• Applied Microscopy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.30-45
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• 1992

An experimental study on the acute irradiation effects on the substantia nigra of head-irradiated rats were carried out. Rats anesthetized with sodium thiopental, were exposed only on their head areas with a single dose of 3,000 rads or 6,000 rads, respectively. Radiation was produced by Mitsubishi linear accelerator at the speed of 200 rads/min. Aminals were sacrificed on 6 hours, 2 days and 6 days following irradiations. By the perfusion fixation through the heart, rats were fixed with 1% glutaraldehyde-1% paraformaldehyde solution. Two hours later, brains were exposed and immersed in the same fixatives over night. Tissue blocks from subtantia nigra were punched out, and they were refixed in the 2% osmium tetroxide solution. Blocks were dehydrated through alcohol series, and embedded in the araldite mixture. Ultrathin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate solutions, From the ultrastructural study, following results were made: 1. Six hours after irradiation, severe depletion of synaptic vesicles was occurred in the many axon terminals of the nigral neuropil. 2. Dramatical decrease of lysosomes and dense granules was observed. 3. Two days following irradiation, alterations of ribosomes, granular endoplasmic reticula, mitochondria, etc, were noticed. 4. Many of the malformations were seen to be repaired on the 6th day. 5. Above results were interpreted as follows. At the acute stage of heavy irradiation, neurotransmitters in the substantia nigra are released severely. But they are recovered within 6 days. It is concluded that acute head-irradiation may result severe disturbance of nigral motor control function during the first few days.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 1994

Failure of in vitro fertilization may occur even though oocyte and semen parameters seem satisfactory. Quantified ultrastructural study of spermatozoa was performed in three cases of failed in vitro fertilization. The results were compared to those of four fertile men. Quantification was achieved by cataloguing cell defects of the spermatozoon heads and mid/principal pieces of the flagella. Using the data from each specimen, the percentages of total cellular abnormalities in the head/mid/principal pieces were established. The percentages of anomalies of the midpiece and of the principal piece were not significantly different between failed cases and controls. The percentage of cell alterations of the head (96-100 vs 75${\pm}$3,4%), the percentage of combined anomalies of the head (80-86 vs 52.5${\pm}$1.9%), and the percentages of nuclear shape deformation (68-86 vs 47.5${\pm}$6.3%), acrosomal defects (86-96 vs 50${\pm}$4.3%), and postacrosomal sheath defects (78-88 vs 44.5${\pm}$7.2%) of the head were significantly different between failed cases and controls. Due to the cost and time involved in processing semen samples for electron microscopy, the widespread application of this technique to all couples presenting for IVF certainly is not warranted. However, in selected instances electron microscopy may play a crucial role in identifying an occult male factor.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.131-144
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• 1997

The present study was carried out to investigate the processes of the ultrastructural differentiation and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities of the developing rat retina. The results are as follows. The retina of fetal rat on the 13th day of gestation showed the early stage of differentiation. Briefly, there appeared dividing chromosomes, the plentiful free ribosomes, and the high ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm. The reaction products by AChE were localized at the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum and on the outer membrane of nucleus. Ultrastructures and AChE activities in the retina of the fetal rats on the 18th day of gestation were similar to those of the prior stages, except the appearence of rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. According to the ultrastructural observations, the rat retina was still in immature state at birth, but the pigment epithelial cells were fully differentiated, e. g. the increase of melanin granules, the development of mitochondria and Golgi apparatus. The AChE activity was weekly detected. The differentiated retinal layers and the outer segment of photoreceptor cells were observed on the 7th postnatal day. And the pigment epithelium appeared to be fully differentiated. On the 14th postnatal day, rat retina were completely differentiated. In other words, the rat retina was characterized by the prominent outer segments, phagocytosed residues in the pigment epithelium, and the localization of reaction products by AChE in the synapses. In conclusion, the differentiation of rat retina is charaterized by the changes of cell shape, the increase of retinal layers, and the alterations of AChE activities. It seems that rat retina is to be functional from 2 weeks of birth onward, coinciding with the eye opening of the juvenile rats.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.311-319
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• 1997

This study was carried out to investigate the ultrastructural changes of spermatozoa obtained from 20 of 3-year-old male chum salmon(Oncorhynchus keta) collected and analysed in middle October in 1995. The ultrastructural changes of gonad of fingerlings were examined to describe the sex differentiation of this species. The results obtained in this study were as follows : In spermatozoa, the nucleus is dense and homogeneous. Two spheroidal mitochondria(about 350nm long) are situated in parallel between the nucleus and the axoneme. Spermatozoa mitochondria are assembled into an organized sheath surrounding the outer dense fibres and axoneme of the flagellar midpiece. The sheath flagellum is situated beneath the base of the sperm head. The primordial germ cells of 6.8~7.2${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in size, which were buried under fibrous mesenchymal tissue between gut duct and notochord of larva with a total length of 2.4cm at 50 days after hatching. In juvenile of 10.5cm in total length at 70 days after hatching, the gonad was occupied by bundles of oogonia. The dense drumstick bodies(large arrows) are observed in the nuclei of the primordial gonad and surrounding tissue cells of fingerling at 70 days after hatching. The oval Barr bodies(asterisk) are observed in the nuclei of the primordial germ cells under the mitosis(2n). Note the large mitochondria, ribosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm. Accordingly, the fingerlings at 70 days after hatching are identified as the female(xx). In result, the gonadal sex differentiation begins from the 70 days after hatching in chum salmon.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.321-332
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• 1997

