Electron microscopic studies on chick limb cartilage differentiated in tissue culture

Development ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-337
Author(s):  
Suresh C. Goel ◽  
A. Jurand

The hind limb-bud mesenchyme of chick embryos 4–4½ days old was cultured in Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium supplemented with both horse serum and fresh chick embryo extract. Whereas no differences are seen at the light-microscope level, at the electron-microscope level the chondroblasts differentiated in tissue culture are noticeably different from those differentiated in vivo, particularly in the possession of some cytoplasmic fibrils and vacuoles. It is proposed that the secretion of the extracellular matrix alone is not sufficient to account for the pattern of cellular arrangement in a cartilaginous condensation.

Development ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-133
Author(s):  
Janet Heasman ◽  
C. C. Wylie

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) of Xenopus laevis have been isolated from early embryos and kept alive in vitro, in order to study the structural basis of their motility, using the transmission and scanning electron microscope. The culture conditions used mimicked as closely as possible the in vivo environment of migrating PGCs, in that isolated PGCs were seeded onto monolayers of amphibian mesentery cells. In these conditions we have demonstrated that: (a) No significant differences were found between the morphology of PGCs in vitro and in vivo. (b) Structural features involved in PGC movement in vitro include (i) the presence of a filamentous substructure, (ii) filopodial and blunt cell processes, (iii) cell surface specializations. These features are also characteristic of migratory PGCs studied in vivo. (c) PGCs in vitro have powers of invasion similar to those of migrating PGCs in vivo. They occasionally become completely surrounded by cells of the monolayer and, in this situation, bear striking resemblance to PGCs moving between mesentery cells to the site of the developing gonad in stage-44 tadpoles. We conclude that as far as it is possible to assess, the behaviour of isolated PGCs in these in vitro conditions mimics their activities in vivo. This allows us to study the ultrastructural basis of their migration.


Blood ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 831-836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl R. Kjeldsberg ◽  
John Swanson

Abstract Platelet adherence to polymorphonuclear leukocytes, or so-called platelet satellitism, has, to our knowledge, been reported in only four patients. We had the opportunity to study this phenomenon in two patients. Platelet satellitism was only seen in EDTA anticoagulated blood, and the platelets were seen to surround polymorphonuclear leukocytes only. Electron microscopic studies demonstrated focally opposed regions of platelet and neutrophil plasma membranes. Phagocytosis of platelets was also observed. In vivo and in vitro platelet functions were normal. Platelet satellitism is an in vitro phenomenon, the cause of which is unknown. We are unable to relate it to functional abnormalitles of the blood, the clinical condition of the patient, or to drugs. This phenomenon has some clinical importance in that it causes spurious thrombocytopenia.


1969 ◽  
Vol 112 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. N. Murty ◽  
T. Hallinan

1. Phospholipid-rich membranous contaminants are present in free polysomes from rat liver isolated on discontinuous sucrose gradients. 2. Electron-microscopic studies indicate that the membranous contaminants are mainly agranular with very occasional granular membranes. This is confirmed by the study of their sedimentation behaviour and their initial rate of labelling with radioactive glucosamine in vivo. 3. Conventional ribosome-purification methods fail to remove the contaminants, whereas deoxycholate effectively solubilizes the membranous contaminants with little breakdown of polysomes. 4. Amino acid-incorporation studies show that these membranous contaminants may seriously interfere in assessment of the functional capacity of free polysomes in protein biosynthesis in vivo.


1967 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip W. Brandt ◽  
Enrique Lopez ◽  
John P. Reuben ◽  
Harry Grundfest

In cross-sections of single fibers from the frog semitendinosus muscle the number of thick myofilaments per unit area (packing density) is a direct function of the sarcomere length. Our data, derived from electron microscopic studies, fit well with other data derived from in vivo, low-angle X-ray diffraction studies of whole semitendinosus muscles. The data are consistent with the assumption that the sarcomere of a fibril maintains a constant volume during changes in sarcomere length. The myofilament lattice, therefore, expands as the sarcomere shortens. Since the distance between adjacent myofilaments is an inverse square root function of sarcomere length, the interaction of the thick and the thin myofilaments during sarcomere shortening may occur over distances which increase 70 A or more. The "expanding-sarcomere, sliding-filament" model of sarcomere shortening is discussed in terms of the current concepts of muscle architecture and contraction.


Parasitology ◽  
1965 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morag L. O. McCaig ◽  
C. Adrian Hopkins

Schistocephalus plerocercoids in the weight range 2–200mg F.W. recovered from the perivisceral cavity of Gasterosteus aculeatus were cultured in various media. In a medium composed of 25% horse serum, 0·5% yeast extract, 0·65% glucose and Hanks's saline at pH 7·1, 21°C, 95% air +5% CO2, dry weight increases of up to 500% were recorded in 8 days. The specific growth rate of large plerocercoids was only one-tenth of the rate observed in small plerocercoids. A plerocercoid of double the weight of another had approximately half the specific growth rate.Worms after 8 days cultivation were found to have only slightly higher than normal glycogen and water content, and to be able to mature when heated to 40°C. However, the rate of growth slowed to zero by the 24th day in culture at 21°C. Electron microscopic examination showed a ‘deposit’ formed over the microvilli, thin at 8 days but dense after 21 days.The in vivo glycogen and water content of plerocercoids from 3–300 mg F.W. was determined. Glycogen rose from 24% in plerocercoids of 10mg F. W. to 50–55% in plerocercoids over 80mg F. W. The water content was found to mimic precisely this change, falling from 82% to a plateau of 67–69%.We wish to thank Professor Gareth Owen for permission to use the photograph shown in the Plate and for his help while using the electron microscope. It is also a pleasure to thank Miss Patricia Grant for her technical assistance.


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