Ultrastructural distribution of sulfated complex carbohydrates in elastic cartilage of the young rabbit

Electron tomographic analysis of synaptic ultrastructure

Synaptic function depends on interactions among sets of proteins that assemble into complex supramolecular machines. Molecular biology, electrophysiology, and live-cell imaging studies have provided tantalizing glimpses into the inner workings of the synapse, but fundamental questions remain regarding the functional organization of these "nano-machines." Electron tomography reveals the internal structure of synapses in three dimensions with exceptional spatial resolution. Here we report results from an electron tomographic study of axospinous synapses in neocortex and hippocampus of the adult rat, based on aldehyde-fixed material stabilized with tannic acid in lieu of postfixation with osmium tetroxide. Our results provide a new window into the structural basis of excitatory synaptic processing in the mammalian brain.

Increased mesenchymal cell density accompanies induction of tropoelastin expression in developing elastic tissue

We studied the differentiation of elastin-producing fetal bovine chondrocytes to understand the regulatory processes associated with induction of elastin expression. Analysis of auricular elastic cartilage development in vivo indicated that differentiation of the prechondrogenic blastema to an elastogenic phenotype was preceded and accompanied by condensation of the mesenchymal cells. In addition, induction of elastin production was temporally and spatially linked to expression of type II collagen and proteoglycans. We assessed the influence of cell density on the induction of tropoelastin expression in pre-elastogenic cells from developing ear buds. Tropoelastin expression was induced in prechondrogenic mesenchymal cells only if the cells were maintained at a high cellular density. In addition, high density culture upregulated tropoelastin expression in fully differentiated chondrocytes. Together these data suggest that high cell density facilitates cell:cell interactions that affect cell proliferation and influence tropoelastin expression.

Ultrastructural cytochemistry of trout arterial fibrils as elastic components

The trout arterial wall contains numerous extracellular fibrils that are presumed to be elastic. However, the cytochemical properties of the arterial fibrils have not been studied. Thus, we have ultrastructurally and cytochemically examined these fibrils, utilizing routine uranyl acetate and lead (UA-Pb) double staining, the tannic acid (pH 7.0)-uranyl acetate (TA-UA) method as an electron-dense staining for elastin, and Thiéry's periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCH-SP) method to localize vicinal glycol-containing complex carbohydrates. The arterial fibrils, about 23 nm in thickness, were interwoven at random but frequently showed the circular alignment to the long axis of the aorta. Occasionally they appeared to coalesce side by side, and the coalesced portion tended to lose its affinity for UA-Pb stains. The TA-UA method stained the fibrils moderately to intensely and stained the coalesced parts of the fibrils more intensely. All of those TA-UA positive fibrils were completely removed after elastase en bloc digestion. The PA-TCH-SP method did not stain the arterial fibrils but stained another kind of much thinner interfibrillar filamentous structure. These results suggest that the fibrils in the wall of trout ventral aorta are elastin in nature and do not contain vicinal glycols, although the fibrils usually exist in a fibrillar form, which is unlike mammalian amorphous elastin.

Ultrastructural cytochemistry of carbohydrates in microfibrils associated with the amorphous elastin in the monkey aorta

Two distinct ultrastructural components of elastic fibers can be identified--namely, the amorphous elastin and the microfibrils. We have examined the tunica adventitia of monkey aortas to demonstrate differential localization of carbohydrates in elastic fibers and collagen fibrils using Thiéry's periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCH-SP) staining of thin sections for vicinal-glycol-containing complex carbohydrates, en bloc concanavalin A (Con A) staining specific for alpha-D-mannosyl and alpha-D-glucosyl groups, and en bloc wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining specific for N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. The PA-TCH-SP method moderately stained microfibrils and weakly stained collagen fibrils, but did not stain the amorphous elastin. Both Con A and WGA staining methods strongly stained microfibrils and moderately stained collagen fibrils, whereas the amorphous elastin lacked staining. Thus PA-TCH-SP, Con A, and WGA staining methods allow differential ultrastructural localization of carbohydrates in elastic fibers and collagen fibrils in monkey aortic adventitia and demonstrate the presence of more carbohydrate components in microfibrils than in collagen fibrils, whereas amorphous elastin lacks carbohydrate staining.

Ultrastructural visualization of elastic fibres with a tannate--metal salt method

A modification of the tannic acid-metal salt method was applied as an ultrastructural stain for elastin. Thin sections of glutaraldehyde-fixed, embedded rat aorta and rabbit elastic cartilage, with and without osmication, were examined. Raising the pH of the tannic acid solution from 2.7 to 9.0 progressively increased the electron-density of elastic fibres and collagen fibrils in osmicated and unosmicated specimens. The maximum tannic acid staining of elastic fibres was observed in the pH range 7.0-9.0. Collagen staining, although less intense than that of elastic fibres, was also greatest in this pH range. Elastic fibres in osmicated specimens demonstrated the strongest tannic acid staining with a minimal increase in density of collagen and cell nuclei when compared to the unosmicated specimens. Sequential treatments of osmicated specimens with tannic acid pH 7.0-9.0, and uranyl acetate, pH 4.1, enhanced the density of the elastin intensely, increased collagen staining moderately, but hardly increased the density of nuclei and microfibrils. In elastase-digested osmicated specimens, all tannic acid (pH 7.0)-uranyl acetate-reactive elastin was selectively removed. These results demonstrate that all the neutral and alkaline tannic acid-uranyl acetate methods can be used as a postembedment stain for elastin specimens fixed in glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide.

Ultrastructural cytochemistry of oxytalan fibers in the periodontal ligament and microfibrils in the aorta with the periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate method

Fullmer's oxytalan fibers are special connective tissue fibers in periodontal ligaments and some non-dental sites of certain animal species, and, ultrastructurally appear to resemble microfibrils related to elastogenesis. The present study has ultrastructurally examined the applicability of Thiéry's periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCH-SP) method for vicinal glycol-containing complex carbohydrates to the study of oxytalan fibers in rat periodontal ligaments and microfibrils of the tunica adventitia in the rat aorta, where microfibrils are often associated with amorphous elastin and are thought to be oxytalan fibers. In the periodontal ligaments, the PA-TCH-SP method weakly to moderately stained collagen fibrils, moderately stained thin fibrils composing the oxytalan fibers, and intensely stained cytoplasmic granules of fibroblasts. In the aortic adventitia, the PA-TCH-SP method moderately stained collagen fibrils. Heavier staining was observed in microfibrils, whereas the amorphous elastin lacked staining. The most intense staining was seen in cytoplasmic granules and glycogen of mural cells. These studies demonstrate that oxytalan fibers in the periodontal ligament of rats and microfibrils in the aorta of rats contain vicinal glycol-containing glycoproteins and the PA-TCH-SP method is a useful tool in ultrastructural studies of oxytalan fibers and microfibrils of rats.