior. Organic matter (OM), initially co-localized with the cell, decreased in concentration and dispersed away from the cell while crystal growth occurred. As encrustation developed, OM progressively disappeared, but remaining OM showed the same spectroscopic signature. In the most advanced stages of fossilization, only the textural organization of the two types of aragonite recorded the initial cell morphology and spatial distribution.


1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1302-1303
Author(s):  
O. Castejόn ◽  
P Sims

The cerebellar cortex of albino mice, hamsters, teleost fishes, primates and human have been examined by correlative microscopy to study the Golgi cell soma, dendritic processes, axonal plexus and synaptic connections in the granular and molecular layers. For light microscopy (LM) toluidinc blue stained-plastic embedded scmithin sections and Golgi light microscopy preparations were used. For confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) of hamster cerebellum the FM4-64 fluorescent stain was used as intracellular tracer (1). Conventional and high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of teleost fishes, primates and human were coated with gold-palladium and chromium (2). I Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). either by ullrathin sections or frccze-clching replicas, were examined to characterize synaptic connections in the granular and molecular layers. The Golgi cells appeared in the granular layer as polygonal, stellate, round or fusiform microncurons. 10-25 μm in maximal dimension, surrounded by the granule cell groups. Golgi light microscopy.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 5255-5266 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Couradeau ◽  
K. Benzerara ◽  
E. Gérard ◽  
I. Estève ◽  
D. Moreira ◽  
...  

Abstract. The search for microfossils in the geological record has been a long-term challenge. Part of the problem comes from the difficulty of identifying such microfossils unambiguously, since they can be morphologically confused with abiotic biomorphs. One route to improve our ability to correctly identify microfossils involves studying fossilization processes affecting bacteria in modern settings. We studied the initial stages of fossilization of cyanobacterial cells in modern microbialites from Lake Alchichica (Mexico), a Mg-rich hyperalkaline crater lake (pH 8.9) hosting currently growing stromatolites composed of aragonite [CaCO3] and hydromagnesite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2 · 4(H2O)]. Most of the biomass associated with the microbialites is composed of cyanobacteria. Scanning electron microscopy analyses coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy observations were conducted to co-localize cyanobacterial cells and associated minerals. These observations showed that cyanobacterial cells affiliated with the order Pleurocapsales become specifically encrusted within aragonite with an apparent preservation of cell morphology. Encrustation gradients from non-encrusted to totally encrusted cells spanning distances of a few hundred micrometers were observed. Cells exhibiting increased levels of encrustation along this gradient were studied down to the nm scale using a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) milling, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM) at the C, O and N K-edges. Two different types of aragonite crystals were observed: one type was composed of needle-shaped nano-crystals growing outward from the cell body with a crystallographic orientation perpendicular to the cell wall, and another type was composed of larger crystals that progressively filled the cell interior. Exopolymeric substances (EPS), initially co-localized with the cells, decreased in concentration and dispersed away from the cells while crystal growth occurred. As encrustation developed, EPS progressively disappeared, but remaining EPS showed the same spectroscopic signature. In the most advanced stages of fossilization, only the textural organization of the two types of aragonite recorded the initial cell morphology and spatial distribution.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Meyer ◽  
Thomas André ◽  
Günter Purschke