The dermal papilla is known to playa major role in influencing the form and dynamics of the hair follicle, which probably involves regulatory substances crossing the basal lamina. But little is known about the junctions between the dermal papilla and the surrounding epithelial cells of the hair bulb, or between the connective tissue and the epithelial cells on the outside of the hair follicle. This study was performed to identify the ultrastructural differences between dermoepidermal junction of the skin and connective tissue-epithelial junctions on the outside of the hair follicle and around the dermal papilla of normal anagen hair follicles in the human fetal scalp skin. Electron microscopic findings of dermoepidermal junction in scalp skin showed that basal lamina was very irregular and undulated, and it contained many attachment plaques of hemidesmosomes with sub-basal dense plates, tonofilaments, and anchoring filaments. Also invaginations of plasma membrane of basal keratinocytes were seen. There were clear differences both on the outside of the follicle and around the dermal papilla as compared with similar junction in the skin. In particular, neither hemidesmosomes nor tonofilaments, as seen in dermoepidermal junction, were observed in the dermal papilla. Also attachment plaque, sub-basal dense plate and anchoring filaments were not observed at the junction on the outside of the follicle and the dermal papilla. There were some differences between connective tissue-epithelial junctions on the outside of the hair follicle and around the dermal papilla, ie, smoothness of basal lamina and orthogonal arrangement of collagen fibers were seen in the outside of hair follicle, but not in the dermal papilla. These results indicate that the mechanical connection between the hair follicle and the connective tissue component is much weaker than that between the corresponding components in skin, and it reflects the dynamic processes during the anagen phase of the hair follicle compared to the relatively permanent state of the epidermis.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.91-105
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• 1998

The present study is undertaken to investigate the hypertrophical changes of the corpus allatum (corpora allata, CA) after the ovariectomy in Blattella germanica. In particular, the ultrastructural aspects of the normal and ovariectomized conditions, and induced factors of the hypertrophic phenomenon are focused. Ultrastructure of the CA from an immediately emergent adult is similar to that of the last larval stage that has stopped secreting juvenile hormone. The CA is composed of undifferentiated cells, exhibiting an electron-lucent matrix, a few mitochondria and less smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The karyoplasm occupy most of the cytoplasm. Electron-dense materials are filled with the intercellular spaces and gap junctions are also found. Almost no ultrastructural changes have been noticed during seven days until the oviposition. However, considerable changes in structure have been detected soon after the oviposition. Mitochondria are increased dramatically in number and cristae, and changed to the filamentous form with a high electron density. In addition, Golgi complexes, microtubules, and polysomes are also increased. After an oviposition, the total volume of the CA are decreased again. The volume of the CA are increased continuously, hypertrophy, after the ovariectomy. Morphological aspects of the CA in an early stage after the removal are similar to the structure of the secondary egg maturation. Large and electron dense globules are observed in the ovariectomized CA cytoplasms and they are present in those cells for a long period of time. Yet such a hypertrophical phenomenon occur only in the specific cells. The hypertrophy are caused by hollowing the part of the CA cells and later filling such site with polysomes. In 42 days after the ovariectomy, the nuclear membranes disappear in the CA cells, thus, exhibiting the prokaryotic-like features. Some results of the current study will contribute to the establishment of the model that explain unusual changes accompanied by certain treatment in insects and/or further in animals.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.1231-1243
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• 2016

