scholarly journals Reorganization of cytoplasmic structures during cell fusion

1991 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q.A. Zheng ◽  
D.C. Chang

In order to provide a better understanding of the dynamic process of cell fusion, we studied the reorganization of cytoplasmic structures in electro-fused CV-1 cells. Using fluorescence microscopy and double staining methods, we examined correlations between the structural patterns of the major cytoskeletal proteins (microtubules, actin and vimentin intermediate filaments) and the distribution of various organelles (endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and nuclei) at different stages of cell fusion. Our results suggest that microtubules appear to play a primary role in the process of cytoplasmic reorganization. At the early stage of cell fusion, microtubules were observed to infiltrate rapidly into the newly formed cytoplasmic bridges and establish a connection between the cytoskeletal networks of fusing cells. The reorganization of microtubules was found to be correlated with the redistribution of endoplasmic reticulum (ER), vimentin intermediate filaments, mitochondria, and the aggregation of nuclei. The F-actin system, on the other hand, appeared to be independent of the reorganization of the other cytoplasmic structures. The principal function of F-actin during cell fusion is probably to widen the cytoplasmic bridges by lamellipodial extension.

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 1174-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bohdan J. Soltys ◽  
Radhey S. Gupta

To study the interrelationships of endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, intermediate filaments, and microtubules, we have developed a quadruple fluorescence labeling procedure to visualize all four structures in the same cell. We applied this approach to study cellular organization in control cells and in cells treated with the microtubule drugs vinblastine or taxol. Endoplasmic reticulum was visualized by staining glutaraldehyde-fixed cells with the dye 3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide. After detergent permeabilization, triple immunofluorescence was carried out to specifically visualize mitochondria, vimentin intermediate filaments, and microtubules. Mitochondria in human fibroblasts were found to be highly elongated tubular structures (lengths up to greater than 50 μm), which in many cases were apparently fused to each other. Mitochondria were always observed to be associated with endoplasmic reticulum, although endoplasmic reticulum also existed independently. Intermediate filament distribution could not completely account for endoplasmic reticulum or mitochondrial distributions. Microtubules, however, always codistributed with these organelles. Microtubule depolymerization in vinblastine treated cells resulted in coaggregation of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and in the collapse of intermediate filaments. The spatial distributions of organelles compared with, intermediate filaments were not identical, indicating that attachment of organelles to intermediate filaments was not responsible for organelle aggregation. Mitochondrial associations with endoplasmic reticulum, on the other hand, were retained, indicating this association was stable regardless of endoplasmic reticulum form or microtubules. In taxol-treated cells, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and intermediate filaments were all associated with taxol- stabilized microtubule bundles.Key words: endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, intermediate filaments, microtubules.


1985 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 1157-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
K T Tokuyasu ◽  
P A Maher ◽  
S J Singer

The distribution of the intermediate filament proteins vimentin and desmin in developing and mature myotubes in vivo was studied by single and double immunoelectron microscopic labeling of ultrathin frozen sections of iliotibialis muscle in 7-21-d-old chick embryos, and neonatal and 1-d-old postnatal chicks. This work is an extension of our previous immunofluorescence studies of the same system (Tokuyasu, K. T., P. A. Maher and S. J. Singer, 1984, J. Cell Biol., 98:1961-1972). In immature myotubes of 7-11-d embryos, significant labeling for desmin and vimentin was found only in intermediate filaments, and these proteins coexisted in the same individual filaments. Each of the two proteins was present in irregular clusters along the entire length of a filament. No exclusively vimentin- or desmin-containing filaments were observed at this stage. In the early myotubes, the intermediate filaments were essentially all longitudinally oriented, even when they contained three times as much desmin as vimentin. No special relationship was recognized between the dispositions of the filaments and the organization of the myofibrils. Occasionally, several myofibrils were already aligned in lateral registry at this early stage, but labeling for desmin and vimentin was largely absent at the level of the Z bands. Instead, the Z bands appeared to be covered by elements of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The confinement of intermediate filaments to the level of the Z bands occurred in the myotubes of later embryos after the extensive lateral registry of the Z bands. Thus, intermediate filaments are unlikely to play a primary role in producing the lateral registration of myofibrils during myogenesis, but may be important in determining the polarization of the early myotube and the alignment of its organelles. Throughout the development of myotubes, desmin and vimentin remained in the form of intermediate filaments, although the number of filaments per unit volume of myotube appeared to be reduced as myofibrils increased in number in maturing myotubes. This observation indicated that the transverse orientation of intermediate filaments in mature myotubes does not result from the de novo polymerization of subunits from Z band to Z band, but a continuous shifting of the positions and directions of intact filaments.


