Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Cell Biology logoLink to The Journal of Cell Biology
. 1965 Aug 1;26(2):601–619. doi: 10.1083/jcb.26.2.601

THE FINE STRUCTURE OF MITOSIS IN RAT THYMIC LYMPHOCYTES

Raymond G Murray 1, Assia S Murray 1, Anthony Pizzo 1
PMCID: PMC2106738  PMID: 5865939

Abstract

The fine structure of rat thymic lymphocytes from early prophase to late telophase of mitosis is described, using material fixed at pH 7.3 either in 1 per cent OsO4 or in glutaraldehyde followed by 2 per cent OsO4. The structure of the centriolar complex of interphase thymocytes is analyzed and compared with that of centrioles during division. The appearance of daughter centrioles is the earliest clearly recognizable sign of prophase. Daughter centrioles probably retain a secondary relation to the primary centriole, while the latter appears to be related, both genetically and spatially, to the spindle apparatus. The nuclear envelope persists in recognizable form to help reconstitute the envelopes of the daughter nuclei. Ribosome bodies (dense aggregates of ribosomes) accumulate, beginning at late prophase, and are retained by the daughter cells. Cytokinesis proceeds by formation of a ribosome-free plate at the equator with a central plate of vesicles which may coalesce to form the new plasma membrane of the daughter cells. Stages in the formation of the midbody are illustrated.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (2.3 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BARER R., JOSEPH S., MEEK G. A. The origin of the nuclear membrane. Exp Cell Res. 1959 Aug;18:179–182. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(59)90304-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BERNHARD W., DE HARVEN E. Etude au microscope électronique de l'ultrastructure du centriole chez les vertébrés. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1956;45(3):378–398. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BESSIS M., BRETON-GORIUS J. Sur une structure inframicroscopique péricentriolaire; étude au microscope électronique sur des leucocytes de mammifères. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci. 1958 Feb 24;246(8):1289–1291. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BUCK R. C. Lamellae in the spindle of mitotic cells of Walker 256 carcinoma. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Oct;11:227–236. doi: 10.1083/jcb.11.1.227. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. BUCK R. C., TIDSALE J. M. An electron microscopic study of the cleavage furrow in mammalian cells. J Cell Biol. 1962 Apr;13:117–125. doi: 10.1083/jcb.13.1.117. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. EAKIN R. M., WESTFALL J. A. FINE STRUCTURE OF THE EYE OF A CHAETOGNATH. J Cell Biol. 1964 Apr;21:115–132. doi: 10.1083/jcb.21.1.115. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. GALL J. G. Centriole replication. A study of spermatogenesis in the snail Viviparus. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Jun;10:163–193. doi: 10.1083/jcb.10.2.163. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HARRIS P. Electron microscope study of mitosis in sea urchin blastomeres. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Nov;11:419–431. doi: 10.1083/jcb.11.2.419. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. HARRIS P. Some structural and functional aspects of the mitotic apparatus in sea urchin embryos. J Cell Biol. 1962 Sep;14:475–487. doi: 10.1083/jcb.14.3.475. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. JOHNSON F. R., ROBERTS K. B. THE GROWTH AND DIVISION OF HUMAN SMALL LYMPHOCYTES IN TISSUE CULTURE: AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY. J Anat. 1964 Jul;98:303–311. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. JONES O. P. Paramitotic granulation and ribosome bodies in erythroblasts. J Ultrastruct Res. 1962 Oct;7:308–315. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(62)90026-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. MURRAY R. G., MURRAY A., PIZZO A. THE FINE STRUCTURE OF THE THYMOCYTES OF YOUNG RATS. Anat Rec. 1965 Jan;151:17–39. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091510104. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. PALADE G. E. A study of fixation for electron microscopy. J Exp Med. 1952 Mar;95(3):285–298. doi: 10.1084/jem.95.3.285. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. PALADE G. E., SIEKEVITZ P. Pancreatic microsomes; an integrated morphological and biochemical study. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1956 Nov 25;2(6):671–690. doi: 10.1083/jcb.2.6.671. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. PORTER K. R., MACHADO R. D. Studies on the endoplasmic reticulum. IV. Its form and distribution during mitosis in cells of onion root tip. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1960 Feb;7:167–180. doi: 10.1083/jcb.7.1.167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. REYNOLDS E. S. The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol. 1963 Apr;17:208–212. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.1.208. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. RIS H., KLEINFELD R. Cytochemical studies on the chromatin elimination of Solenobia (lepidopteria). Chromosoma. 1952;5(4):363–371. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. ROBBINS E., GONATAS N. K. THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF A MAMMALIAN CELL DURING THE MITOTIC CYCLE. J Cell Biol. 1964 Jun;21:429–463. doi: 10.1083/jcb.21.3.429. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. ROTH L. E., OBETZ S. W., DANIELS E. W. Electron microscopic studies of mitosis in amebae. I. Amoeba proteus. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1960 Sep;8:207–220. doi: 10.1083/jcb.8.1.207. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. SABATINI D. D., BENSCH K., BARRNETT R. J. Cytochemistry and electron microscopy. The preservation of cellular ultrastructure and enzymatic activity by aldehyde fixation. J Cell Biol. 1963 Apr;17:19–58. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.1.19. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. SELBY C. C. Electron micrographs of mitotic cells of the Ehrlich mouse ascites tumor in thin sections. Exp Cell Res. 1953 Dec;5(2):386–393. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(53)90222-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. SLAUTTERBACK D. B. CYTOPLASMIC MICROTUBULES. I. HYDRA. J Cell Biol. 1963 Aug;18:367–388. doi: 10.1083/jcb.18.2.367. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. SZOLLOSI D. THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF CENTRIOLES AND THEIR SATELLITES IN THE JELLYFISH PHIALIDIUM GREGARIUM. J Cell Biol. 1964 Jun;21:465–479. doi: 10.1083/jcb.21.3.465. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. WATSON M. L. Staining of tissue sections for electron microscopy with heavy metals. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Jul 25;4(4):475–478. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.4.475. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. WATSON M. L. The nuclear envelope; its structure and relation to cytoplasmic membranes. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1955 May 25;1(3):257–270. doi: 10.1083/jcb.1.3.257. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Cell Biology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES