Scanning electron microscopy of the spines of the tunic of the ascidian, Boltenia ovifera

1970 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-477 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Mishra ◽  
J. Ross Colvin

The presence of small spines on the exterior surface of the tunic of Boltenia ovifera, which contain axially oriented microfibrils of cellulose, was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. These spines axe a continuous extension of the mass of the tissue without a recognizable discontinuity between them and the rest of the tunic. They show a trilobed form at their base after preparation for electron microscopy but this may be a result of desiccation. Tips of the spines are blunt and they, as well as the axial microfibrils which compose the shaft, are enclosed in a sheath which seems to be amorphous. On the surface of the tunic, the water-insoluble glycoprotein component is sparsely distributed. The distribution and morphology of these spines pose unusual problems for the mechanism of extracellular synthesis and deposition of cellulose microfibrils.

IAWA Journal ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisashi Abe ◽  
Ryo Funada

We examined the orientation of cellulose microfibrils (Mfs) in the cell walls of tracheids in some conifer species by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and developed a model on the basis of our observations. Mfs depositing on the primary walls in differentiating tracheids were not well-ordered. The predominant orientation of the Mfs changed from longitudinal to transverse, as the differentiation of tracheids proceeded. The first Mfs to be deposited in the outer layer of the secondary wall (S1 layer) were arranged as an S-helix. Then the orientation of Mfs changed gradually, with rotation in the clockwise direction as viewed from the lumen side of tracheids, from the outermost to the innermost S1 layer. Mfs in the middle layer of the secondary wall (S2 layer) were oriented in a steep Z-helix with a deviation of less than 15° within the layer. The orientation of Mfs in the inner layer of the secondary wall (S3 layer) changed, with rotation in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the lumen side, from the outermost to the innermost S3 layer. The angle of orientation of Mfs that were deposited on the innermost S3 layer varied among tracheids from 40° in a Z-helix to 20° in an S-helix.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1048-1054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunzhen Zheng ◽  
Daniel J. Cosgrove ◽  
Gang Ning

AbstractWe have used field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to study the high-resolution organization of cellulose microfibrils in onion epidermal cell walls. We frequently found that conventional “rule of thumb” conditions for imaging of biological samples did not yield high-resolution images of cellulose organization and often resulted in artifacts or distortions of cell wall structure. Here we detail our method of one-step fixation and dehydration with 100% ethanol, followed by critical point drying, ultrathin iridium (Ir) sputter coating (3 s), and FESEM imaging at a moderate accelerating voltage (10 kV) with an In-lens detector. We compare results obtained with our improved protocol with images obtained with samples processed by conventional aldehyde fixation, graded dehydration, sputter coating with Au, Au/Pd, or carbon, and low-voltage FESEM imaging. The results demonstrated that our protocol is simpler, causes little artifact, and is more suitable for high-resolution imaging of cell wall cellulose microfibrils whereas such imaging is very challenging by conventional methods.


1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro F. Mateos ◽  
David L. Baker ◽  
Saleela Philip-Hollingsworth ◽  
Andrea Squartini ◽  
Angelo D. B. Paruffo ◽  
...  

Firm attachment of Rhizobium species to the legume root epidermis involves the elaboration of extracellular microfibrils extending from the bacteria and contacting the root surface at multiple sites. We investigated the nature of these extracellular microfibrils associated in situ with Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii colonized on the root epidermal surface of its legume host, white clover (Trifoiium repens L.). Scanning electron microscopy of seedling roots inoculated with the wild-type strain ANU843 showed that these extracellular microfibrils were associated with the bacteria attached not only to root hairs but also to the non-root-hair epidermis and the external environment under the influence of the developing root. Polystyrene microspheres adsorbed to the root surface did not accumulate similar microfibrils, ruling out their formation by nonspecific deposition of mucigel or self-assembly of rhizoplane fibrils of plant origin. An isozyme of cellulase was purified from Streptomyces sp. strain A20, shown to exhibit high substrate specificity for β-1,4-glucans, and used in enzyme cytochemistry to investigate the nature of these extracellular microfibrils. Combined scanning electron microscopy and computer-assisted image analysis indicated that the extracellular microfibrils associated with attached bacteria were degraded by a brief exposure to the purified cellulase but not by a broad-spectrum protease. These results provide direct in situ evidence of the cellulosic nature of the extracellular microfibrils associated with cells of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii that have colonized the root environment of its legume host, white clover.Key words: Rhizobium, clover, cellulose microfibrils, enzyme cytochemistry, surface ecology, rhizoplane.