1988 ◽  
Vol 135 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-191
Author(s):  
TAKAKO NISHI ◽  
TSUKASA GOTOW ◽  
MAKOTO KOBAYASHI

The electrophysiology of cell fusion in the heliozoan, Echinosphaetium akamae, was studied by intracellular recording from two unicellular organisms undergoing fusion. Fusion was preceded by the electrical connection of axopodia of each cell to the cell body of the other. In the early stages of the fusion process, spikes evoked in one cell body failed to invade the other, but electrotonic potentials (subthreshold depolarizations) did pass to the other cell. When background depolarizing currents were injected into the organism into which the potentials had invaded, these potentials developed into spikes. In advanced stages of fusion, spikes were transmitted in both directions from one organism to the other, in the absence of polarizing current. At this time, application of appropriate hyperpolarizing currents to either of the two organisms prevented spikes produced in one from invading the other. These results suggest that in the early stage of fusion, relatively few axopodia were bridged by membrane fusion between paired cell bodies, and that the number of such bridged axopodia increased as fusion proceeded, allowing spikes to be transmitted between the two organisms.


Author(s):  
R. N. Tomas

Peridinium balticum appears to be unusual among the dinoflagellates in that it possesses two DNA-containing structures as determined by histochemical techniques. Ultrastructurally, the two dissimilar nuclei are contained within different protoplasts; one of the nuclei is characteristically dinophycean in nature, while the other is characteristically eucaryotic. The chloroplasts observed within P. balticum are intrinsic to an eucaryotic photosynthetic endosymbiont and not to the dinoflagellate. These organelles are surrounded by outpocketings of endoplasmic reticulum which are continuous with the eucaryotic nuclear envelope and are characterized by thylakoids composed of three apposed lamellae. Girdle lamellae and membranebounded interlamellar pyrenoids are also present. Only the plasmalemma of the endosymbiont segregates its protoplast from that of the dinophycean cytoplasm. The exact nature of this symbiotic relationship is at present not known.


Author(s):  
S.R. Allegra

The respective roles of the ribo somes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and perhaps nucleus in the synthesis and maturation of melanosomes is still the subject of some controversy. While the early melanosomes (premelanosomes) have been frequently demonstrated to originate as Golgi vesicles, it is undeniable that these structures can be formed in cells in which Golgi system is not found. This report was prompted by the findings in an essentially amelanotic human cellular blue nevus (melanocytoma) of two distinct lines of melanocytes one of which was devoid of any trace of Golgi apparatus while the other had normal complement of this organelle.


Author(s):  
Carmen García-Alba

This study is part of a larger research study (doctoral dissertation), in which a comparative study with adolescent samples is done: 50 anorexic restricting patients (ANP), 50 patients diagnosed with depression (DP) and 50 non patients (NP). The proposed objective is two-fold: 1) To try to clarify the existing relationship between Anorexia (AN) and Depression (D), investigated from diverse disciplines but without conclusive results. 2) To detect in the ANP personality different traits from those of other groups, which should, if possible, allow to detect them at an early stage for an adequate prognosis. The current article presents the Rorschach findings in relation to the cognitive functioning of the ANP. In them, the following has been detected: (1) An information processing similar to that of the other groups, even with a more complete (L ≤ .99), more complex (DQ+↑) and better discriminated (Zd↑) grasp of the stimulus; (2) Mediating processes very similar to those of the other groups, sharing with them the perceptive maladjustments (X–%↑) and an excessive individualism (Xu%↑); (3) A clearly differentiating ideation disorder. Definitely, the ANP use predominantly ideation (M↑), but their thought, usually well-adjusted (MQo↑), presents eventual operations of delusional type (MQnone↑). Above that, their thinking is marked by a great passivity (Mp↑), which makes them more vulnerable to accept ideas without criticizing them and it results in a very inefficient thinking, which spins around these concepts without finding solutions, entering into a sort of ruminating which is completely unproductive. The differences toward the obsessive pathology are established. The discriminant analysis conducted with all the Rorschach variables that resulted as significant throughout the research, provides quite a consistent function which discriminates the ANP: MQnone↑, Mp↑, FD↓, Ma↑, MQo↑, AdjD↑, Sum H↑, (H)↑. Based on this we can understand that these adolescents, being in a developmental period of big changes and disorientations in relation with their own image, confronted with life events, and possibly starting off with some biologic vulnerability: (1) Due to the alterations of their ideation, accept without criticism (Mp) irrational ideas dominating in our culture, in which slimness appears as the only model, synthesis of intelligence, beauty and success; remaining captured in this type of mental activity (MQnone), which they cannot escape nor criticize (Mp), despite they reason adequately on other topics (MQo); (2) Their alterations of self-perception [(H)] make them hide themselves in a fantasized image, which is the axis of their interests and the only thing that really matters to them; (3) The resources they have to decide on behaviors and to finish these deliberately (AdjD), and their scarce tendency to the introspection (FD) lead to their decision of not eating, based on distorted and passively accepted thinking, which has great power and thus, so difficult to modify. Finally, based on the Rorschach data obtained, the hypothesis of a personality disorder as underlying pathology is pointed out.


