Summary
The ultrastructure of vacuolar formation in the nucleus of the Sertoli cells in normal adult bulls is described. It occurs regularly in all the Sertoli cells instead of the typically arranged nucleolus. It consists of membrane-limited vesicles bearing 150 Å granules on their outer surface and a smaller, fibrillar component composed of coiled filaments 50 Å in diameter. Free and membrane attached ribosomes, and polyribosomes found in the numerous folds of the nuclear membrane indicate RNA synthesis. The possible role of the vacuolar formation, named multivesicular nuclear body, in the ribosomal RNA synthesis is briefly discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bawa, S. R.: Fine structure of the Sertoli cell of the human testis. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 9, 459–474 (1963).
Beams, H. W., Sekhon, S.: Fine structure of the nucleolus in the young oocyte of a centipede. Z. Zellforsch. 85, 237–242 (1968).
Bernhard, W., Bauer, A., Gropp, A., Haguenau, F., Oberling, Ch.: L'ultrastructure du nucléole des cellules normales et cancéreuses. Exp. Cell Res. 9, 88–100 (1955).
Bernhard, W., Granboulan, N.: Electron microscopy of the nucleolus in vertebrate cells. In: The nucleus, A. J. Dalton, F. Haguenau, eds. p. 81–137. New York: Academic Press 1968.
Billard, R.: La spermatogenèse de Poecilia reticulata. III. Ultrastructure des cellules de Sertoli. Ann. Biol. Anim. 10, 37–50 (1970).
Birnstiel, M. L., Chipchase, M. I. H., Hyde, B. B.: The nucleolus, a source of ribosomes. Biochim. biophys. Acta (Amst.) 76, 454–462 (1963).
Bishop, M. W. H., Walton, A.: Spermatogenesis and the structure of mammalian spermatozoa. In: Marshall's physiology of reproduction vol. 1, pt. 2, 3rd ed. p. 1–29 London: Longmans Green and Co. Ltd. 1960.
Brökelmann, J.: Fine structure of germ cells and Sertoli cells during the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in the rat. Z. Zellforsch. 59, 820–850 (1963).
Brökelmann, J.: Über die Stütz- und Zwischenzellen des Froschhodens während des spermatogenetischen Zyklus. Z. Zellforsch. 64, 429–461 (1964).
Brown, D. D., Gurdon, J. B.: Absence of ribosomal RNA synthesis in the anucleolate mutant of Xenopus laevis. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 51, 139–146 (1964).
Burgos, M.H., Vitale-Calpe, R.: The mechanism of spermiation in the toad. Amer. J. Anat. 120, 227–252 (1967).
David, H.: Über einen Nucleolus mit Membran. Z. Zellforsch. 55, 50–54 (1960).
Edström, J. E.: Composition of ribonucleic acid from various parts of spider oocytes. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 8, 47–51 (1960).
Edström, J. E., Gall, J. G.: The base composition of ribonucleic acid in lampbrush chromosomes, nucleoli, nuclear sap, and cytoplasm of Triturus oocytes. J. Cell Biol. 19, 279–284 (1963).
Everingham, J. W.: Attachment of intranuclear annulate lamellae to the nuclear envelope. J. Cell Biol. 37, 540–550 (1968a).
Everingham, J. W.: Intranuclear annulate lamellae in ascidian embryos. J. Cell Biol. 37, 551–554 (1968b).
Fahimi, H. D., Drochmans, P.: Essais de standardisation de la fixation au glutaraldéhyde. I. Purification et détermination de la concentration du glutaraldéhyde. J. Microscopie 4, 725–736 (1965a).
Fahimi, H. D., Drochmans, P.: Essais de standardisation de la fixation au glutaraldéhyde. II. Influence des concentrations en aldéhyde et de l'osmolalite. J. Microscopie 4, 737–749 (1969b).
Fawcett, D. W.: The cell. Its organelles and inclusions. Philadelphia-London: W. B. Saunders Co. 1969.
Flickinger, Ch.: The postnatal development of the Sertoli cells of the mouse. Z. Zellforsch. 78, 92–113 (1967).
Gardner, P., Holyoke, E.: Fine structure of the seminiferous tubule of the Swiss mouse. I. The limiting membrane, Sertoli cell, spermatogonia, and spermatocytes. Anat. Rec. 150, 391–404 (1964).
Gaudecker von, Brita: RNA synthesis in the nucleolus of Chironomus thummi as studied by high resolution autoradiography. Z. Zellforsch. 82, 536–557 (1967).
Georgiev, G. P.: The nucleus. In: Enzyme cytology, D. B. Roodyn ed., p. 27–95. London-New York: Academic Press 1967.
