Biomaterial Database

Mitochondrial morphology in Basidiobolus haptosporus. 1987

A M Fiskin, and R G Garrison

Research Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri 64128.

Young hyphal cells of the potentially zoopathogenic fungus Basidiobolus haptosporus characteristically exhibit unusual proportions of annulate views of mitochondria in the two-dimensional perspective of thin sections. Such views exhibit a central space containing cytoplasmic ground substance and often profiles of other cytoplasmic organelles (lipid bodies, other mitochondrial forms, and especially crystalloid-containing microbodies). Three-dimensional projections are presented to suggest that these mitochondria have assumed the form of a goblet-shaped enclosure, and that the various annulate views are the consequence of plane of section viewed by electron microscopy. Their frequent occurrence and consistent morphology argues against their being random expressions of mitochondrial plasticity, but rather for close spatial associations amongst cytoplasmic organelles of young hyphae. When the fungus is grown on xanthine or its catabolites as sole sources of nitrogen, there is a proliferation of crystalloid-containing microbodies, double-membraned vesicles, and ovate to ellipsoidal mitochondria. Annulate views of mitochondria then are no longer observed, but microbodies again frequently appear in close association with mitochondria and at times in intimate contact with the mitochondrial outer membrane.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
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
D009940	Organoids	An organization of cells into an organ-like structure. Organoids can be generated in culture, e.g., self-organized three-dimensional tissue structures derived from STEM CELLS (see MICROPHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS). They are also found in certain NEOPLASMS.	Organoid
D004773	Entomophthora	A genus of fungi in the family Entomophthoraceae, order Entomorphthorales. They are primarily parasites of insects and spiders, but have been found to cause mycotic infections of the nose in man and horses.	Entomophthoras
D005658	Fungi	A kingdom of eukaryotic, heterotrophic organisms that live parasitically as saprobes, including MUSHROOMS; YEASTS; smuts, molds, etc. They reproduce either sexually or asexually, and have life cycles that range from simple to complex. Filamentous fungi, commonly known as molds, refer to those that grow as multicellular colonies.	Fungi, Filamentous,Molds,Filamentous Fungi,Filamentous Fungus,Fungus,Fungus, Filamentous,Mold