Computer analysis of living cells: movements of the chromatoid body in early spermatids compared with its ultrastructure in snap-frozen preparations (original) (raw)

Abstract

Quantitative analyses of cytoplasmic and nuclear organelle movements in living interphase cells at defined stages of differentiation are few. By phase contrast videomicroscopy and digital imaging techniques, we have traced the path of the chromatoid body (CB) and analysed its rapidly changing positions in relation to the nuclear envelope, Golgi complex and nuclear pale chromatin areas in living early spermatids of the rat. The CB had intimate interactions with the nuclear envelope and moved both in parallel and perpendicular fashion in relation to it. It had successive short contacts with the Golgi complex and nuclear pale chromatin areas. It was also seen to scan between two pale chromatin areas and it had pinocytosis-like transient engulfments during interactions with the pale chromatin. In ultrastructural analysis of snap-frozen preparations, the CB had a large contact area with the nuclear envelope with several intermediate organelles that may be involved in nucleocytoplasmic material transport. It is evident that quantitative image analysis of living cells is a powerful guide for ultrastructural analyses. The snap-freezing technique gives new possibilities for studies of structures that are sensitive to conventional fixation procedures.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland Tel. +358–2–333–7355; Fax +358–2–333–7352 e-mail: marparvi@utu.fi, , , , , , FI
    M. Parvinen
  2. Department of Medical Physics and Chemistry, University of Turku, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland, , , , , , FI
    Juha Salo & Erkki Soini
  3. Department of Computer Science, University of Turku, FIN-20520, Finland, , , , , , FI
    Marko Toivonen & Olli Nevalainen
  4. Department of Electron Microscopy, University of Turku, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland, , , , , , FI
    Lauri J. Pelliniemi

Authors

  1. M. Parvinen
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Juha Salo
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. Marko Toivonen
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  4. Olli Nevalainen
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  5. Erkki Soini
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  6. Lauri J. Pelliniemi
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Accepted: 23 January 1997

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Parvinen, M., Salo, J., Toivonen, M. et al. Computer analysis of living cells: movements of the chromatoid body in early spermatids compared with its ultrastructure in snap-frozen preparations.Histochemistry 108, 77–81 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/s004180050148

Download citation

Keywords