Geuskens, M., Bernhard, W.: Cytochimie ultrastructurale du nucléole. III. Action de l'actinomycin D sur le métabolisme de RNA nucléolaire. Exp. Cell Res. 44, 579–598 (1966).
Granboulan, N., Granboulan, P.: Cytochimie ultrastructurale du nucléole. II. Etude des sites de synthèse du RNA dans le nucléole et la noyau. Exp. Cell Res. 38, 604–619 (1965).
Green, D. E., MacLennan, D. H.: Structure and function of the mitochondrial cristae membrane. Biosci. 19, 213–222 (1969).
Griffin, J. L.: Rapid formation of membranes after laser irradiation of Physarum polycephalum. (Abstr.) J. Cell Biol. 148 A (1968).
Hay, E. D.: Structure and function of the nucleolus in developing cells. In: The nucleus A. J. Dalton and F. Haguenau, eds. p. 1–79. New York: Academic Press 1968.
Hillman, N., Tasca, R. J.: Ultrastructural and autoradiographic studies of mouse cleavage stages. Amer. J. Anat. 126, 151–174 (1969).
Hinsch, W.: Possible role of intranuclear membranes in nuclear-cytoplasmic exchange in spider crab oocytes. J. Cell Biol. 47, 531–555 (1970).
Hsu, W. S.: The origin of annulate lamellae in the oocyte of the ascidian, Boltenia villosa Stimpson. Z. Zellforsch. 82, 376–390 (1967).
Jones, K. W.: The role of the nucleolus in the formation of ribosomes. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 13, 257–262 (1965).
Karasaki, S.: Electron microscopic examination of the sites of nuclear synthesis during amphibian embryogenesis. J. Cell Biol. 26, 937–958 (1965).
Kessel, R. G.: Intranuclear annulate lamellae in oocytes of the tunicate, Styela partita. Z. Zellforsch. 63, 37–51 (1964).
Kessel, R. G.: Intranuclear and cytoplasmic annulate lamellae in tunicate oocytes. J. Cell Biol. 24, 471–487 (1965).
Kessel, R. G., Beams, H. W.: Intranucleolar membranes and nuclear-cytoplasmic exchange in young crayfish oocytes. J. Cell Biol. 39, 735–741 (1968).
Kurtz, S. M.: Electron microscopic anatomy. New York-London: Academic Press, 1964.
Miller, C. I., Jr.: Structure and composition of peripheral nucleoli of salamander oocytes. Nat. Cancer Inst. Monogr. 23, 53–66 (1966).
Nagano, T.: Some observations on the fine structure of the Sertoli cell in the human testis. Z. Zellforsch. 73, 89–106 (1966).
Perry, R. P.: The nucleolus and the synthesis of ribosomes. Nat. Cancer Inst. Monogr. 14, 73–90 (1965).
Reynolds, E. S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque staining for electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 17, 208–212 (1963).
Rowley, M. J., Berlin, J. D., Heller, C. G.: The ultrastructure of four types of human spermatogonia. Z. Zellforsch. 112, 139–157 (1971).
Terzakis, J. A.: The nucleolar channel system of the human endometrium, J. Cell Biol. 27, 293–304 (1965).
Vitale-Calpe, R., Burgos, M. H.: The mechanism of spermiation in the hamster. I. Ultrastructure of spontaneous spermiation. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 31, 381–393 (1970a).
Vitale-Calpe, R., Burgos, M. H.: The mechanism of spermiation in the hamster. II. The ultrastructural effects of coitus and of LH administration. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 31, 394–406 (1970b).
Yasuzumi, G., Sawada, T., Sugihara, R., Kiriyama, M.: Electron microscope researches on the ultrastructure of nucleoli in animal tissues. Z. Zellforsch. 48, 10–23 (1958).
Zibrín, M.: Some ultrastructural aspects of nuclear morphology in developing spermatids and mature spermatozoa of the bull. Mikroskopie 27, 10–16 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The author would like to express his gratitude to Professor P. Popesko and Doc. Dr. D. Hanzalová for the discussion and criticism regarding the manuscript, and to Mrs. I. Timčáková and Mrs. G. Gréserová for cooperation with the English translation. The author is also indebted to Doc. Ing. V. Karel, Technical University, Košice and Dr. A. Gutteková, Helminthological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, for their kindness in making available JEM 7c and Telsa BS 613 electron microscopes, respectively. The technical assistence of Ing. E. Tomajková is also acknowledged.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zibrín, M. Multivesicular nuclear body with nucleolar activity in sertoli cells of bulls. Z. Zellforsch. 135, 155–164 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315123
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00315123