scholarly journals Cytoplasmic Matrix

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
T.D. Pollard ◽  
P. Maupin

In this paper we review some of the contributions that electron microscopy has made to the analysis of actin and myosin from nonmuscle cells. We place particular emphasis upon the limitations of the ultrastructural techniques used to study these cytoplasmic contractile proteins, because it is not widely recognized how difficult it is to preserve these elements of the cytoplasmic matrix for electron microscopy. The structure of actin filaments is well preserved for electron microscope observation by negative staining with uranyl acetate (Figure 1). In fact, to a resolution of about 3nm the three-dimensional structure of actin filaments determined by computer image processing of electron micrographs of negatively stained specimens (Moore et al., 1970) is indistinguishable from the structure revealed by X-ray diffraction of living muscle.


Author(s):  
R.H.M. Cross ◽  
C.E.J. Botha ◽  
A.K. Cowan ◽  
B.J. Hartley

Senescence is an ordered degenerative process leading to death of individual cells, organs and organisms. The detection of a conditional lethal mutant (achloroplastic) of Hordeum vulgare has enabled us to investigate ultrastructural changes occurring in leaf tissue during foliar senescence.Examination of the tonoplast structure in six and 14 day-old mutant tissue revealed a progressive degeneration and disappearance of the membrane, apparently starting by day six in the vicinity of the mitochondria associated with the degenerating proplastid (Fig. 1.) where neither of the plastid membrane leaflets is evident (arrows, Fig. 1.). At this stage there was evidence that the mitochondrial membranes were undergoing retrogressive changes, coupled with disorganization of cristae (Fig. 2.). Proplastids (P) lack definitive prolamellar bodies. The cytoplasmic matrix is largely agranular, with few endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae or polyribosomal aggregates. Interestingly, large numbers of actively-budding dictysomes, associated with pinocytotic vesicles, were observed in close proximity to the plasmalemma of mesophyll cells (Fig. 3.). By day 14 however, mesophyll cells showed almost complete breakdown of subcellular organelle structure (Fig. 4.), and further evidence for the breakdown of the tonoplast. The final stage of senescence is characterized by the solubilization of the cell wall due to expression and activity of polygalacturonase and/or cellulose. The presence of dictyosomes with associated pinocytotic vesicles formed from the mature face, in close proximity to both the plasmalemma and the cell wall, would appear to support the model proposed by Christopherson for the secretion of cellulase. This pathway of synthesis is typical for secretory glycoproteins.


Author(s):  
Arya K. Bal

In the course of studies in the root meristem tissue of Rubus chamaemorus L. some important changes in the ultrastructural morphology were observed during the initiation of senescence at the end of the growing season.Root meristems were collected from naturally growing healthy populations of Cloudberry plants, and fixed in Karnovsky's mixture or in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in phosphate buffer. The samples were osmicated, dehydrated following usual methods and embedded in Epon. Ultrathin sections were stained in uranyl acetate and lead citrate.Figure 1 shows part of a dense cell in the meristem. The electron density of these cells is due to large amounts of a particulate material in the cytoplasmic matrix. The smallest particle seen in electron micrographs is about 40 A, although larger aggregates are also found, which remain randomly distributed in association with various cell organelles. Dense substance has been found associated with golgi membranes, proplastids, vacuoles and microtubules (Fig. 2).


1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Mackintosh ◽  
J. E. Trimble ◽  
A. J. Beattie ◽  
D. A. Veal ◽  
M. K. Jones ◽  
...  

Secretions from exocrine metapleural glands of Myrmecia gulosa (Australian bull ant) exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Treatment of the yeast Candida albicans with metapleural secretion resulted in the rapid and total leakage of K+ions from cells within 10 min. Ultrastructural analysis of the bacteria Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and cells and protoplasts of Candida albicans demonstrated gross damage of the cell membrane and aggregation of the cytoplasmic matrix of treated cells. Degradation of membrane-bound organelles was also observed in Candida albicans. The antimicrobially active components of metapleural secretions were nonpolar and interacted with the phospholipid bilayer, causing damage to the structural integrity of liposomes and the release of carboxyfluorescein. The data suggest that the antimicrobial agents in metapleural secretion act primarily by disrupting the structure and function of the phospholipid bilayer of the cytoplasmic membrane.Key words: ant metapleural secretion, antimicrobial, Candida albicans, cytoplasmic membrane.


Reproduction ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 131 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Ashizawa ◽  
G J Wishart ◽  
S Katayama ◽  
D Takano ◽  
M Maeda ◽  
...  

At the avian body temperature of 40 °C, intact fowl spermatozoa require Ca2+for the initiation of motility and a combination of both Ca2+and homogenized inner perivitelline layer (IPVL) together to induce the acrosome reaction. Within the range of 1–100 μmol/l, neither PD 150606 (a Ca2+-dependent calpain inhibitor) nor Y-27632 (an inhibitor of Ca2+-dependent Rho-kinase) were able to inhibit the acrosome reaction induced by the presence of Ca2+and IPVL. However, PD 150606, although not Y-27632, was able to inhibit sperm motility initiated by Ca2+, as well as motility initiated by calyculin A – a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatases, which also initiates sperm motility at 40 °C. The addition of PD 150606 did not reduce the ATP concentrations of intact spermatozoa, nor the motility of demembranated spermatozoa. Immunoblot analysis of sperm extract using a polyclonal antibody against calpain 12 revealed a cross-reacting protein of approximately 80 kDa. These results suggest that Rho-kinase is not involved in the regulation of the acrosome reaction or of motility in fowl spermatozoa. In contrast, calpain appears to be involved in the regulation of flagellar movement, but not izn that of the acrosome reaction. Furthermore, it seems that endogenous calpain is present in the cytoplasmic matrix and/or the plasma membrane, but not retained in the axoneme and/or accessory cytoskeletal components.


