Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Insect intercellular junctions: rapid freezing by jet propane.

L S Swales, N J Lane

    Journal of Cell Science
    |July 1, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Are neural crest and placodes exclusive to vertebrates?

    Evolution & development·2001
    Same author

    The ultrastructural effects of beta-amyloid peptide on cultured PC12 cells: changes in cytoplasmic and intramembranous features.

    Journal of neurocytology·2000
    Same author

    Mechanism of neurogenesis during the embryonic development of a tunicate.

    The Journal of comparative neurology·1999
    Same author

    Neurogenic role of the neural gland in the development of the ascidian, Botryllus schlosseri (Tunicata, Urochordata).

    The Journal of comparative neurology·1998
    Same author

    Genetic analysis of cholinergic nerve terminal function in invertebrates.

    Journal of neurocytology·1996
    Same author

    A fine structural study of the hippocampus and dorsal root ganglion in mouse trisomy 16, a model of Down's syndrome.

    Cell biology international·1996

    Rapidly freezing insect ventral nerve cords reveals novel structures on axons and glial cells. These structures, not visible with traditional fixation, may represent receptors or axo-glial specializations.

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Cell Biology
    • Electron Microscopy

    Background:

    • The ultrastructure of insect nervous systems is crucial for understanding neural function.
    • Traditional fixation methods can introduce artifacts, obscuring fine cellular details.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the effects of rapid cryo-jet freezing on insect ventral nerve cord ultrastructure.
    • To compare cryo-jet frozen tissues with conventionally fixed and cryoprotected tissues.
    • To identify novel structures in insect nervous tissue.

    Main Methods:

    • Rapid freezing of cockroach (Periplaneta americana) and locust (Schistocerca gregaria) ventral nerve cords using cryo-jet and liquid propane.
    • Comparison of unfixed, uncryoprotected tissues with unfixed cryoprotected tissues and glutaraldehyde-fixed, cryoprotected tissues.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Freeze-fracture electron microscopy to examine membrane structures.

    • Main Results:

    • Rapid freezing revealed smooth-surfaced intramembranous P-face ridges in perineurial tight junctions and axonal/glial processes, unlike the bead-like structures seen with fixation.
    • Interglial gap junctions showed both clustered and loosely aggregated connexon arrays.
    • Septate junctions remained unchanged, exhibiting typical particle rows and pits.
    • Novel pleiomorphic depressions and associated particles, as well as PF pits with complementary EF mounds, were observed on axon and glial surfaces.

    Conclusions:

    • Rapid freezing preserves finer ultrastructural details of insect nervous tissue compared to fixation.
    • The observed novel surface structures may represent previously unidentified receptor or axo-glial specializations.
    • Cryo-jet freezing is a valuable technique for studying insect nervous system ultrastructure.