Article
Cell Biology
Zuzana Trebichalska, Jakub Javurek, Martina Tatickova, Drahomira Kyjovska, Sona Kloudova, Pavel Otevrel, Ales Hampl, Zuzana Holubcova
Summary: This study utilized Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) to explore the three-dimensional intracellular morphology of human oocytes. The research revealed structural changes underlying the acquisition of developmental competence in eggs, and demonstrated the potential of large volume electron microscopy for studying delicate female gametes.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Garrett Budnik, John A. Scott, Chengge Jiao, Mostafa Maazouz, Galen Gledhill, Lan Fu, Hark Hoe Tan, Milos Toth
Summary: Nanoscale fabrication and characterization techniques are crucial for various fields, including nanoelectronics and nanobiotechnology. Focused ion beam (FIB) techniques are attractive due to their high spatial resolution and widespread use in processing nanostructured materials. In this study, we introduce FIB-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (FIB-FS) as a nanoscale technique for spectroscopic detection of ion-beam sputtered atoms. We demonstrate the nanoscale lateral and depth resolution using semiconductor heterostructures, and show that the resolution is limited by ion-induced intermixing of nanostructured materials. We also demonstrate the sensitivity of FIB-FS by depth profiling of quantum wells and detection of trace-level impurities. The utility of FIB-FS is demonstrated in the characterization of quantum wells and Li-ion batteries, combining the versatility of FIB nanofabrication techniques with the power of diffraction-unlimited fluorescence spectroscopy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanan Zhu, Dapeng Sun, Andreas Schertel, Jiying Ning, Xiaofeng Fu, Pam Pam Gwo, Alan M. Watson, Laura C. Zanetti-Domingues, Marisa L. Martin-Fernandez, Zachary Freyberg, Peijun Zhang
Summary: The advancement of serial cryoFIB/SEM technology allows for the study of large volumes of near-native, fully hydrated frozen cells and tissues at voxel sizes of 10 nm and below. This capability was utilized to characterize the disruption of subcellular architecture in primary fibroblasts from a Leigh syndrome patient harboring a disease-causing mutation in USMG5 protein, responsible for impaired mitochondrial energy production.
Article
Neurosciences
Lidia Alonso-Nanclares, J. Rodrigo Rodriguez, Angel Merchan-Perez, Juncal Gonzalez-Soriano, Sergio Plaza-Alonso, Nicolas Cano-Astorga, Robert K. K. Naumann, Michael Brecht, Javier DeFelipe
Summary: The study aimed to compare the synaptic characteristics between the small brain of Etruscan shrew and the larger human brain. The findings showed that while some synaptic characteristics are similar, there are significant differences in the number and size of synapses, suggesting adaptations of synaptic circuits to specific functions.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Nicolas Cano-Astorga, Sergio Plaza-Alonso, Javier DeFelipe, Lidia Alonso-Nanclares
Summary: The synaptic organization of the human anterior cingulate and temporopolar cortices was studied using FIB/SEM and revealed that Brodmann areas 24, 21, and ventral area 38 have similar synaptic density and size, whereas dorsal area 38 has the highest density and smallest size. However, the proportion and shapes of excitatory and inhibitory synapses were similar across all regions.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marta Montero-Crespo, Marta Dominguez-Alvaro, Lidia Alonso-Nanclares, Javier DeFelipe, Lidia Blazquez-Llorca
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a common form of dementia characterized by persistent and progressive impairment of cognitive functions. Early-stage cases show normal synaptic morphology, but late-stage cases experience decreased synaptic density and morphological alterations.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marta Montero-Crespo, Marta Dominguez-Alvaro, Lidia Alonso-Nanclares, Javier DeFelipe, Lidia Blazquez-Llorca
Summary: Alzheimer's disease is a common form of dementia characterized by cognitive impairment, with extracellular protein deposits and abnormal protein accumulation in neurons. Synaptic alterations were found in different stages of the disease, with more severe changes observed in late-stage cases.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Gaku Okuma, Ryo Miyaki, Kan Shinobe, Anna Sciazko, Takaaki Shimura, Zilin Yan, Shotaro Hara, Toshinori Ogashiwa, Naoki Shikazono, Fumihiro Wakai
Summary: The study on the microstructural evolutions of Au submicron particles during free sintering and constrained sintering revealed that the anisotropy in packing structure changes with densification process and is reversed in the later stage of constrained sintering. An open pore structure model is proposed to explain the microstructural evolution in the intermediate stage.
