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The site of ribosome formation in the oocytes of the ascidian, Boltenia villosa

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Summary

  1. 1.

    In the very young pre-vitellogenetic oocytes of Boltenia villosa, electron microscopy has revealed a strong concentration of ribosomes, but hardly any endoplasmic reticulum. These RNP granules are aligned into strings so that the cytoplasm of the oocytes at this stage of development appears to be filled with a network of strings of ribosomes.

  2. 2.

    The outer of the two nuclear membranes actively form outpocketings which are set free into the cytoplasm. These do not form a part of the endoplasmic reticulum, but break into membranes. As a result, numerous such membranes are seen near but never far away from the nucleus.

  3. 3.

    These membranes detached from the outer nuclear membrane seem to “disintegrate” into strings of ribosomes. All stages from apparently intact membranes to rows of discrete RNP particles are seen in the cytoplasm. These observations of ribosome formation involving the outer nuclear membrane gives preciseness to the demonstration that their coming into being as structural units is, in my material at least, a cytoplasmic phenomenon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

    W. Siang Hsu

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  1. W. Siang Hsu
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Additional information

Supported by Grant RG-6598 of National Institute of Health, and by Washington State Initiative 171 Fund for Research in Biology and Medicine.

The author is indebted to the Anatomy Department, University of Washington, for the use of the electron microscope, and to the members of the same Department for technical help.

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Hsu, W.S. The site of ribosome formation in the oocytes of the ascidian, Boltenia villosa. Z.Zellforsch 58, 17–26 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406938

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406938

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