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- Title
‘Nectosome’: a novel cytoplasmic vesicle containing nectin in the egg of the sea urchin, Temnopleurus hardwickii.
- Authors
Kato, Koichi H.; Abe, Tetsuya; Nakashima, Seiko; Matranga, Valeria; Zito, Francesca; Yokota, Yukio
- Abstract
Localization of an extracellular matrix protein, Th-nectin, in the eggs and embryos of the sea urchin Temnopleurus hardwickii was examined by both immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The protein is associated with a tubular structure packaged in rod-shaped vesicles that were designated as ‘nectosomes’. In unfertilized eggs, nectosomes are distributed uniformly throughout the cytoplasm, but after fertilization, they gradually translocate to the cortical zone where they are arranged perpendicular to the plasma membrane. The migration of the nectosomes was strongly inhibited by cytochalasin B, which suggested that microfilaments play an important role in this process. Immunocytochemical and immunoblotting analyses both ascertained that nectin is secreted into the hyaline layer. Some nectosomes remain in the apical cytoplasm of dermal cells until the gastrula stage. Ultrastructural examination revealed that the accumulation of nectosomes in the oocyte cytoplasm begins quite early in oogenesis, concomitant with the accumulation of cortical vesicles.
- Subjects
EXTRACELLULAR matrix proteins; SEA urchins; CYTOPLASM; EGGS; CELLS; OOGENESIS
- Publication
Development, Growth & Differentiation, 2004, Vol 46, Issue 3, p239
- ISSN
0012-1592
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1440-169X.2004.00741.x