• Animal cells and systems
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.109-116
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• 2008

Among the four kinds of silk glands in the funnel-web spider Agelena limbata, the ampullate gland for dragline silk production is the most predominate one in both sexes, and is composed of three functional parts-excretory duct, storage ampulla and convoluted tail regions. Two pairs of major ampullate glands send secretory ductules to the anterior spinnerets, and another two pairs of minor ampullate glands supply the middle spinnerets. There are no apparent differences between the major and minor ampullate glands not only the external spigots but also their internal silk glands. However, the microstructure is very unique in this spider, because each gland has spherical shaped storage sac with twig-like branched tails. Nevertheless, the wall of the secretory region is similarly composed of a single layer of epithelial cells. The mature secretory silks in glandular epithelium are closely packed and accumulated as electron-opaque vesicles. Most of the secretory products which originated from the rough endoplasmic reticula(rER) are grown up by fusion with the surrounding small vesicles however, the Golgi complex does not seem to play an important role in this process of secretion.

• BMB Reports
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.369-374
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• 2011

MHC-I molecules play a critical role in immune surveillance against viruses by presenting peptides to cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Although the mechanisms by which MHC-I molecules assemble and acquire peptides in the ER are well characterized, how MHC-I molecules traffic to the cell surface remains poorly understood. To identify novel proteins that regulate the intracellular transport of MHC-I molecules, MHC-I-interacting proteins were isolated by affinity purification, and their identity was determined by mass spectrometry. Among the identified MHC-I-associated proteins was Tmp21, the human ortholog of yeast Emp24p, which mediates the ER-Golgi trafficking of a subset of proteins. Here, we show that Tmp21 binds to human classical and non-classical MHC-I molecules. The Tmp21-MHC-I complex lacks ${\beta}_2$-microglobulin, and the number of the complexes is increased when free MHC-I heavy chains are more abundant. Taken together, these results suggest that Tmp21 is a novel protein that preferentially binds to ${\beta}_2$-microglobulin-free MHC-I heavy chains.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.327-333
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• 2002

Among the silk glands in the black widow spider Latrodectus mactans, the ampullate one is the most predominant gland in both sexes, and is com-posed of three functional parts - excretory duct, storage ampulla and convoluted tail regions. This experiment was performed using mechanical pulling stimulation with electric motor equipment to reveal a correlation between silk usage and silk producing system in this poisonous spider. The mature secretory products in glandular epithelium are closely packed and appear as electron-opaque spherical vesicles. A part of the vesicles with fine fibrillar paracrystalline texture seems to store some proteins which will function at the time of final assembly into fibrils. Most of the secretory silk products which originated from the rough endoplasmic reticula of the glandular epithelial cells are grown by fusion with surrounding small vesi-cles. However, the Golgi complex does not seem to play an important role in this process of secretion. According to progressive maturation of secre-tory silk product, these granules are progressively filled with a fine fibrillar material, and thus appear much more electron-dense than those of earlier states. When the secretory product is extruded from the glandular cavity, the epithelium is rapidly changed to a thinner layer of tall columnar cells with less definitive cell membranes. After extruding there ave a few secre-tory droplets within these cells, thus causing this region to stain much lighter.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.343-349
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• 2010

Ultrastructural studies of vitellogenesis in oocytes and follicle cells during oogenesis in female Protothaca (Notochione) jedoensis were investigated by histological and transmission electron microscope observations. In early vitellogenic oocytes, combined activities of the Golgi complex, mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm are associated with autosynthetic vitellogenesis. Furthermore, at this time, many coated vesicles at the basal region of the oolemma of the oocyte lead to the formation of vesicles through endocytosis in the cytoplasm. Through the formation of the coated pits on oolemma during vitellogenesis, the uptake of extrafollicular precursors (nutritive materials) occurs in coated vesicles by endocytosis. Therefore, it is assumed that these exogenous materials are involved in heterosynthetic vitellogenesis. During late oogenesis, exogenous yolk precursors (yolk granules), lipid droplets and proteinaceous yolk granules are present in the cytoplasm of late vitellogenic oocytes. In mature oocytes, small yolk granules appear intermingled and form large mature yolk granules. Thus, two processes of vitellogenesis occur in oocytes by way of endogenous autosynthesis and exogenous heterosynthesis. The follicle cells attached to the oocytes appear to play an integral role in vitellogenesis in this study.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.69-79
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• 1985

Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies of the root hair cell and the trichoblast were undertaken with light and electron microscopes to clarify the type of root hair, fine structure and the activities of acid phosphatase and ATPase. The root hair was differentiated from the middle portion of the cell, and perpendicularly to the long axis of the cell. Consequently, the type of root hair comes under the panicoid type. In the trichoblast, nucleus and cytoplasm are located in the vicinity of cortex. On the contrary, after the root hair is formed, they migrate to the apical region of the root hair, and the basal region of the root hair is filled with numerous vacuoles. Cell walls of actively growing root hairs are subdivided into two layers on the basis of the arrangement of cellulose microfibrils. New cell wall of the root hair is presumptively formed from Golgi complex-derived vesicles. Activity of acid phosphatase appeared on tonoplast, plasma membrane, and nuclear envelope, whereas ATPase activity appeared on the plasma membrane, heterochromatin, and mitochondrial cristae.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 1975

