Mathew J. Nadakavukaren

Fine structure of the hamster harderian gland

SummaryThe Harderian gland from 4-week-old female hamsters is speckled with a black-brown pigment, whereas it is not pigmented in the male. This pigment is confined to the lumen. Most cells of the gland from the male have large vaculoles, in contrast to the smaller vacuoles of the female.Some of the ultrastructural details of the hamster Harderian glands are different from those reported previously in other mammals. We observed light and dark cells in both sexes. Dark cells of both sexes contain numerous ribosomes and large vacuoles, but in the female they also have dilated smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Membranous structures arranged in concentric lamellae or in the form of Golgi with proliferated cisternae are found in the light cells of the female but not in the male.Both the light and dark cells from the male contain randomly distributed clusters of cylindrical tubules that are often associated with mitochondria, nuclei, and vacuoles. The secretory cells of both sexes also have microvilli at the apices. The significance and possible functions of these structures are discussed.

Characterization of a chromosomally encoded glycylglycine endopeptidase of Staphylococcus aureus

The authors previously reported the cloning of a lytic-enzyme-encoding gene, lytM, from an autolysis-defective mutant of Staphylococcus aureus. In the present work, the lytM gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the product was purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography and HPLC. Biochemical analysis of LytM-cleaved peptidoglycan fragments indicated that LytM is a glycylglycine endopeptidase. Immunoelectron microscopic studies with anti-LytM rabbit IgG showed that LytM is expressed during the early exponential phase and is overexpressed in an autolysis-defective mutant compared with the parent strain. Also, a uniform distribution of gold particles on the surface of actively growing bacterial cells indicates that LytM plays a role in cell growth. Northern blot analyses of lytM expression in two global regulatory mutants, agr and sar, showed that expression of lytM is increased about twofold in these mutants as compared with the parents. Protein homology searches revealed that LytM could be a member of the zinc protease family, as it contained a homologous 38-amino-acid motif, Tyr-X-His-X11-Val-X12/20-Gly-X5-6-His. Atomic absorption spectrometric analysis of LytM revealed the presence of 0.9 mol zinc (mol LytM)(-1).

Effect of gossypol on the ultrastructure of rat spermatozoa

SummaryGossypol was found to induce sterility in male rats when administered orally. A reduction in the number of spermatozoa in the epididymis from the gossypol-treated rats was observed when compared to the control animals. An examination of the spermatozoa from the treated rats showed the following ultrastructural modifications: disorganization of the mitochondrial sheath and missing cell membrane from the middle piece, broken cell membrane and missing members of both outer fibers and inner microtubules of the principal piece, and broken cell membrane of the sperm head. Serial mating experiments proved that gossypol-treated males were indeed sterile. The results suggest that gossypol at low concentrations is able to affect the motility of spermatozoa, thus contributing to its contraceptive action.

Effect of testosterone on the female hamster harderian gland pigmentation and ultrastructure

SummaryDistinct differences occur in the pigmentation and ultrastructural features of the Harderian glands in male and female hamsters. The results of a study on the effect of testosterone on the fine structure of the female Harderian glands are presented here. Glands from three groups of hamsters were examined at intervals up to 49 days: (1) testosterone injected, receiving 2mg testosterone propionate in 0.1 ml sesame oil per day; (2) sham-injected, receiving 0.1 ml sesame oil per day; (3) untreated controls. Testosterone injections caused a reduction in the number of dark-brown pigment granules in the acinar cells starting on the 6th day, whereas clusters of tubules, typical of adult male glands, appeared on the 4th day and increased in number thereafter. Lamellar structures, normally present in the female gland, decreased in testosterone treated specimens. These changes reversed after cessation of testosterone treatment. It is concluded that exogenous testosterone administered to female hamsters modifies the pigmentation and ultrastructure of their Harderian glands towards the male type and that this is a reversable phenomenon. There also appears to be an inverse relationship between the presence of tubular clusters in the acinar cells, and the degree of pigmentation.

The androgenic effect on the fine structure of the harderian gland in the male hamster

SummaryA sexual dimorphism of the hamster Harderian gland at the ultrastructural level has been reported. The effect of testosterone on the fine structure of the gland from castrated male golden hamsters is reported here. Harderian glands from the following three groups of animals were examined at regular intervals up to 60 days after castration: (1) castrated; (2) castratedsham-injected, receiving 0.1 ml sesame oil per day; (3) castrated-testosterone injected, receiving 2mg testosterone propionate in 0.1 ml sesame oil per day. In groups 1 and 2, clusters of cylindrical tubules, typical of the male gland, decreased in number and disappeared almost completely 2 weeks after castration. Membranous structures, typical of the female gland, prevailed in these two groups throughout the remaining period of experiment. On the other hand, these changes were prevented in the group of castrated animals maintained on testosterone propionate. It is concluded that castration modified the ultrastructure of the male hamster Harderian gland toward the female type and that daily administration of testosterone propionate prevented this change.

