Quantitative analysis of the expression of the glutamate-aspartate transporter and identification of functional glutamate uptake reveal a role for cochlear fibrocytes in glutamate homeostasis

There are several subtypes of fibrocyte in the spiral ligament and spiral limbus of the cochlea that may contribute to fluid homeostasis. Immunocytochemical data suggest that these fibrocytes possess the glutamate-aspartate transporter, GLAST, as do supporting cells around the hair cells. However, functional glutamate uptake has not been demonstrated in fibrocytes. We used confocal and post-embedding immunogold electron microscopy to confirm that GLAST is expressed in adult fibrocytes of CD-1 mice with a relative expression: spiral limbus fibrocytes>type II>V>IV>I spiral ligament fibrocytes. Because they were sparsely present in most samples, type III fibrocytes were assessed only in one sample where their GLAST levels were similar to type I. Type II, type V and spiral limbus fibrocytes have many fine cellular processes that increase their surface area, those of the latter two coming into direct contact with perilymph, and type V fibrocytes contain the most glutamate. These data imply that glutamate uptake occurs in the fibrocytes. We assessed uptake of D-aspartate (a glutamate analogue) together with GLAST expression immunocytochemically and electrophysiologically. D-aspartate accumulated into GLAST expressing fibrocytes in vitro and evoked currents blockable by the GLAST inhibitor D,L-threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartate (TBOA), similar to those of supporting cells around inner hair cells. Currents were strongest in spiral limbus fibrocytes, progressively lower in type V and type II fibrocytes, and were negligible in type I fibrocytes in accordance with the relative expression levels of GLAST. We conclude that in addition to their known homeostatic functions, fibrocytes, in particular spiral limbus, type II and type V fibrocytes play a role in glutamate homeostasis in the cochlea.

Differential distribution of beta- and gamma-actin in guinea-pig cochlear sensory and supporting cells

Sensory and supporting cells of the mammalian organ of Corti have cytoskeletons containing beta- and gamma-actin isoforms which have been described as having differing intracellular distributions in chick cochlear hair cells. Here, we have used post-embedding immunogold labelling for beta- and gamma-actin to investigate semiquantitatively how they are distributed in the guinea-pig cochlea and to compare different frequency locations. Amounts of beta-actin decrease and gamma-actin increase in the order, outer pillar cells, inner pillar cells, Deiters' cells and hair cells. There is also more beta-actin and less gamma-actin in outer pillar cells in higher than lower frequency regions. In hair cells, beta-actin is present in the cuticular plate but is more concentrated in the stereocilia, especially in the rootlets and towards the periphery of their shafts; labelling densities for gamma-actin differ less between these locations and it is the predominant isoform of the hair-cell lateral wall. Alignments of immunogold particles suggest beta-actin and gamma-actin form homomeric filaments. These data confirm differential distribution of these actin isoforms in the mammalian cochlea and reveal systematic differences between sensory and supporting cells. Increased expression of beta-actin in outer pillar cells towards the cochlear base may contribute to the greater stiffness of this region.

An immunogold investigation of the distribution of GABA and glycine in nerve terminals on the somata of spherical bushy cells in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus of guinea pig

Spherical bushy neurons in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus receive glutamatergic primary terminals from the cochlear nerve and terminals of noncochlear (i.e. nonprimary) origin, many of which colocalize gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine. Here the relationship between GABA and glycine in these terminals has been investigated using postembedding immunogold labelling. A significant negative correlation was found between the density of terminal labelling for GABA and for glycine in four guinea pigs. Terminals could be divided into three categories, GABA-only, glycine-only, or colocalizing depending on whether they had a significantly higher labelling density for either amino acid than the primary terminals. The overall labelling density in all four animals was significantly greater for GABA in GABA-only terminals than colocalizing ones but similar for glycine in both. Within the terminals, the labelling density over synaptic vesicles, nonvesicular regions of cytoplasm and mitochondria was also investigated. No significant difference was detected in the labelling density of vesicles compared with nonvesicular regions for either amino acid. However, a significant difference was found between the overall labelling density over mitochondria and nonvesicular regions for both. There was also significantly more mitochondrial GABA labelling in GABA-only terminals compared to colocalizing terminals but mitochondrial glycine labelling was similar in glycine-only and colocalizing terminals. Thus the level of GABA is higher in single than in colocalizing terminals, particularly in the mitochondria, but similar for glycine in both. It is possible therefore that the presence of glycine affects the level of GABA in the nonprimary terminals but that the presence of GABA does not affect the level of glycine.