The ultrastructural study on oocyt development and the process of vitellogensis in the oocytes during oogenesis in female Pampus echinogaster were investigated by electron microscope observations. In the previtellogenic phase, in particular, several intermitochondrial cements appear in the cytoplasms of the chromatin nucleleolus oocyte and perinuclear oocyte. The number of intermitochondrial cements are associated with the multiplication of the number of mitochondria in the early developmental stage. In the early vitellogenic phase, the Golgi complex in the cytoplasm of the yolk vesicle oocyte is involved in the formation of yolk vesicles containing carbohydrate yolks. At this time, many pinocytotic vesicles containing yolk precursors (exogenous substances) by pinocytosis are observed in the cytoplasm near the region of initial formation of the zona pellucida. In the late vitellogenic phase, two morphological different bodies, which formed by the modified mitochondria, appeared remarkably in the yolked oocytes. The one is the multivesicular bodies and another is yolk precursors. The multivesicular bodies were transformed into the primary yolk globules, while yolk precursors were connected with exogeneous pinocytotic vesicles near the zona pellucida. After the pinocytotic vesicles were taken into yolk precursors, the yolk precursors were transformed into the primary yolk globules. Thereafter, primary yolk globules mixed with each other, eventually, they developed into secondary and tertiary yolk globules. In this study, vitellogenesis of this species occurred by way of endogenous autosynthesis and exogenous heteogenesis. Vitellogenesis occurred through the processes of endogeneous autosynthesis, involving the combined activity of the Golgi complex, mitochondria and multivesicular bodies formed by modified mitochondria. However, the process of heterosynthesis involved pinocytotic incorporation of extraovarian precursors (such as vitellogenin in the liver) into the zona pellucida (by way of granulosa cells and thecal cells) of vitellogenic oocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 1973

The flight muscles in Pieris rapae have been examined to study ultrastructural changes in mitochondria with aging. All the mitochondira of flight muscle from the butterfly are recognized as type A which has the simple folded cristae and light matrix, and type B which possesses the complex multicristae and dense matrix. In just newly emerged butterflies both A and B type mitochondria are almost equally present. About ten days after emergence the type A mitochondria rapidly decrease, compared with the type B. In ten-day-old butterflies the type B mitochondria vary in ultrastructure with age. Ultrastructural changes of these aged mitochondria are supposed to occur, in part, by reorganization of inner membranes into myelin-like structures which represent the phase of degeneration of the B type with age. Age-dependent increase in size and number of concentric rings in myelin-like whorl are also found. Glycogen particles penetrated from the cytoplasmic matrix of the muscle cell into the mitochondrial matrix to be in the center of their concentric rings.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-19
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• 2018

Members of the family Parviluciferaceae (Alveolata, Perkinsozoa) are the well-known dinoflagellate parasitoids along with Amoebophrya ceratii species complex and parasitic chytrid Dinomyces arenysensis and contain six species across three genera (i.e., Parvilucifera infectans, P. sinerae, P. rostrata, and P. corolla, Dinovorax pyriformis, and Snorkelia prorocentri) so far. Among Parvilucifera species, the two species, P. infectans and P. sinerae, are very similar or almost identical each other morphologically and genetically, thereby make it difficult to distinguish between the two. The only main difference between the two species known so far is the number of sporangium wall (i.e., 2 layers in P. infectans vs. 3 layers in P. sinerae). During sampling in Masan bay, Korea during the spring season of 2015, the dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea cells infected by the parasite Parvilucifera were observed and this host-parasite system was established in culture. Using this culture, its morphological and ultrastructural features with special emphasis on the variation in the number of sporangium wall over developmental times, were investigated. In addition, the sequences of rDNA regions and ${\beta}-tubulin$ genes were determined. The result clearly demonstrated that the trophocyte at 36 h was covered with 4 layers, and then outer layer of the sporocyte gradually degraded over time, resulting in wall structure consisting of two layers, with even processes being detached from 7-day-old sporangium with smooth surface, indicating that the difference in the number of layers seems not to be an appropriate ultrastructural character for distinguishing P. infectans and P. sinerae. While pairwise comparison of the large subunit rDNA sequences showed 100% identity among P. infectans / P. sinerae species complex, genetic differences were found in the small subunit (SSU) rDNA sequences but the differences were relatively small (11-13 nucleotides) compared with those (190-272 nucleotides) found among the rest of Parvilucifera species (P. rostrata and P. corolla). Those small differences in SSU rDNA sequences of P. infectans / P. sinerae species complex may reflect the variations within inter- strains of the same species from different geographical areas. Taken together, all morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular data from the present study suggest that they are the same species.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2000

Di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) has been known as one of endocrine disruptors. The present study was carried out to investigate the alterations of fine structure in rat seminal vesicle after oral intubation of DEHP in dosages of 1g/kg/day, 2g/kg/day or 3g/kg/day respectively in 0.5 ml of corn oil for If days. In rats treated with DEHP for 15 days, seminal vesicle exhibited extensive histological alterations compared to those observed in control groups. The size of the seminal vesicle and the mucosal folds decreased, but the lamina propria was considerably thickened. The ultrastructural changes of epithelial cells in seminal vesicle of rat treated with DEHP were characterized by the high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio and the increased beterochromatin within irregular nuclear envelope. And also, the rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex and secretory vesicles were poorly developed. In conclusion, DEHP caused the ultrastructural and functional alterations of seminal vesicle in rats dose-dependently. It is suggested that these detrimental effects of DEHP on seminal vesicle are derived from the decrease level of testosterone.