Summary
Embryonic chick frontal bones were cultured in the presence of colchicine or vinblastine and subsequently examined by transmission electron microscopy. In control cultures the osteoblasts showed a large Golgi complex consisting of dictyosomes arranged in a well-defined juxtanuclear area. Microtubules were particularly numerous within this Golgi area although they could be observed throughout the cytoplasm. Colchicine and vinblastine caused the disappearance of cytoplasmic microtubules, while bundles of 10nm diameter filaments appeared more frequently. In addition, cell polarity was lost and the Golgi complex became disorganized, with the dictyosomes randomly dispersed in the cytoplasm and showing a decreased number of cisternae and an increased number of vacuoles, the latter generally lacking stainable material. Increased number of autophagosomes were also noted.
These findings indicate that microtubules function in the organization of the Golgi complex in osteoblasts. In view of the well documented role of this organelle system in collagen secretion it is suggested that previously observed secretory disturbances produced by antimicrotubular drugs may be due to a defective transfer of material to the dictyosomes and/or a defect in the packaging and transport of such material away from them.
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Financial support was obtained from the Swedish Medical Research Council (proj. no. 12X-03355), the King Gustaf V 80th Birthday Fund, the A.O. Swärd Foundation, the Swedish Society of Medical Sciences, and from the Funds of Karolinska Institutet. We thank Karin Blomgren and Eva Lundberg for technical assistance and Ingrid Wäälma for typing the manuscript
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Thyberg, J., Moskalewski, S. & Friberg, U. Effects of antimicrotubular agents on the fine structure of the Golgi complex in embryonic chick osteoblasts. Cell Tissue Res. 193, 247–257 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209038
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209038