Author(s):  
Menghan TAO ◽  
Ning XIAO ◽  
Xingfu ZHAO ◽  
Wenbin LIU

New energy vehicles(NEV) as a new thing for sustainable development, in China, on the one hand has faced the rapid expansion of the market; the other hand, for the new NEV users, the current NEVs cannot keep up with the degree of innovation. This paper demonstrates the reasons for the existence of this systematic challenge, and puts forward the method of UX research which is different from the traditional petrol vehicles research in the early stage of development, which studies from the user's essence level, to form the innovative product programs which meet the needs of users and being real attractive.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 752
Author(s):  
Chung-Guei Huang ◽  
Avijit Dutta ◽  
Ching-Tai Huang ◽  
Pi-Yueh Chang ◽  
Mei-Jen Hsiao ◽  
...  

A total of 15 RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients were admitted to our hospital during the in-itial outbreak in Taiwan. The average time of virus clearance was delayed in seven patients, 24.14 ± 4.33 days compared to 10.25 ± 0.56 days post-symptom onset (PSO) in the other eight pa-tients. There was strong antibody response in patients with viral persistence at the pharynx, with peak values of serum antibody 677.2 ± 217.8 vs. 76.70 ± 32.11 in patients with delayed versus rapid virus clearance. The patients with delayed viral clearance had excessive antibodies of compromised quality in an early stage with the delay in peak virus neutralization efficacy, 34.14 ± 7.15 versus 12.50 ± 2.35 days PSO in patients with rapid virus clearance. Weak antibody re-sponse of patients with rapid viral clearance was also effective, with substantial and comparable neutralization efficacy, 35.70 ± 8.78 versus 41.37 ± 11.49 of patients with delayed virus clearance. Human Cytokine 48-Plex Screening of the serial sera samples revealed elevated concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in a deceased patient with delayed virus clear-ance and severe disease. The levels were comparatively less in the other two patients who suf-fered from severe disease but eventually survived.


1997 ◽  
Vol 467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumio Yoshizawa ◽  
Kunihiro Shiota ◽  
Daisuke Inoue ◽  
Jun-ichi Hanna

ABSTRACTPolycrystalline SiGe (poly-SiGe) film growth by reactive thermal CVD with a gaseous mixture of Si2H6 and GeF4 was investigated on various substrates such as Al,Cr, Pt, Si, ITO, ZnO and thermally grown SiO2.In Ge-rich film growth, SEM observation in the early stage of the film growth revealed that direct nucleation of crystallites took place on the substrates. The nucleation was governed by two different mechanisms: one was a heterogeneous nucleation on the surface and the other was a homogeneous nucleation in the gas phase. In the former case, the selective nucleation was observed at temperatures lower than 400°C on metal substrates and Si, where the activation of adsorbed GeF4 on the surface played a major role for the nuclei formation, leading to the selective film growth.On the other hand, the direct nucleation did not always take place in Si-rich film growth irrespective of the substrates and depended on the growth rate. In a growth rate of 3.6nm/min, the high crystallinity of poly-Si0.95Ge0.05in a 220nm-thick film was achieved at 450°C due to the no initial deposition of amorphous tissue on SiO2 substrates.


2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 69-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshinari Takai ◽  
Toshihisa Murofushi ◽  
Munetaka Ushio ◽  
Shinichi Iwasaki

The time course of the recovery of subjective visual horizontal (SVH) after unilateral vestibular deafferentation by intratympanic instillation of gentamicin was studied. Six patients who underwent intratympanic gentamicin instillation therapy for Meniere's disease (1 man and 5 women, 32 to 69 years of age) were enrolled in this study. For comparison, SVH in 23 healthy subjects (12 men and 11 woman, 23 to 48 years of age) was also measured. The mean ± SD of SVH in healthy subjects was 0.0 ± 1.1 deg. All of the 6 patients showed significantly deviated SVH toward the injected side-down at the early stage after the therapy. Although one patient showed recovery of SVH to the normal range 25 days after the injection, the other patients required more time for recovery. Three patients did not show recovery to the normal range after 1 year. On the other hand, spontaneous nystagmus observed using an infrared CCD camera in total dark disappeared after 35 days (median). Patients who had normal vestibular evoked myogenic potentials before the therapy showed a tendency of delay of recovery of SVH. The reasons why the recovery of SVH took longer than the disappearance of spontaneous nystagmus are discussed in this report.


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