Summary
Electron microscopical studies were made on the fine structure of the rhabdomeric microvilli of the compound eyes of seven species of arthropods (Procambarus, Neocaridina, Caridina, Potamon, Artemia, Diestrammena, Drosophila) raised in complete darkness for 1–8 months or for successive generations, using various fixation techniques.
The rhabdomeric microvilli of the individuals kept in darkness for a long period were regularly arranged as in normal eyes in the material prepared by double fixation with glutaraldehyde and OsO4, whereas in those fixed solely by OsO4 various forms of vesiculations were seen. The structural changes of the rhabdomere in darkness, which have been reported by several workers, were conceived to be an artefact caused by OsO4 fixation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bennett, H. S., and J. H. Luft: s-Collidine as a basis for buffering fixatives. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 6, 113–114 (1959).
Caulfield, J. B.: Effects of varying the vehicle for OsO4 in tissue fixation. J. Biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 827–833 (1957).
Dalton, A. J.: A chrome-osmium fixative for electron microscopy. Anat. Rec. 121, 281 (1955).
Eakin, R. M.: Differentiation of rods and cones in total darkness. J. Cell Biol. 25, 162–165 (1965).
Eguchi, E.: Rhabdom structure and receptor potentials in single crayfish retinular cells. J. cell. comp. Physiol. 66, 411–430 (1965).
—, K. Naka, and M. Kuwabara: The developement of the rhabdom and the appearance of the electrical response in the insect eye. J. gen. Physiol. 46, 143–157 (1962).
—, and T. H. Waterman: fine structure patterns in crustacean rhabdoms. In: Functional organization of the compound eye (ed. C. G. Bernhard). Wenner Gren Center Internat. Symp. Series, vol. 7, p. 105–124. Oxford: Pergamon Press 1966.
—: Changes in retinal fine structure induced in the crab Libinia by light and dark adaptation. Z. Zellforsch. 79, 209–229 (1967).
Luft, J. H.: Improvements in Epoxy resin embedding methods. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 9, 409–414 (1961).
Millonig, G. J.: Advantages of a phosphate buffer for OsO4 solutions in fixation. J. appl. Phys. 32, 1637 (1961).
Palade, G. E.: A study of fixation for electron microscopy. J. exp. Med. 95, 285–307 (1952).
Reynolds, F. S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 17, 208–212 (1963).
Röhlich, P.: Sensitivity of regenerating and degenerating planarian photoreceptors to osmium fixation. Z. Zellforsch. 73, 165–173 (1966).
—, and L. J. Török: The effect of light and darkness on the fine structure of the retinal clubs of Dendrocoelum lacteum. Quart. J. micr. Sci. 103, 543–548 (1962).
Rutherford, D. J., and G. A. Horridge: The rhabdom of the lobster eye. Quart. J. micr. Sci. 106, 119–130 (1965).
Sabatini, D. D., K. Bensch, and R. Barrnett: Cytochemistry and electron microscopy. The preservation of cellular ultrastructure and enzymatic activity by aldehyde fixation. J. Cell Biol. 17, 19–58 (1963).
Tanaka, A.: Comparative electron microscopic study on the retina of frog in light and dark adaptation. Zool. Mag. (Tokyo) 71, 109–120 (1962).
Tanaka, E.: Studies on the sensitivity of the Bar-eyed mutant strains of Drosophila melanogaster to the faiet-forming substances. Jap. J. Genet. 34, 180–186 (1959).
Tormey, J. McD.: Differences in membrane configuration between osmium tetroxyde-fixed and glutaraldehyde-fixed ciliary epithelium. J. Cell Biol. 23, 658–664 (1964).
Waddington, C. H., and M. M. Perry: The ultra-structure of the developing eye of Drosophila. Proc. roy. Soc. B 153, 155–178 (1960).
Wolken, J. J., J. Capenos, and A. Turano: Photoreceptor structures. III. Drosophila melanogaster. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 441–457 (1957).
Wood, R. L., and J. H. Luft: The influence of buffer systems on fixation with osmium tetroxide. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 12, 22–45 (1965).
Yasuzumi, G., and N. Deguchi: Submicroscopic structure of the compound eye as revealed by electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 1, 259–270 (1958).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work is supported by a grant from the U.S. Army Research and Development Group (Far East), Department of the Army (DA-CRD-AG-S92-544-67-G61).
The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr. S. Mori and Mr. T. Kuramoto for their help in supplying some of the materials. We are also indebted to Dr. C. J. C. Rees for correcting English of this paper.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kabuta, H., Tominaga, Y. & Kuwabara, M. The rhabdomeric microvilli of several arthropod compound eyes kept in darkness. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 85, 78–88 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330588
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330588