1962 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Rifkind ◽  
Elliott F. Osserman ◽  
Konrad C. Hsu ◽  
Councilman Morgan

Ferritin- and fluorescein-conjugated antibody staining has been applied to a study of a mouse plasma cell tumor. The presence of myeloma globulin within cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum was observed at a stage of the secretory process when the remainder of the cytoplasm was essentially free of labeled globulin. The distribution of ferritin suggested a functional heterogeneity among units of the endoplasmic reticulum. Apparently, progressive accumulation of globulin results in distension of the endoplasmic reticulum and, occasionally, in the appearance of considerable quantities of this secretory protein in the extracisternal cytoplasmic matrix. Participation of the Golgi apparatus in the packaging and release of small quantitites of globulin seems likely. In addition, however, fragmentation of the peripheral cytoplasm with rupture of distended ergastoplasmic vesicles appeared to be another pathway whereby globulin is secreted.


1959 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arwyn Charles ◽  
John T. Ingram

Using standard osmium fixation and methacrylate embedding techniques, a study has been made of the melanocyte of human biopsy skin removed under general and local anaesthesia. Melanogenesis was easily observable in the melanocytes, but immature pigment granules were rarely seen in the Malpighian cells. The passage of melanin from melanocyte to Malpighian cell—cytocrine secretion—is thought to have been observed. Phagocytes near the dermal-epidermal junction seem to have their pigment granules in vacuoles, rather than surrounded directly by the cytoplasmic matrix as in the melanocytes. This, together with the failure to observe "effete" melanocytes, prompts the suggestion that the phagocytes are melanocytes which have migrated from the epidermis into the dermis. A melanin granule is shown with alternating dark and lighter transverse striations, concerning which structure little can at present be said.


F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Wild ◽  
Andres Kaech ◽  
Elisabeth M. Schraner ◽  
Ladina Walser ◽  
Mathias Ackermann

Background: Herpesvirus capsids are assembled in the nucleus, translocated to the perinuclear space by budding, acquiring tegument and envelope, or released to the cytoplasm via impaired nuclear envelope. One model proposes that envelopment, “de-envelopment” and “re-envelopment” is essential for production of infectious virus. Glycoproteins gB/gH were reported to be essential for de-envelopment, by fusion of the “primary” envelope with the outer nuclear membrane. Yet, a high proportion of enveloped virions generated from genomes with deleted gB/gH were found in the cytoplasm and extracellular space, suggesting the existence of alternative exit routes.Methods: We investigated the relatedness between the nuclear envelope and membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex, in cells infected with either herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) or a Us3 deletion mutant thereof, or with bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, employing freezing technique protocols.Results:  The Golgi complex is a compact entity in a juxtanuclear position covered by a membrane on thecisface. Golgi membranes merge with membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum forming an entity with the perinuclear space. All compartments contained enveloped virions. After treatment with brefeldin A, HSV-1 virions aggregated in the perinuclear space and endoplasmic reticulum, while infectious progeny virus was still produced.Conclusions: The data suggest that virions derived by budding at nuclear membranes are intraluminally transported from the perinuclear space via Golgi -endoplasmic reticulum transitions into Golgi cisternae for packaging. Virions derived by budding at nuclear membranes are infective like Us3 deletion mutants, which  accumulate in the perinuclear space. Therefore, i) de-envelopment followed by re-envelopment is not essential for production of infective progeny virus, ii) the process taking place at the outer nuclear membrane is budding not fusion, and iii) naked capsids gain access to the cytoplasmic matrix via impaired nuclear envelope as reported earlier.


1969 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 709-727
Author(s):  
GERTRUDE M. FORTE ◽  
L. LIMLOMWONGSE ◽  
J. G. FORTE

Bullfrog tadpole stomachs of various metamorphic stages were examined to determine the fine-structural development of oxyntic cells and to correlate observed morphological development with the capacity to secrete HCl. It was found that in vitro tadpole stomachs can consistently be stimulated to secrete acid by stage XXIV of metamorphosis, when tail reabsorption is nearly complete. Concomitant with the appearance of HCl secretion, identifiable oxyntic cells were found in the gastric glands. Prior to stage XXIV (stages XXI and XXII) the majority of cells present in the developing gastric glands exhibit features of cytological organization characteristic of undifferentiated cells: large nuclei, relatively scantry cytoplasm, and numerous ribosomal particles within the cytoplasmic matrix. The newly differentiated oxyntic cells of stage XXIV tadpole stomachs are recognizable by the accumulation of tubular members of the smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum in the apical portion of the cells. These membranous structures appear to be formed by the Golgi complex which is extremely elaborate at this stage of development. As the animals complete metamorphosis (stage XXV) further development of the oxyntic cells occurs, especially the elaboration of the tubular components of the smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. The abundance of these membranous tubules within the apical cell regions and the pattern of their packing is similar to that observed in oxyntic cells of adult frogs. Also consistent with studies on adult frogs, structural alterations associated with HCl secretion were seen in the later stages of metamorphosis. In stages XXIV and XXV tadpole stomachs, which had been stimulated to secrete acid by addition of histamine, the apical surfaces of oxyntic cells were invested with long filamentous microvilli which projected into the glandular lumen. These observations support the hypothesis that membrane transformations play an integral role in the mechanism of HCl secretion and they implicate the morphogenesis of the smooth-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum as a basic prerequisite in the development of gastric secretory function.


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