Article
Cell Biology
Yuto Kawasaki, Yasue Hosoyamada, Takayuki Miyaki, Junji Yamaguchi, Soichiro Kakuta, Tatsuo Sakai, Koichiro Ichimura
Summary: In this study, FIB-SEM tomography with reconstruction was successfully used to describe the 3D architecture of normal GEnCs in adult rats, revealing three major subcellular compartments and two associated subcellular compartments. The reconstructed GEnCs showed high accuracy in visualizing the luminal and basal surface structures, providing valuable morphological information for the 3D pathologic evaluation of GEnCs and structural analysis of glomerular capillary system development.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Martiane Cabi, Thomas Neisius, Wilfried Blanc
Summary: The study investigates the evolution of particles during the fabrication of particle-containing glass fibers. It aims to quantify the composition, size, and shape distribution of Mg-silicate particles in the initial silica-based preform and final fibers to better understand the mechanisms involved in the drawing step. The experimental approach using microscopy techniques found that particle composition remains unchanged during drawing, but significant modifications in particle shape within the fibers were observed and discussed.
MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jie Li, Hamza Sohail, Muhammad Azher Nawaz, Chaowei Liu, Ping Yang
Summary: The study used iTRAQ proteomic approach to demonstrate the positive impact of 24-epibrassinolide on the physiological metabolism of pepper seedlings under chilling stress, improving plant tolerance to cold stress by enhancing photosynthesis and altering cell structure. This was achieved by analyzing 346 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) related to various pathways, including photosynthesis, metabolism, and stress defense mechanisms.
PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
V. Gonzalez-Ruiz, J. P. Garcia-Ortiz, M. R. Fernandez-Fernandez, J. J. Fernandez
Summary: In this study, an Optical Flow (OF)-driven interpolation strategy was developed to address the significant changes between consecutive images in FIB-SEM stacks. The approach compensated for variations by aligning the spatial regions of the biological structures using OF, resulting in sharp interpolated images. The OF-driven interpolation outperformed classical interpolation methods and produced isotropic resolution in anisotropic data.
COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jaclyn McCoy, Marc Nahmani
Summary: This article presents a methodological pipeline for the rapid 3D analysis of subcellular structures, focusing on identifying and tracing structures within thin neuronal processes. It also includes a list of freely available software programs for data analysis and offers tips for improving 3D reconstructions.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Maryna Ivanchenko, Artur A. Indzhykulian, David P. Corey
Summary: Hair cells in the vertebrate inner ear have actin-filled protrusions called stereocilia which mediate mechanosensitivity. Hereditary deafness is often linked to abnormalities in stereocilia bundles, making them essential for understanding genetic hearing loss models. Electron microscopy techniques, such as TEM and SEM, are crucial for studying stereocilia morphology and protein localization.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Turhan Yilmaz, Dilmini Alahakoon, Anne Fennell
Summary: The study revealed significant differences in cold hardiness and chilling fulfillment among four cold climate grapevine cultivars. Marquette showed the highest freezing tolerance, making it a potential sentinel cultivar for comparisons of new selections, while Brianna acclimated slower and deacclimated more rapidly than the other cultivars.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lukas Pfeifer, Jon Utermoehlen, Kathrin Happ, Charlotte Permann, Andreas Holzinger, Klaus von Schwartzenberg, Birgit Classen
Summary: Charophyte green algae are considered the closest relatives of land plants, and a study found that Spirogyra cell walls contain arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs), while Nitellopsis cell walls do not, indicating a difference in the presence of these special glycoproteins between the two late branching CGA.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tatiana Mikhailyuk, Oksana Vinogradova, Andreas Holzinger, Karin Glaser, Yuri Akimov, Ulf Karsten
Summary: Timaviella Sciuto & Moro is a recently established cryptic genus of cyanobacteria, and Timaviella edaphica is a common terrestrial species but with varying strains. A new species, Timaviella dunensis, is described, along with an expanded description of T. edaphica. The article includes a tabular review of Timaviella species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Charlotte Permann, Mattia Pierangelini, Daniel Remias, Louise A. Lewis, Andreas Holzinger
Summary: This study compares the photophysiological performance and phenolic content of two isolates of Zygnema from subpolar and polar regions. The results show that Zygnema strains cannot adapt to elevated temperatures.
Review
Cell Biology
Philip Steiner, Elisabeth Arlt, Ingrid Boekhoff, Thomas Gudermann, Susanna Zierler
Summary: This article focuses on the function of two-pore channels (TPCs) in mast cells, which play a crucial role in regulating calcium homeostasis and mast cell degranulation. TPC1 inhibition increases histamine release, while TPC channel activation enhances calcium release from endolysosomes, improving regulated mast cell degranulation. Thus, TPC1 is important for regulating calcium homeostasis in mast cells and has potential as a pharmacological target in anti-inflammatory therapy.
Article
Microbiology
Siegfried Aigner, Erwann Arc, Michael Schletter, Ulf Karsten, Andreas Holzinger, Ilse Kranner
Summary: This study reports on the responses and metabolic adjustments to light, temperature, and desiccation in two algal strains, D. epiphytica and E. mirabilis. The results show that the desiccation-tolerant strain D. epiphytica accumulated more compatible solutes, while the desiccation-sensitive strain C. vulgaris showed greater variation in metabolite accumulation after desiccation and rehydration. These findings are important for understanding the adaptation mechanisms of microalgae.
