Biomedical subjects

Xiang-Ping Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Xiang-Ping Wang.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Distribution changes of calcium and programmed cell death in the pistil of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) flower during its development.

Potassium pyroantimonate precipitation method was used for investigating calcium distribution and cell ultrastructure change during development of pistils of litchi male and female flower. The results showed that at the megasporocyte stage of female flowers, calcium precipitates was located mainly at cell wall and intercellular space of inner integument near the micropyle and style cells, and to a lesser extent in vacuoles. Vascular tissues also contained much calcium precipitates. In inner integument cells near the micropyle of male flowers, the vacuole contained most of the calcium precipitates. Calcium precipitates in style cell and vascular tissues of male flowers was sparse and seldom seen. After meiosis of megasporocyte, pistils of female flowers continued to grow and those of male flowers aborted. In female flowers, calcium precipitates concentration became lower and calcium precipitates was probably transported to the places for future pollen bourgeoning and fertilization. Cell wall calcium precipitates concentration increased in the inner integument cells near the micropyle. Calcium precipitates concentration increased from topper style cells to lower ones. In male flowers, inner integument cells near the micropyle underwent the programmed cell death (PCD): flow of calcium from vacuoles into nucleus might had triggered the PCD process. A continuous channel was formed between perinuclear space and cytoplasm membrane lumen, and calcium flowed freely between nuclear membrane and plasma membrane. At certain time and locations, calcium precipitates was newly appeared at some organelles like endoplasimic reticulum, mitochondria and peroxisomes. This calcium redistribution in cells might trigger and regulate the process of PCD. In male flowers, style cells containing no calcium precipitation soon began to degenerate.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2005

[Changes in cell ultrastructure during sexual determination of litchi staminate flower].

The ultrastructural changes of meristematic cell during the degeneration of gynoecium primordium leading to the formation of staminate flower of litchi were followed. Degradation of the cells and transport of the dissolved cytoplasmic components were well ordered. Configurations of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) changed significantly. ER played an important role in degenerative processes of gynoecium primordiuml cells. The degenerative processes started with the appearance of long RER cisternae throughout the cytoplasm. Some long RER cut or enclosed the cytoplasm. Some RER connected nucleus and mitochondria of adjacent cells, formed a ridge-like connection. Later the RER formed concentric patterns and then became irregular stacks. RER and golgiosome produced many vesicles, which were importance to protoplasmic degradation and intercellular transport of the cellular debris. The number of mitochondria increased up to the time when they began to degrade in batches. Peroxisomes appeared temporarily at the middle stage near the nucleus. The nucleolus disintegrated at the beginning of degeneration of nucleus. Then fragments of chromatin aggregated at the periphery of nuclear membrane and diffused outward. In some nuclei the perinuclear membrane became dilated and puffs were formed. As cell degeneration progressed, the protoplasm disintegrated and dissipated in an orderly fashion, i.e. ribosomes became disorganized first, followed by peroxisomes, ER, golgiosoms, mitochondria and nucleus. Eventually, gynoecium primordium cells digested all of the cytoplasm, leaving only cell wall with high electron density. Most of the products of degeneration of gynoecium primordium cells were removed through either symplastic or apoplastic pathways. Programmed cell death (PCD) may be involved in the degeneration of meristematic cells at the gynoecium primodium.

Endoplasmic Reticulum↗

PubMed2003

Pretectotectal pathway: an ultrastructural quantitative analysis in cats.

Both the pretectum (PT) and the superior colliculus (SC) play an important role in directing eye movements and in sensorimotor coupling. A reciprocal connection between the PT and the SC has been described, which suggests a strong interplay between these two structures. We injected the cat SC with retrograde tracers and examined the labeled pretectotectal (PTT) cells at the light and electron microscopic level. PTT cells were distributed mostly in the nucleus of the optic tract and 93.1% contained gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). We also observed that PTT cells are located outside of pretectal regions distinguished by dense retinal terminals and clusters of cells that contain calbindin. This suggests that the GABAergic PTT cells are distinct from the GABAergic pretectogeniculate cells that have been previously described as being distributed within these regions. Finally, to determine the synaptic targets of PTT terminals, we injected the PT with anterograde tracers and examined terminals labeled in the SC at the ultrastructural level. The labeled PTT terminals were beaded fibers that were distributed mainly within the stratum griseum superficiale (SGS) of the SC. Using postembedding immunocytochemistry, 94.5% were found to be GABAergic. The PTT terminals were mostly small in size and primarily contacted GABA-negative dendrites (88.1%) and in some cases somata (4.7%). The remainder terminated on GABAergic dendrites (7.2%). Our results suggest that the PTT cells constitute a separate population of GABAergic efferent cells in the PT, which may function to inhibit the activity of non-GABAergic SC efferent cells in the SGS.

Animals↗