Electron microscopic studies on the uptake of colloidal thorium dioxide particles by isolated fetal guinea-pig chondrocytes and the distribution of labeled lysosomes in cartilage formed by transplanted chondrocytes

Determination of viability of cryopreserved cartilage grafts

Although transplantation of preserved cartilage has assumed a role of great importance in reconstructive surgery, there are many divergent and contradictory opinions with regard to the outcome of cryopreserved cartilage. This study was formulated to assess the functional state of chondrocytes after cryopreservation. Freeze injury and survival were studied using the trypan blue dye exclusion test, functional assay for cell adhesion and transmission electron microscopy. The methods applied clearly proved that a greater part of the cartilage cells was irreversibly damaged by cryopreservation. Findings demonstrated that cryopreserved cartilage remained non-viable and was not able to originate new cartilage. Thus, such cartilage will be subject to resorption processes and not practical for reconstruction of parts of the skeleton subject to mechanical stress. The feasibility of cryopreservation techniques for providing vital cartilage substitutes needs further evaluation.

Cold and metabolic inhibitor effects on cytoplasmic microtubules and the Golgi complex in cultured rat epiphyseal chondrocytes

Previous work has shown that exposure of cultured chondrocytes to colchicine leads to disappearance of microtubules and dispersion of the dictyosomes of the Golgi complex throughout the cytoplasm. Here, the effects of cold and metabolic inhibitors on cultured chondrocytes have been investigated in order to characterize further the relationship between these organelle systems. After incubation of cells for 24h at 4 degrees C most, but not all microtubules disappeared, indicating the existence of cold-resistant microtubules. Dictyosomes remained united in one area, until transfer of cultures to 37 degrees C, when they dispersed throughout the cytoplasm in about one-third of the cells. In cells exposed simultaneously to cold and colchicine, microtubules disappeared completely, but spreading of dictyosomes occurred only in some cells and became generalized first upon warming. Application of the metabolic inhibitors sodium azide or sodium fluoride (10(-2) M) or 2-deoxyglucose (5 X 10(-2) M) together with sodium cyanide (10(-2) M) inhibited microtubule removal by colchicine. Consequently, spreading of the Golgi complex was prevented. These findings support the concept of an important role of microtubules in the organization of the Golgi complex. Moreover, depolymerization of microtubules by colchicine appears to be an energy dependent process.

Effects of antimicrotubular agents on the fine structure of the Golgi complex in embryonic chick osteoblasts

Embryonic chick frontal bones were cultured in the presence of colchicine or vinblastine and subsequently examined by tranmission electron microscopy. In control cultures the osteoblasts showed a large Golgi complex consisting of dictyosomes arranged in a well-defined juxtanuclear area. Microtubules were particularly numerous within this Golgi area although they could be observed throughout the cytoplasm. Colchicine and vinblastine caused the disappearance of cytoplasmic microtubules, while bundles of 10 nm diameter filaments appeared more frequently. In addition, cell polarity was lost and the Golgi complex became disorganized, with the dictyosomes randomly dispersed in the cytoplasm and showing a decreased number of cisternae and an increased number of vacuoles, the latter generally lacking stainable material. Increased number of autophagosomes were also noted. These findings indicate that microtubules function in the organization of the Golgi complex in osteoblasts. In view of the well documented role of this organelle system in collagen secretion it is suggested that previously observed secretory disturbances produced by antimicrotubular drugs may be due to a defective transfer of material to the dictyosomes and/or a defect in the packaging and transport of such material away from them.

A unifying concept for the role of matrix vesicles and lysosomes in the formal pathogenesis of diseases of connective tissues and blood vessels

The cells of the connective tissues contain lysosomes with enzymes capable of degrading intercellular substances (collagen, elastin, proteoglycans) and release their enzymes in membrane-bound or in free form into their intercellular substance. In this way extracellularly located lysosomes (= matrix lysosomes) can be detected by morphological and enzymatic means as well as by their metal concentrating property. This function of such matrix-lysosomes is in connection with the two step-degradation of the connective tissue and is thought to be the main part for the fibrocytic fibrolysis, chondrocytic chondrolysis, osteocytic osteolysis and myocytic mediolyses in the vessel wall. The cells of the mesenchymal tissues thus control the turnover and transformation of their own ground substance. Inflammatory and immunologic processes are suggested to be superimposed on this lysosomal action. If the lysosomal enzyme system in the connective tissues and the vessel wall gets out of control, the consequences can be dangerous as e.g. in case of relapsing polychondritis and arterial aneurysms. In this enzyme system proteolytic activators as well as proteolytic decomposable inhibitors are present. The corresponding proteolytic processes are of lysosomal nature and are subordinated to other regulatory mechanisms.

Fine structure of the golgi complex during mitosis of cartilaginous cells in vitro

Chondrocytes were isolated enzymatically from guinea-pig epiphyses and grown in vitro. The fate of the Golgi complex during mitosis in relation to changes in the cytoplasmic microtubules was then studied by transmission electron microscopy. Interphase cells were observed to be polarized, with the Golgi complex occupying a well-defined juxtanuclear area of the cell's cytoplasmic pole. During prophase the cytoplasmic microtublues were largely lost, the nucleus moved to the center of the cell and the Golgi complex dissolved into single dictyosomes spread diffusely throughout the cytoplasm. The distribution of other organelles also changed to a more random pattern. In telophase, i.e. after the completion of nuclear division, the mitotic spindle decomposed and cytoplasmic microtubules reappeared. Furthermore, the organization of the Golgi complex and other organelles returned to that characteristic of interphase cells. Previous studies on cells treated with colchicine have indicated that the polarized distribution of cell organelles is dependent on the presence of intact cytoplasmic microtubules. It is suggested that the disappearance of such tubules observed here to be coupled with the disorganization of cell interphase structure fulfills the double function of providing free tubulin units from which to build the mitotic spindle and ensuring an approximately equal distribution of dictyosomes and other organelles to the daughter cells during cytokinesis.

Ultrastructural study of the shell-repair membrane in the snail, Helix pomatia L

The shell-repair membrane of the snail, Helix pomatia, has been studied with the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The ultrastructure of the repair membrane, in the initial stages of calcification, revealed the presence of a fibrillar protein, proteoglycan granules, osmiophilic vesicles, and cytoplasmic dense bodies of different size and structure. The involvement of the cell constituents in the formation of calcifying centra and initial crystal formation is discussed. The amoebocytes present within the repair membrane appeared to be involved in three different functions: (1) phagocytosis, (2) release of granules, vesicles and dense bodies, and (3) secretin of a fibrillar protein. The possible lytic function of the amoebocytes is mentioned. The common features in the minearlizing process of the shell-repair membrane of the snail and the epiphyseal cartilage of the mammals were noted.