Review
Plant Sciences
Charlotte Permann, Burkhard Becker, Andreas Holzinger
Summary: Zygnematophyceae green algae have developed various mechanisms to adapt to temperature and light stresses on land, such as self-shading, phenolic compounds, and multilayer cell walls.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Clara Bertel, Dominik Kaplenig, Maria Ralser, Erwann Arc, Filip Kolar, Guillaume Wos, Karl Huelber, Andreas Holzinger, Ilse Kranner, Gilbert Neuner
Summary: The study investigated the leaf traits of alpine and foothill ecotypes of Arabidopsis arenosa and found significant differences in many traits, which may be plastic adjustments to the local environment rather than geographical origins.
Article
Plant Sciences
Matthias Stegner, Othmar Buchner, Michael Gesslbauer, Jasmin Lindner, Alexander Floerl, Nannan Xiao, Andreas Holzinger, Notburga Gierlinger, Gilbert Neuner
Summary: Conifer (Pinaceae) needles, with exceptional leaf anatomy, have important implications for ice management and photosynthesis during freezing. Needle freezing behavior was evaluated based on natural freezing strain measurements at the alpine treeline. Ice localization and cellular responses were examined using cryo-microscopic techniques, and photosynthetic activity was assessed through gas exchange measurements. The lignification patterning of cell walls in mountain pine needles serves as ice barriers, preventing freeze-dehydration and enabling gas exchange in frozen needles. The elaborate needle freezing pattern appears to be ecologically important at the treeline.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Ekaterina Pushkareva, Josef Elster, Andreas Holzinger, Sarina Niedzwiedz, Burkhard Becker
Summary: This study investigates the microbial community composition in biocrusts of arctic and sub-arctic regions. The results show variations in the abundance and diversity of microorganisms in different regions, which are correlated with environmental factors.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Andreas Holzinger, Niklas Plag, Ulf Karsten, Karin Glaser
Summary: In this study, Ulvophyceae species Trentepohlia aurea, T. umbrina, and T. jolithus were collected from different locations in Germany. T. aurea showed only partial recovery of photosynthetic yield after desiccation and rehydration, while T. umbrina and T. jolithus fully recovered. T. aurea had the lowest compatible solute concentration and highest C/N ratio, and all Trentepohlia species had high carotenoid to Chl a ratios.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thomas Roach, Gilbert Neuner, Ilse Kranner, Othmar Buchner
Summary: Heat and drought stresses are important topics in the context of climate change, especially in the Alps. A study found that alpine plants can gradually adapt to heat and achieve maximum tolerance within a week. The antioxidant mechanisms of Primula minima leaves that were heat hardened without or with additional drought stress were investigated. The results showed a weakened low-molecular-weight antioxidant defense but increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, particularly under drought conditions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Gilbert Neuner, Othmar Buchner
Summary: Climate change increases the severity and duration of heatwaves, which has a significant impact on plants. The current method of determining heat limits for plants is based on a 30-minute test, which fails to consider the effect of heat-dose (intensity x exposure-duration) on heat limits. This study measured heat limits for dysfunction and damage in alpine species after exposure to various heat-doses, and found that exposure-duration had a significant impact on these heat limits. The findings suggest the need for a more comprehensive approach to assessing plants' heat tolerance.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Charlotte Permann, Martina Pichrtova, Tereza Soljakova, Klaus Herburger, Pierre-Henri Jouneau, Clarisse Uwizeye, Denis Falconet, Eric Marechal, Andreas Holzinger
Summary: In this study, we analyzed the conjugation process and zygospore morphology of a field-sampled Zygnema strain. The images obtained from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and 3D reconstructions provide insights into the physiological processes involved in the maturation of Zygnema zygospores. These observations help to understand the mechanisms that facilitated the transition from water to land in Zygnematophyceae.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Desiree P. Juchem, Katherina Schimani, Andreas Holzinger, Charlotte Permann, Nelida Abarca, Oliver Skibbe, Jonas Zimmermann, Martin Graeve, Ulf Karsten
Summary: In this study, the researchers found that Antarctic benthic diatoms are able to survive the polar night by utilizing stored lipids, despite variations in the types of fatty acids involved in different species. During the polar night, the chloroplasts degrade, but the photosynthetic performance remains relatively stable. These findings reveal the physiological mechanisms that allow Antarctic benthic diatoms to survive in extreme environments.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Nina Rittmeier, Andreas Holzinger
Summary: This study investigated the chromosome visualization methods in the filamentous green alga Zygnema. Existing protocols were modified to allow reliable chromosome counting in this genus. The challenges of interference from cell wall components and random cell divisions were addressed.