Summary
The visual cell of the leech (Hirudo medicinalis) contains a big vacuole filled with a moderate dense substance (“vitreous body”). The wall of the vacuole consists of a system of microvilli (brush border) merging into the substance of the vitreous body. The cytoplasmic zone underneath the brush border has a special structure consisting of flattened sacs and vesicles giving a radial striation to this cell region.
The cytoplasm is filled with a great number of mitochondria and small vesicles. Bundles of fine filaments are striking features of the cytoplasm; in the periphery of the cell they are in close contact with the cell membrane (“half desmosomes”). Elements of the endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes may also be present. The cells regularly contain membrane-bounded inclusions having a dense granular or cristalline content.
The visual fibers (processes of the visual cells) show a certain similarity to the unmyelinated nerve fibers of higher animals. They are ensheathed into sheath cells possibly of glial nature. Processes of these cells often surround the visual cells and are sometimes embedded in their cytoplasm. Both visual and sheath cells are covered with a homogeneous basement membrane.
The possible role of the structures and the problems of conduction from the brush border onto the cell surface are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literatur
Apáthy, St.: Analyse der äußeren Körperform der Hirudineen. Mitth. Zool. Stat. Neapel 8, (1888). Zit. von R. Hesse.
—: Das leitende Element des Nervensystems und seine topographischen Beziehungen zu den Zellen. Mitth. Zool. Stat. Neapel 12, 496–748 (1897).
Apáthy, St.: Die drei verschiedenen Formen von Lichtzellen bei Hirudineen. Verh. 5. Internat. Kongr. Zool. Berlin 1901, 707–728 (1902).
Bergman, T.: De cocco aquatico et de Hirudinibus. Opuscula 5 (1788). Zit. von R. Hesse 1897.
Brandenburg, J.: Die Feinstruktur des Seitenauges von Lepisma saccharina L. Zool. Beitr., N.F. 5, 291–300 (1960).
Brökelmann, J., u. A. Fischer: Nicht veröffentlichte Beobachtungen, zit. von A. Fischer: Über den Bau und die Hell-Dunkel-Adaptation der Augen des Polychäten Platynereis Dumerilii. Z. Zellforsch. 61, 338–353 (1963).
Bütschli, O.: Vorlesungen über vergleichende Anatomie, Bd. 1. Berlin 1921.
Carrière, J.: Die Sehorgane der Thiere, S. 25–28. München u. Leipzig: Odenburg 1885.
Couteaux, R.: Persönliche Mitteilung 1963.
Eakin, R. M.: Lines of evolution of photoreceptors. In: J. gen. Physiol. 46, 357 A (1962) und General Physiology of Cell Specialization, herausgeg. von D. Mazia und A. Tyler. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. 1963.
Fernández-Morán, H.: Fine structure of the light receptors in the compound eyes of insects. Exp. Cell Res., Suppl. 5, 586–644 (1958).
Goldsmith, H.: Fine structure of the retinulae in the compound eye of the honey-bee. J. Cell Biol. 14, 489–494 (1962).
—, and D. E. Philpott: The microstructure of the compound eyes of insects. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 429–440 (1957).
Hachlov, L.: Die Sensillen und die Entstehung der Augen bei Hirudo medicinalis. Zool. Jb., Abt. Morph. 30, 261–300 (1910).
Hagadorn, I. R., H. A. Bern, and R. S. Nishioka: The fine structure of the supraoesophageal ganglion of the rhynchobdellid leech, Theromyzon rude with special reference to neurosecretion. Z. Zellforsch. 58, 714–758 (1963).
Hansen, K.: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung der Hirudineen-Augen. Zool. Beitr., N.F. 7, 83–128 (1962).
Hesse, R.: Untersuchungen über die Organe der Lichtempfindung bei niederen Thieren. I. Die Organe der Lichtempfindung bei den Lumbriciden. Z. wiss. Zool. 61, 393–419 (1896).
—: Untersuchungen über die Organe der Lichtempfindung bei niederen Thieren. III. Die Sehorgane der Hirudineen. Z. wiss. Zool. 62, 671–707 (1897).
Khallaf, K. T.: Electron microscopy of the compound eyes of the housefly (Calliphora vicina). Mikroskopie 13, 206–210 (1958).