Two approaches to double post-embedding immunogold labeling of freeze-substituted tissue embedded in low temperature Lowicryl HM20 resin

Double labeling is used for localizing two antigens simultaneously in the same tissue. We have used two approaches to post-embedding immunogold labeling to investigate whether nerve terminals in the guinea-pig anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) that contain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or glycine are capable of retrieving the other amino acid as part of an investigation of colocalization of these putative neurotransmitters. For this, vibroslices of perfusion-fixed brain stem were freeze-substituted and embedded in the low temperature resin, Lowicryl HM20. Simultaneous labeling of ultrathin sections was then performed with a mixture of a rabbit primary antibody to GABA and a guinea-pig primary antibody to the glycine transporter, GLYT2, followed by labeling with a mixture of secondary antibodies (goat anti-rabbit IgG-30 nm gold, goat anti-guinea pig IgG-15 nm gold). This approach indicated that GLYT2 occurs in the plasma membrane of some terminals that contain GABA. The other approach involved sequential labeling of ultrathin sections with a rabbit primary antibody to the GABA transporter, GAT1, followed by an anti-rabbit secondary antibody conjugated to 15-nm gold particles. Sections were then treated with paraformaldehyde vapor to denature any free anti-IgG binding sites on the first antibody, and labeled with a primary antibody to glycine also raised in rabbit followed by an anti-rabbit secondary antibody conjugated to 30-nm gold particles. This approach indicated that GAT1 occurs in the plasma membrane of some terminals that contain glycine. Thus, these techniques can be used to localize heat-labile multiple antigens in the same tissue.

An immunogold investigation of the relationship between the amino acids GABA and glycine and their transporters in terminals in the guinea-pig anteroventral cochlear nucleus

The majority of terminals contacting spherical bushy cell bodies in the guinea-pig anteroventral cochlear nucleus contain GABA, glycine or both (colocalizing). Double labeling with antibodies to each amino acid and the plasma membrane transporter for the other was performed using different sizes of gold particles. The transporter for GABA occurs in the plasma membranes of some terminals containing glycine and vice versa suggesting that colocalizing terminals can retrieve both amino acids.

Ultrastructural localisation of spectrin in sensory and supporting cells of guinea-pig organ of Corti

Spectrin is a cytoskeletal protein found in the cortex of many cell types. It is known to occur in cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) with previous immunoelectron microscopical studies showing that it is located in the cuticular plate and the cortical lattice. The latter is a network of filaments associated with the lateral plasma membrane that is thought to play a role in OHC motility. Spectrin has also been found in inner hair cells (IHCs) and supporting cells using immunofluorescent techniques, but its ultrastructural distribution in these cells has not yet been described. This has, therefore, been investigated using a monoclonal antibody to alpha-spectrin in conjunction with pre- and post-embedding immunogold labelling for transmission electron microscopy. Labelling was found in a meshwork of filaments beneath the plasma membranes of both IHCs and supporting cells and, in pillar cells, close to microtubule/microfilament arrays. It was also found in association with the stereocilia of OHCs and IHCs and, as expected, in the cortical lattice and cuticular plate of OHCs. Thus, spectrin is a general component of cytoskeletal structures involved in maintaining the specialised cell shapes in the organ of Corti and may contribute to the mechanical properties of all the cell types examined.

Ultrastructural localization of cadherin in the adult guinea-pig organ of Corti

The apices of the majority of cells of the organ of Corti are connected together by junctional complexes to form the reticular lamina, a barrier that prevents the mixing of endolymph and perilymph. These complexes include tight junctions, adherens junctions and desmosomes. Further information is required about the identity and distribution of the molecules involved in these connections if the function and organization of the reticular lamina are to be well understood. One major category of molecules occurring in adherens junctions and desmosomes, and involved in the maintenance of tissue integrity, is the cadherins. However, although cadherin has been identified in junctions between supporting cells in the adult mammalian organ of Corti at the light microscopic level, its ultrastructural distribution has not so far been described. A post-embedding immunogold labelling technique has therefore been used in conjunction with a monoclonal antibody to cadherin to investigate its ultrastructural distribution in the adult guinea-pig reticular lamina. Immunolabelling is observed in hair cell-supporting cell junctions and in supporting cell-supporting cell junctions. In addition, there is more labelling associated with inner hair cell-supporting cell junctions than with outer hair cell-supporting cell junctions. This may indicate that the junctions associated with the two types of hair cell have different functional properties.

Oogenesis in the free proglottis of Trilocularia acanthiaevulgaris (Cestoda, Tetraphyllidea)

The early (ovarian) stages of oogenesis in Trilocularia acanthiaevulgaris have been studied by light microscope histochemistry and transmission electron microscopy. The process proceeds as far as meiotic prophase in the primary oocyte. The oogonia and early immature primary oocytes occupy the anterior and outer edges of the ovary and are typically undifferentiated cells, showing a high nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio. The scant cytoplasm is packed with free ribosomes and contains a small number of mitochondria and a few short strands of granular endoplasmic reticulum (GER). The oogonia undergo a number of mitotic divisions, marked by the presence of centrioles. The immature primary oocytes enter meiotic prophase, as evidenced by the appearance of nuclear synaptonemal complexes. The maturing primary oocytes, which occupy the inner, central region of the ovary, undergo a growth phase that is accompanied by an increased nucleolar volume and export of RNA to the cytoplasm via nuclear pores, and by an increase in the number of mitochondria. A GER network develops and, together with the Golgi complexes, is involved in the production of a small number of cortical granules. The GER often takes the form of concentric cisternae. Numerous lipid droplets are also present in the cytoplasm. The mature primary oocytes predominate in the posterior region of the ovary, near the oviduct. They represent a resting phase in development, in which cellular activity is minimal. Lipid droplets are abundant and the cortical granules remain in more central regions of the cell and do not migrate to the periphery of the cell. The ovary contains a second, non-germinal type of cell, the follicle cell. The cell body is smaller in size than the oogonia, and cytoplasmic processes from it ramify around the periphery of the ovary. The different cell types within the ovary are embedded in a cytoplasmic matrix that contains a number of organelles.