These studies were carried out the observation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytosis of Candida albicans in vitro and also detected to the cytoplasmic changes of polymorphonuclear leukocyte during phagocytosis by the method of electron microscopy. The results were summarized as follows: 1. In normal polymorphonuclear leukocyte, nuclear lobes showed a preponderance of dense, granular chromatin located peripherally. The cytoplasm of polymorphonuclear leukocyte was not extensive; the cytoplasmic matrix was moderate dense and of a granular appearance. Golgi complex and rough endoplasmic reticulum system was poorly developed. But a various type of granules were seen abundantly. 2. After 30 minutes of incubation, Candida albicans was completely engulfed. These had come to lie in the vacuole which was limited by the membrane. 3. After 90 minutes of incubation, the phagocytic vacuoles were larger, and many granules devoid of membranes were seen within them. Though the granules has lost their membrane after entering the vacuoles. 4. After 2 hours of incubation, the cytoplamsic components of polymorphonuclear leuko cytes were changed their original morphology.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.563-575
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• 1998

To investigate the changes during the differentiation of the cerebral neurons of chick embryo of tne embryogenic day (ED) 7 and 8, the ultrastructural changes in the cerebral neurons, the activity of dehydronases (LDH, MDH and SDH), protein expression profile and adenosine triphosphate concentration were analyzed. In ED 7 chick embryos, relatively large nucleus, centrally located nucleolus, evenly spread chromatin over nucleoplasm, and prominent nuclear envelope were observed. Oval-shaped mitochondria with well-developed cristae were present over entire cytoplasm. In ED 8 chick embryos, evenly spread chromatin over nucleoplasm, and prominent nuclear envelope were observed. In the cytoplasm, well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex were observed. In ED 7 chick embryos and ED 8 chick embryos, 31 polypeptide bands and 34 polypeptide bands were observed, respectively. The activities of dehydrogenases were lower in ED 7 chick embryos than in ED 8 chick embryos. LDH activity was 8.16 (ED 7) and 9.28 (ED 8), MDH activity was 7.98 (ED 7) and 10.10 (ED 8), and SDH activity was 5.49 (ED 7) and 7.14 (ED 8) respectively. The ATP concentration remained unchanged over ED 7 and 8.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.139-143
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• 2004

돌돔 아가미의 미세구조를 광학현미경과 투과전자현미경을 이용하여 관찰하였다. 아가미는 새궁 앞, 뒤 2열로 된 빗모양의 많은수의 새엽과 그리고 각 새엽은 전후 두 개의 새판(gill lamellae)이 근접하여 2열로 배열되어 있다. 상피세포층은 단층으로 큰 핵을 가진 편평상피로 구성되고 표면에는 미세융기가 잘 발달되어 있다. 새판의 기둥 구조는 세로 방향의 미세소관들과 측면 membrane interdigitation을 가지며, 염세포는 수많은 미토콘드리아와 tubular system이 잘 발달되어 있다. 미성숙된 점액세포는 조면세포체와 골지체가 잘 발달되었으며 일부 발달된 점액 과립을 가지고 있다. 성숙한 점액세포는 AB-PAS에 푸른 색을 띄었으며 구형이고 다양한 전자밀도를 가진 거의 같은 크기의 점액과립을 가지고 있다.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.539-549
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• 1998

The silk glands of the spiders are of several types. Among the several types of spider's silk glands, the principal fibers used in constructing the eggcase are products of the tubuliform glands (TBG), which are present only in females. Development of these glands parallels maturations of the ovaries and fat bodies. In order to understand the mechanism of eggcase-silk production, this paper has examined the fine structural changes of the TBG during the period of egg maturation in the garden spider, Argiope aurentia. Between the two kinds of secretory granules observed in the glandular epithelium of the mature TBG, the electron-dense granules which have paracrystalline structure are revealed to be the precursors of the eggcase silk fibers. During the production of eggcase, rapid release of the secretory product occurs at apical surface by the mechanism of apocrine secretion. Moreover, secondary lysosomes appear due to the rapid disorganization of cellular components during the eggcase formation. Examinations of formed fibers indicate a multicomponent internal structure, and electron micrographs reveal each fiber contains numerous electron lucent fibrils embedded in an amorphous electron dense matrix. The secretory precursors are produced as separated vesicles via well-oriented rER, and no Golgi complex has been found in the glandular epithelial cells.

• 한국패류학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.51-61
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• 2006

Oogenesis and the reproductive cycle in female Ruditapes philippinarum were investigated by cytological and histological observations. R. philippinarum is dioecious and oviparous. During vitellogenesis, the Golgi complex, glycogen particles and mitochondria were involved in the formation of lipid droplets and lipid granules in the cytoplasm of the early vitellogenic oocyte. In the late vitellogenic oocyte, cortical granules, the endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria were involved in the formation of proteid yolk granules in the cytoplasm. At this time, exogenous lipid granular substance and glycogen particles in the germinal epithelium passed into the oocyte through the microvilli of the vitelline envelope. The spawning period was once a year between early June and early October, and the main spawning occurred between July and August when seawater temperature was approximately $20^{\circ}C$. The reproductive cycle of this species can be categorized into five successive stages: early active stage (January to March), late active stage (February to May), ripe stage (April to August), partially spawned stage (May to October), and spent/inactive stage (August to February). Percentages of female clams at frst sexual maturity of 15.1-20.0 mm in shell length were 52.6% (50% of the rate of group maturity was 17.83 mm in length), and 100% for the clams > 25.1 mm.