Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Metachromasy in the eggs of fifteen lower animals

  • Abhandlungen
  • Published:
Protoplasma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The eggs or oocytes, and in some cases the ovaries, of four annelids, three molluscs, two arthropods, three echinoderms and three chordates were examined for the presence of metachromasy, using toluidine blue.

Metachromasy was invariably found in the jelly, in other extraneous coats, or in the ovarian tissue. The cell cortex or cytoplasm was less commonly metachromatic than the extraneous coats. The nucleus or nucleolus was rarely metachromatic and such metachromasy, when found, tended to be weak.

The distribution of metachromasy is related in a general way to substances which occur naturally in the specific cells studied and in other cells or tissues. Such substances are most likely to resemble heparin or hyaluronic acid and, except under certain conditions, they are least likely to be nucleic acid.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, R. D., 1951: The use ofSpisula solidissima eggs in cell research. J. Cell. & Comp. Physiol.37, 504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bank, O., und H. G. Bungenberg de Jong, 1939: Untersuchungen über Metachromasie. Protoplasma32, 489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Battle, H. I., 1931–1933: Rhythmic sexual maturity and spawning of certain bivalve mollusks. Contr. to Canadian Biol. and Fisheries, n. s.7, 255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carnes, W. H., N. Weissman, and P. S. Rubin, 1951: Nuclear metachromasy. J. Nat. Cancer Inst.12, 240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Charles, A. F., and D. A. Scott, 1933: Studies on heparin. II. Heparin in various tissues. J. Biol. Chem.102, 433.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davson, H., 1951: A Textbook of General Physiology. Philadelphia.

  • Fawcett, D. W., 1953: Experimental studies on the regeneration of mast cells. Anat. Rec.115, 305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Follis, R. H., Jr., 1951: Effect of proteolytic enzymes and fixation on metachromasia of skin collagen. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. & Med.76, 272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, D. L., and B. T. Scheer, 1941: Comparative studies of the pigments of some Pacific Coast echinoderms. Biol. Bull.80, 441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frommhagen, L. H., M. J. Fahrenbach, J. A. Brockman Jr., and E. L. R. Stokstad, 1953: Heparin-like anticoagulants from Mollusca. Proc. Soc. Exper. Biol. & Med.82, 280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, L., 1950: An experimental study of maturation inChaetopterus eggs. Biol. Bull.99, 341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Good, G. M., and J. F. Daniel, 1943: Fertilization of coelomic eggs ofTriturus torosus. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool.51, 149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, E. B., 1941: Vital staining of the centrifugedArbacia punctulata egg. Biol. Bull.81, 114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, E. N., 1932: Physical and chemical constants of the egg of the sea urchin,Arbacia punctulata. Biol. Bull.62, 141.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heilbrunn, L. V., 1952: An Outline of General Physiology. 3rd ed., Philadelphia.

  • —, W. L. Wilson, and D. Harding, 1950: The action of tissue extracts on cell division. J. Nat. Cancer Inst.11, 1287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Immers, J., 1949: On the heparin-like effect of fertilizin from sea-urchin eggs on blood coagulation and the modifying action of basic proteins and caphalin on the effect. Arkiv Zool.42 A, no. 6, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and E. Vasseur, 1949: Comparative studies on the coagulation process with heparin and sea-urchin fertilizin. Experientia5, 124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Julén, C., O. Snellman, and B. Sylvén, 1950: Cytological and fractionation studies on the cytoplasmic constituents of tissue mast cells. Acta Physiol. Scand.19, 289.

    Google Scholar 

  • Just, E. E., 1927: Decolorization wave of pigment granules in the jelly hull of the inseminated egg ofEchinarachnius parma exposed to dilute sea-water during the process of membrane separation. Anat. Rec.37, 147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, J. W., 1950: The localization of a metachromatic substance in theChaetopterus egg. Protoplasma39, 386.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1951 a: Metachromasy associated with various eggs and ovaries. Biol. Bull.101, 223.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1951 b: Effects of x-ray and trypsin on the metachromasy of heparin-basic protein combinations. Biol. Bull.101, 223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lansing, A. I., and T. B. Rosenthal, 1949: Ribonucleic acid at cell surfaces and its possible significance. Biol. Bull.97, 263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lison, L., 1935: Études sur la métachromasie. Colorants métachromatiques et substances chromotropes. Arch. Biol.46, 599.

    Google Scholar 

  • - 1936: Histochimie animale. Paris.

  • —, and W. Mutsaars, 1950: Metachromasy of nucleic acids. Quart. J. Micr. Sci.91, 309.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loosanoff, V. L., 1937: Seasonal gonadal changes of adult clams,Venus mercenaria (L.). Biol. Bull.72, 406.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, K., 1950: The mucopolysaccharides of the interfibrillar substance of the mesenchyme. Annals, N. Y. Acad. Sciences52, 961.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1951 a: The mucopolysaccharides of the ground substance of connective tissue. Science113, 596.

    Google Scholar 

  • - 1951 b: Chemistry of connective tissue, polysaccharides. Trans. of 1st Conf. on Conn. Tissues, Josiah Macy Jr. Found. 88.

  • Michaelis, L., 1947: The nature of the interaction of nucleic acids and nuclei with basic dyestuffs. Cold Spr. Hbr. Symp. Quant. Biol.12, 131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Monné, L., and D. B. Slautterback, 1950: Differential staining of various polysaccharides in sea urchin eggs. Exp. Cell Res.1, 477.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paff, G. H., and F. Bloom, 1949: Vacuolation and release of heparin in mast cells cultivated in vitro. Anat. Rec.104, 45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rugh, R., 1935: Ovulation in the frog. II. Follicular rupture to fertilization. J. Exper. Zool.71, 163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Runnström, J., 1950: The mechanism of fertilization in Metazoa. Adv. in Enzymol.9, 241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, L. W., 1943: Fundamentals of Cytology. New York.

  • Snellman, O., B. Sylvén, and C. Julén, 1951: Analysis of the native heparin-lipoprotein complex including the identification of a heparin complement (heparin co-factor) obtained from extracts of tissue mast cells. Bioch. et Biophys. Acta7, 98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, L. J., 1951: A blood anticoagulant from surf clams. Biol. Bull.101, 230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, A., 1948: Fertilization and immunity. Physiol. Rev.28, 180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vasseur, E., 1948: The sulphuric acid content of the egg coat of the sea urchin,Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis Müll. Arkiv Kemi, Mineral., och Geol.25 B, no. 6.

  • Weissman, N., W. H. Carnes, P. S. Rubin, and J. Fisher, 1952: Metachromasy of toluidine blue induced by nucleic acids. J. Amer. Chem. Soc.74, 1423.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiame, J., 1947: Étude d'une substance polyphosphorée, basophile et métachromatique chez les levures. Biochem. et Biophys. Acta1, 234.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. John W. Kelly

    Present address: Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Mass.

    John W. Kelly

  2. The Zoological Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa.

    John W. Kelly

Authors
  1. John W. Kelly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Part I of a dissertation in Zoology presented to the faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Pensylvania in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The research was supported in part by a U. S. Public Health Service grant administered by Dr. L. V. Heilbrunn.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kelly, J.W. Metachromasy in the eggs of fifteen lower animals. Protoplasma 43, 329–346 (1954). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01248274

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01248274

Keywords

Search

Navigation