Ultrastructural investigation of the postnatal development of the hamster harderian gland

SummaryThe lobules of the Harderian glands of young male and female hamsters are widely separated by connective tissue and are made up of alveolar cells containing small vacuoles. There is considerable increase in the size of the lobules by 12 days. Based on size distribution of vacuoles two types of alveolar cells can be recognized in the male hamsters 4 weeks and older. The Harderian glands of 2-week animals of both sexes contain a black-brown pigment. The appearance of pigment is accompanied by a proliferation of membranes. In the female the amount of pigment increases with increasing age until 4 weeks of age and then remains at a relatively stable level. In the male no pigment was found after 4 weeks of age.Membrane-bounded juxtanuclear structures are present in the alveolar cells of both sexes until 3 weeks of age. These structures appear to play different roles in the male and female hamsters. The differentiation of the alveolar cells into light and dark types must take place during the 3rd week of postnatal development. A possible relationship between the levels of gonadal hormones and the occurrence of pigment at different ages in both sexes is also discussed.

Influence of cadmium on the ultrastructure of developing chloroplasts in soybean and corn

Abstract The influence of cadmium on the ultrastructure of developing chloroplasts in soybean and corn was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Soybean and corn plants were grown in the dark in Hoaglands solution containing 30, 50 and 100 μM final concentrations of cadmium chloride. After 48 hr in the dark, the plants were exposed to continuous light for 48 hr. The 100 μM treatment group in soybean showed reddish-brown discoloration and wilting of leaves and growth retardation after 48 hr of light. Leaf samples for electron microscopy were taken in the dark and after 12, 24, and 48 hr of exposure to light. Plastids in the 100 μM treatment group of soybeans exhibited a number of defects in their developmental pathway. The etioplasts of dark grown plants failed to develop a prolamellar body. Plastid development was also retarded in the 100μM treatment group. After 48 hr of exposure to light, severe disruption of grana was observed; thylakoids were widely and irregularly spaced. Soybean in other cadmium concentrations showed no disruption in the chloroplast developmental pathway. The corn showed no ultrastructural disruption of chloroplast development in any of the concentration of cadmium tested.

A scanning electron microscopic investigation of the outer surfaces of Gorgoderina attenuata

Abstract The external surface of Gorgoderina attenuata is characterized by ridges that encircle the worm at regular intervals. On the ridges are protuberances that give a beaded appearance to the tegumental surface. Ridges running perpendicular to the encircling bands are apparent close to both suckers. The raised protuberances of the tegumental areas may serve to increase the absorptive surface. A pit-like cavity was observed on the dorsal surface of the oral sucker. In addition numerous raised structures which appear to be of two types were present on the surface of the oral sucker. One type resembles a depression with a small knob barely visible in the center and the second type consists of button-like patches of tissue. From their structure and location these are tentatively identified as sensory organs.

Age-dependent changes in the cellularity and ultrastructure of the spleen of Fischer F344 rats

The age-related changes in the cellularity (cells/gram of tissue) of the spleens and thymuses of Fischer F344 male rats were determined. A decline in the weight of the thymus with age was observed as previously reported by others. The decline was most drastic between 4 and 20 months of age. The spleen, however, increased in weight with age. The increase was almost linear between 4 and 30 months of age. Yet when the number of cells recovered from each organ as a function of age was determined, a decrease for both the thymus and the spleen was observed with increasing age. It was surprising to find that fewer cells were recovered from the spleens of old animals even though the weight of the spleen of the old animals was greater than the spleens from the younger animals. The ultrastructure of the splenic white pulp of rats ranging from 4 to 30 months of age was studied to determine the possible cause for the age-related decrease in cellularity of the spleen. The white pulp of the 4-month-old rats contained a large number of small lymphocytes, and the number of cells was found to decrease with increasing age. The 30-month-old animals had less than 20% the number of lymphocytes in the white pulp as the 4-month-old animals, and the white pulp exhibited an increased number of reticular cells and macrophages with enlarged cytoplasm. The decreased cellularity and increased structural disturbance might be significant in the age-related decline of spleen lymphocyte functions.

Megalodiscus temperatus: Scanning electron microscopy of the tegumental surfaces

Abstract The tegumental surface of Megalodiscus temperatus forms cobblestonelike areas with rows of indentations encircling the worm. This pattern merges in several areas into folds and ridges, some of which represent the musculature of the posterior sucker and genital pore. Papillae surrounding the base of the oral sucker appear as two types: one with a bulb-like base and a short apical knob; the second typified by a hair-like structure (cilium?) of variable length projecting from a pit. From their location on the oral sucker and the resemblance to previously described structures, they are presumed to be sensory receptors. A circle of papillae on the closed posterior sucker was also observed. Rod-shaped bacteria were seen adhering to some of the worms observed but they were not found to be in any special association with the tegument or in any specific areas of the worms surface.