Figure 1.
Transcardial injection and accumulation of photosynthetic microorganisms in blood vessels of Xenopus laevis tadpoles
(A and B) Microphotographs depicting C. reinhardtii (A) and Synechocystis 6803 (B) before injection; insets show the microorganisms at higher magnification.
(C) Light-induced O2 production and lack thereof, respectively, in solutions (108 cells/mL) of wild-type (WT) and photomutant (PM) strains of the two species; number of experiments indicated in parentheses.
(D–F) Photographs depicting pressure-injection of a Synechocystis 6803 solution into the heart (D) and distribution of the microorganisms through the aortic roots (E,F) and smaller blood vessels (green staining) of the body (E) and lower jaw (F).
(G–J) Confocal reconstruction of hindbrain tissue, illustrating accumulated C. reinhardtii (G and I) and Synechocystis 6803 (H and J) inside blood vessels; microorganisms appear in green due to chlorophyll autofluorescence and blood vessels in magenta by isolectin-stained endothelial walls. Calibration bars represent 50 μm (A and B), 10 μm (insets), and 1 mm (D and F), 5 mm (E), 20 μm (G–J). ∗, p < 0.05; ∗∗, p < 0.01; Mann Whitney U-test, Bonferroni-corrected; n.s. not significant.