Kümmel, G.: Die Feinstruktur des Pigmentbecherocellus bei Miracidien von Fasciola hepatica L. Zool. Beitr., N.F. 5, 345–354 (1960).
Leydig, F.: Die Augen und neue Sinnesorgane der Egel. Arch. Anat. Physiol. 1861, 588–605 (1861).
- Zur Anatomie von Piscicola geometrica. Z. wiss. Zool. 1 (1849). Zit. von R. Hesse 1897.
Maier, B. L.: Beiträge zur Kenntnis des Hirudineen-Auges. Zool. Jb., Abt. Morph. 5, 552–580 (1892).
Merrill, H. B.: Preliminary note on the eye of the leech. Zool. Anz. 17, 286–288 (1894).
Miller, W. H.: Morphology of the ommatidia of the compound eye of Limulus. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 421–428 (1957).
—: Fine structure of some invertebrate photoreceptors. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 74, 204–209 (1958).
Millonig, G.: A modified procedure for lead staining of thin sections. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 11, 736–739 (1961a).
—: Advantages of a phosphate buffer for OsO4 solutions in fixation. J. appl. Physics 32, 1637 (1961b).
Moody, M. F., and J. D. Robertson: The fine structure of retinal photoreceptors. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 7, 87–91 (1960).
Prenant, A.: Notes cytologiques. V. Contribution á l'étude des cellules ciliées et des éléments analogues. I. Cellules visuelles des Hirudinées. Arch. Anat. micr. 3, 102–121 (1900).
Röhlich, P.: Formation of the brush border by fusion of vesicles. “Electron microscopy”. Fifth Internat. Congr. for Electron Microscopy, Philadelphia, vol. 2. LL 5. New York and London: Acad. Press 1962a.
Röhlich, P.: The fine structure of the muscle fiber of the leech, Hirudo medicinalis. J. Ultrastructure Res. 7, 399–408 (1962b).
-, and L. J. Török: Photoreceptor structures in the planarian eye and their morphogenesis during regeneration. Proc. Europ. Reg. Conf. Electron Microscopy, Delft, 1960, pp. 822–826.
—: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung des Auges von Planarien. Z. Zellforsch. 54, 362–381 (1961).
—: The effect of light and darkness on the fine structure of the retinal club in Dendrocoelum lacteum (Turbellaria). Quart. J. micr. Sci. 104, pt. 4, 543–548 (1962a).
- - Nicht veröffentlichte Untersuchungen. 1962b.
—, B. Aros u. B. Vigh: Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchung der Neurosekretion im Cerebralganglion des Regenwurmes (Lumbricus terrestris). Z. Zellforsch. 58, 524–545 (1962).
—: Die Feinstruktur des Auges der Weinbergschnecke (Helix pomatia L.). Z. Zellforsch. 60, 348–368 (1963).
Schwalbach, G., K. G. Lickfeld u. M. Hahn: Der mikromorphologische Aufbau des Linsenauges der Weinbergschnecke (Helix pomatia L.). Protoplasma (Wien) 56, 242–273 (1963).
Vaupel-v. Harnack, M.: Über den Feinbau des Nervensystems des Seesternes (Asterias rubens L.). III. Mitt. Die Struktur der Augenpolster. Z. Zellforsch. 60, 432–451 (1963).
Whitman, C. O.: The leeches of Japan. Quart. J. micr. Sci., N.S. 26, 317–416 (1886).
—: Some new facts about the Hirudinea. J. Morph. 2, 586–599 (1889).
Wolken, J. J.: Photoreceptor structures. I. Pigment monolayers and molecular weight. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 48, 349–370 (1956).
—: Retinal structure. Mollusc cephalopods: octopus, sepia. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 4, 835–838 (1958a).
—: Studies of photoreceptor structures. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 74, 164–181 (1958b).
—, J. Capenos, and A. Turano: Photoreceptor structures. III. Drosophila melanogaster. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 441–448 (1957).
—, A. D. Mellon, and G. Contis: Photoreceptor structures. II. Drosophila melanogaster. J. exp. Zool. 134, 383–410 (1957).
Zonana, H. V.: Fine structure of the squid retina. Bull. Johns Hopk. Hosp. 109, 185–206 (1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Röhlich, P., Török, L.J. Elektronenmikroskopische Beobachtungen an den Sehzellen des Blutegels, Hirudo medicinalis L.. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 63, 618–635 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339910
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00339910