Peptidergic nerve elements in three developmental stages of the tetraphyllidean tapeworm Trilocularia acanthiaevulgaris. An immunocytochemical study

The localization and distribution of seven neuropeptides in the nervous system of the plerocercoid, adult and free proglottis stages of the tetraphyllidean tapeworm Trilocularia acanthiaevulgaris have been determined by an indirect immunofluorescence technique. Six of the peptides are vertebrate-derived, namely, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI), substance P (SP) and somatostatin (SRIF); the seventh is the invertebrate neuropeptide, FMR Famide. This is the first demonstration of VIP and SP immunoreactivity in a cestode parasite, and for SRIF this is its first description in any parasitic platyhelminth. Cell bodies and nerve fibres immunoreactive to PP, PYY, VIP, SP and FMRFamide are present throughout the CNS; the distributions of PHI and SRIF were more restricted. In the PNS, nerve fibres immunoreactive to PP occur in the bothridia, whilst in the free proglottis nerve fibres immunoreactive to PYY and VIP innervate the gonads; VIP-immunoreactive nerve elements also supply the reproductive ducts. Extra-neuronal sitings of peptide immunoreactivities were evident for PHI, in association with the excretory system, and for SRIF, in presumed tegumental cell bodies in the free proglottis. The results are discussed in relation to the possible roles of the peptides in the neurophysiology and developmental biology of the worm.

An ontogenetic study of the cholinergic and serotoninergic nervous systems in Trilocularia acanthiaevulgaris (Cestoda, Tetraphyllidea)

The localisation and distribution of the cholinergic and serotoninergic components of the nervous system in the plerocercoid, adult and free proglottis stages of the tetraphyllidean tapeworm Trilocularia acanthiavulgaris were determined by enzyme histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques. The central nerve ring (CNR) in the scolex contains two lateral ganglia and gives rise to five pairs of longitudinal nerve cords (LNC's; three lateral, two median). The nerve cords run posteriorly throughout the bodies of the plerocercoid and adult worms and the free proglottis. Nerves from the CNR and accessory lateral LNC's pass to the bothridia, where they give rise to extensive nerve plexuses. As the individual proglottides develop along the strobila, a small nerve ring forms at the anterior end of each proglottis; within the nerve ring, distinct bilateral ganglia develop prior to the release of the proglottis. All ten LNC's are present in the free proglottis. The genital atrium and cirrus sac are innervated by cholinergic and serotoninergic elements. The cholinergic nervous system predominates in the CNS within the scolex, whereas there is a larger population of 5-HT-immunoreactive nerve cells associated with the LNC's and segmental ganglia along the strobila and within the free proglottis.

Spermatogenesis and the fine structure of the mature spermatozoon in the free proglottis of Trilocularia acanthiaevulgaris (Cestoda, Tetraphyllidea)

Spermatogenesis and the structure of the mature spermatozoon of Trilocularia acanthiaevulgaris have been studied by light microscopic histochemistry and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The primary spermatogonia occupy the periphery of the testis and undergo four mitotic divisions; incomplete cytokinesis results in two secondary, four tertiary and eight quaternary spermatogonia and sixteen primary spermatocytes. The quaternary spermatogonia and successive stages develop in a plasmodial rosette with their nuclei at the periphery and connected to the cytophore by cytoplasmic bridges. The primary spermatocytes undergo two meiotic divisions, resulting in 64 spermatids that develop into spermatozoa. Intranuclear synaptonemal complexes in primary spermatocytes confirm the first meiotic division. The onset of spermiogenesis is marked by an elongation of the spermatid nucleus and the appearance of "arching membrane-bound clefts" (after Rosario 1964) that delimit the differentiation zone. The latter contains a pair of axonemes with their associated basal bodies and rootlets and, as it extends, the nucleus migrates into it. At first, the axonemes grow at right angles to the extension, but during development they rotate through 90 degrees and come to fuse with the cytoplasmic extension. The mature spermatozoon has a broad head region, a middle piece and a narrow tail region. It consists of a highly coiled nucleus, paired axonemes of the 9 + 1 pattern typical of platyhelminths, one of which extends the full length of the tail and the other ends part-way along the tail, particles of beta-glycogen and peripheral microtubules. A crested body spirals around the outside of the sperm body in the tail region. T. acanthiaevulgaris is placed in context within the phylogenetic schemes for cestodes based on sperm ultrastructure.