Mitosis and protein synthesis. 3. Organelle relocation during normal and colcemid-arrested M-phase in HeLa S-3 cells. 1990

D N Wheatley
Department of Pathology, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, Great Britain.

During M-phase, most organelles in HeLa S-3 cells are relocated in the 'cortex' or outer-zone of cytoplasm. Elements of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and polysome assemblies persist to varying degrees from cell to cell in this zone. Dilatation of rER cisternae becomes prominent in a small percentage of metaphases, and its occurrence and significance is discussed. Remnants of the Golgi apparatus are almost invariably peripheralized. Its cisternal elements are lost in early mitosis, and reappear in late telophase. The inner zone of the protoplasm around the chromosomes loses its associated intermediate filaments and excludes organelles until cytokinesis commences. A rapid repopulation occurs by mid-telophase. The same pattern of zoning is found in cells entering mitosis in the presence of colcemid, but is followed by some repopulation of the inner zone by a small minority of organelles after approximately 2 h of arrest. Centrioles are particularly prone to becoming enmeshed within the 'ball' of entangled c-metaphase chromosomes. An unusually high degree of pairing of cytoplasmic membranes, probably rER elements, also occurs in colcemid-arrested metaphases, which may further contribute to their reduced level of protein synthesis. These have been referred to as 'confronting cisternae' (Ghadially, 1988). The zoning of the cytoplasm may result from nuclear envelope breakdown during mitosis, and is not specifically related to or associated with microtubule redeployment during spindle formation in M-phase. Differences in the extent of zoning in other cell lines are discussed in comparison with HeLa S-3 cells.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008247 Lysosomes A class of morphologically heterogeneous cytoplasmic particles in animal and plant tissues characterized by their content of hydrolytic enzymes and the structure-linked latency of these enzymes. The intracellular functions of lysosomes depend on their lytic potential. The single unit membrane of the lysosome acts as a barrier between the enzymes enclosed in the lysosome and the external substrate. The activity of the enzymes contained in lysosomes is limited or nil unless the vesicle in which they are enclosed is ruptured or undergoes MEMBRANE FUSION. (From Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed). Autolysosome,Autolysosomes,Lysosome
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D008928 Mitochondria Semiautonomous, self-reproducing organelles that occur in the cytoplasm of all cells of most, but not all, eukaryotes. Each mitochondrion is surrounded by a double limiting membrane. The inner membrane is highly invaginated, and its projections are called cristae. Mitochondria are the sites of the reactions of oxidative phosphorylation, which result in the formation of ATP. They contain distinctive RIBOSOMES, transfer RNAs (RNA, TRANSFER); AMINO ACYL T RNA SYNTHETASES; and elongation and termination factors. Mitochondria depend upon genes within the nucleus of the cells in which they reside for many essential messenger RNAs (RNA, MESSENGER). Mitochondria are believed to have arisen from aerobic bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship with primitive protoeukaryotes. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Mitochondrial Contraction,Mitochondrion,Contraction, Mitochondrial,Contractions, Mitochondrial,Mitochondrial Contractions
D008938 Mitosis A type of CELL NUCLEUS division by means of which the two daughter nuclei normally receive identical complements of the number of CHROMOSOMES of the somatic cells of the species. M Phase, Mitotic,Mitotic M Phase,M Phases, Mitotic,Mitoses,Mitotic M Phases,Phase, Mitotic M,Phases, Mitotic M
D002462 Cell Membrane The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D003703 Demecolcine An alkaloid isolated from Colchicum autumnale L. and used as an antineoplastic. Colcemid,Colcemide,Colchamine,Demecolcine, (+-)-Isomer
D004721 Endoplasmic Reticulum A system of cisternae in the CYTOPLASM of many cells. In places the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the plasma membrane (CELL MEMBRANE) or outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. If the outer surfaces of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes are coated with ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum is said to be rough-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, ROUGH); otherwise it is said to be smooth-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, SMOOTH). (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Ergastoplasm,Reticulum, Endoplasmic
D006056 Golgi Apparatus A stack of flattened vesicles that functions in posttranslational processing and sorting of proteins, receiving them from the rough ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM and directing them to secretory vesicles, LYSOSOMES, or the CELL MEMBRANE. The movement of proteins takes place by transfer vesicles that bud off from the rough endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi apparatus and fuse with the Golgi, lysosomes or cell membrane. (From Glick, Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1990) Golgi Complex,Apparatus, Golgi,Complex, Golgi
D006367 HeLa Cells The first continuously cultured human malignant CELL LINE, derived from the cervical carcinoma of Henrietta Lacks. These cells are used for, among other things, VIRUS CULTIVATION and PRECLINICAL DRUG EVALUATION assays. Cell, HeLa,Cells, HeLa,HeLa Cell
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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