1974 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. C. Sowden ◽  
J. Ross Colvin

Evidence from phase and polarizing microscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy indicates that the cellulose microfibrils in the spherulites of bacterial cellulose are oriented tangentially, not radially. Also, the orientation may be limited to only a fraction of the thickness of the pellicle. It is suggested that the tangential deposition may be caused by a gradient of concentration of a weakly soluble inhibitor of cellulose formation about a center.


1978 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 772-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. C. Sowden ◽  
J. Ross Colvin

Development of the morphology and microstructure of colonies of Acetobacter xylinum glowing on agar was studied by optical microscopy, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The mass of rapidly dividing cells surrounded by a sheath of cellulose microfibrils passes from a smooth spheroid to a flattened aggregate with a characteristic 'pillowed' surface. This morphology is the result of a repeated extrusion of cells from the confining sheath, followed by regeneration of a new portion of the sheath on the extruded cell mass. Relations of this mechanism to others which produce similar shapes are indicated.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresita Iturriaga ◽  
Herbert W. Israel

Conidiogenesis and conidial morphology in two Pseudospiropes species, anamorphs of two unnamed Strossmayeria species, were studied using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and for one of these, transmission electron microscopy. Conidiogenesis is clearly holoblastic. In these species there are approximately 10 cells per conidium, the apical and basal ones being darker than the others. A gel surrounds the conidium, and what probably is a gelatinous appendage is seen at its apex. The conidial wall is composed of at least eight layers, the exterior surface being distinctly poroid. There are columnar irregularities in the conidial walls. These morphological features have potential taxonomic importance.


Author(s):  
P.S. Porter ◽  
T. Aoyagi ◽  
R. Matta

Using standard techniques of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), over 1000 human hair defects have been studied. In several of the defects, the pathogenesis of the abnormality has been clarified using these techniques. It is the purpose of this paper to present several distinct morphologic abnormalities of hair and to discuss their pathogenesis as elucidated through techniques of scanning electron microscopy.


Author(s):  
P.J. Dailey

The structure of insect salivary glands has been extensively investigated during the past decade; however, none have attempted scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in ultrastructural examinations of these secretory organs. This study correlates fine structure by means of SEM cryofractography with that of thin-sectioned epoxy embedded material observed by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Salivary glands of Gromphadorhina portentosa were excised and immediately submerged in cold (4°C) paraformaldehyde-glutaraldehyde fixative1 for 2 hr, washed and post-fixed in 1 per cent 0s04 in phosphosphate buffer (4°C for 2 hr). After ethanolic dehydration half of the samples were embedded in Epon 812 for TEM and half cryofractured and subsequently critical point dried for SEM. Dried specimens were mounted on aluminum stubs and coated with approximately 150 Å of gold in a cold sputtering apparatus.Figure 1 shows a cryofractured plane through a salivary acinus revealing topographical relief of secretory vesicles.


Author(s):  
Nakazo Watari ◽  
Yasuaki Hotta ◽  
Yoshio Mabuchi

It is very useful if we can observe the identical cell elements within the same sections by light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and/or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sequentially, because, the cell fine structure can not be indicated by LM, while the color is; on the other hand, the cell fine structure can be very easily observed by EM, although its color properties may not. However, there is one problem in that LM requires thick sections of over 1 μm, while EM needs very thin sections of under 100 nm. Recently, we have developed a new method to observe the same cell elements within the same plastic sections using both light and transmission (conventional or high-voltage) electron microscopes.In this paper, we have developed two new observation methods for the identical cell elements within the same sections, both plastic-embedded and paraffin-embedded, using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and/or scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 1).


Author(s):  
Ronald H. Bradley ◽  
R. S. Berk ◽  
L. D. Hazlett

The nude mouse is a hairless mutant (homozygous for the mutation nude, nu/nu), which is born lacking a thymus and possesses a severe defect in cellular immunity. Spontaneous unilateral cataractous lesions were noted (during ocular examination using a stereomicroscope at 40X) in 14 of a series of 60 animals (20%). This transmission and scanning microscopic study characterizes the morphology of this cataract and contrasts these data with normal nude mouse lens.All animals were sacrificed by an ether overdose. Eyes were enucleated and immersed in a mixed fixative (1% osmium tetroxide and 6% glutaraldehyde in Sorenson's phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at 0-4°C) for 3 hours, dehydrated in graded ethanols and embedded in Epon-Araldite for transmission microscopy. Specimens for scanning electron microscopy were fixed similarly, dehydrated in graded ethanols, then to graded changes of Freon 113 and ethanol to 100% Freon 113 and critically point dried in a Bomar critical point dryer using Freon 13 as the transition fluid.


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