Abstract Background: The sedentary polychaete Sabellaria alveolata, the sandcastle or honeycomb worm, possesses four different kinds of appendages besides the parapodia: opercular papillae, tentacular filaments, palps, and branchiae. It exhibits a highly specialized anterior end, the operculum, formed by the prostomium, peristomium, and two anterior segments. Besides the median organ, the operculum comprises opercular papillae, tentacular filaments, and palps. Paired branchiae are present from the second thoracic chaetiger onwards on the posteriorly following segments except for the last ones. Only the palps have been studied thus far by transmission electron microscopy in late larvae of a different species. In order to bridge the data gap, we investigated the appendages of S. alveolata by applying light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Results: In S. alveolata the entire body is covered by a thin cuticle characterized by the absence of layers of parallel collagen fibers with no differentiation between the various body regions including the branchiae. The opercular papillae bear numerous tufts of receptor cells and lack motile cilia. The tentacular filaments show a distinctive ciliation pattern; their most conspicuous morphological feature is their cell-free cartilaginous endoskeletal structure enclosed by ECM. Besides musculature the filaments include a single coelomic cavity but blood vessels are absent. The palps are ciliated with two coelomic cavities and a single blind-ending blood vessel. Besides external ciliation and receptor cells, the coelomate branchiae are highly vascularized and equipped with numerous blood spaces extending deep into the basal regions of the epidermal cells (diffusion distances: 150–400nm). Conclusions: All appendages, including the branchiae, bear receptor cells and, as such, are sensory. The opercular papillae resemble typical parapodial cirri. In contrast, the tentacular filaments have a double function: sensing, collecting and transporting particles. A similarity to branchiae can be excluded. The palps are typical grooved palps similar to another sabellariid studied. A revised classification of polychaete branchiae is suggested; thereby, the branchiae of S. alveolata belong to the most common type comprising coelom, musculature, and blood vessels. The results indicate that diffusion distances between blood and environment have been underestimated in many cases.


Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhou ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Chuan-Ya Ji ◽  
Chingchai Chaisiri ◽  
Liangfen Yin ◽  
...  

Peach scab caused by Venturia carpophila, is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of peach worldwide, which seriously affects the peach production. Up to date, the infection process and pathogenesis of V. carpophila on peach remain unclear. Here, we present the infection behaviour of V. carpophila at the ultrastructural and cytological levels in peach leaves with combined microscopic investigations (e.g., light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy). V. carpophila germinated at the tip of conidia and produced short germ tubes on peach leaf surfaces at 2 days post-inoculation (dpi). At 3 dpi, swollen tips of germ tubes differentiated into appressoria. At 5 dpi, penetration pegs produced by appressoria broke through the cuticle layer, and then differentiated into thick sub-cuticular hyphae in the pectin layer of the epidermal cell walls. At 10 dpi, the sub-cuticular hyphae extensively colonized in the pectin layer. The primary hyphae ramified into secondary hyphae and proliferated along with the incubation. At 15 dpi, the sub-cuticular hyphae divided laterally to form stromata between the cuticle layer and the cellulose layer of the epidermal cells. At 30 dpi, conidiophores developed from the sub-cuticular stromata. Finally, abundant conidiophores and new conidia appeared on leaf surfaces at 40 dpi. These results provide useful information for further understanding the V. carpophila pathogenesis.


2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 3592-3603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroko Ohnishi ◽  
Yoshimitsu Mizunoe ◽  
Akemi Takade ◽  
Yoshitaka Tanaka ◽  
Hiroshi Miyamoto ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Legionella dumoffii is one of the common causes of Legionnaires' disease and is capable of replicating in macrophages. To understand the mechanism of survival within macrophages, transposon mutagenesis was employed to isolate the genes necessary for intracellular growth. We identified four defective mutants after screening 790 transposon insertion mutants. Two transposon insertions were in genes homologous to icmB or dotC, within dot/icm loci, required for intracellular multiplication of L. pneumophila. The third was in a gene whose product is homologous to the 17-kDa antigen forming part of the VirB/VirD4 type IV secretion system of Bartonella henselae. The fourth was in the djlA (for “dnaj-like A”) gene. DjlA is a member of the DnaJ/Hsp40 family. Transcomplementation of the djlA mutant restored the parental phenotype in J774 macrophages, A549 human alveolar epithelial cells, and the amoeba Acanthamoeba culbertsoni. Using confocal laser-scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we revealed that in contrast to the wild-type strain, L. dumoffii djlA mutant-containing phagosomes were unable to inhibit phagosome-lysosome fusion. Transmission electron microscopy also showed that in contrast to the virulent parental strain, the djlA mutant was not able to recruit host cell rough endoplasmic reticulum. Furthermore, the stationary-phase L. dumoffii djlA mutants were more susceptible to H2O2, high osmolarity, high temperature, and low pH than was their parental strain. These results indicate that DjlA is required for intracellular growth and organelle trafficking, as well as bacterial resistance to environmental stress. This is the first report demonstrating that a single DjlA-deficient mutant exhibits a distinct phenotype.


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