During early Drosophila embryogenesis, several zygotic gene products act to establish a posttranscriptional activity gradient of the morphogen DPP. Among these molecules, Tolloid, a putative metalloprotease related to BMP-1, enhances DPP function, while SOG, an ortholog of the Xenopus organizer Chordin, inhibits DPP function. Using epistasis tests and a Xenopus secondary axis induction assay, we show that TLD negates the inhibitory effects of SOG/CHD on DPP/BMP-type ligands. In transient transfection assays, we demonstrate that TLD cleaves SOG and that cleavage is stimulated by DPP. We propose that formation of the embryonic DPP activity gradient involves the opposing effects of SOG inhibiting DPP and TLD processing SOG to release DPP from the inhibitory complex.

We have identified two members of a novel class of genes in Drosophila that encode putative transmembrane proteins with six leucine-rich repeats and a single immunoglobulin loop. These two molecules, Kek1 and Kek2, show striking conservation in their extracellular domains and have large and more divergent intracellular regions. Both genes are expressed in neurons as they differentiate in the embryonic central nervous system (CNS). kek1 is also expressed in other patterned epithelia, such as the follicle cells of the developing egg chamber, where it is found in a dorsal-ventral gradient around the oocyte. The homology of the kek genes to other known adhesion and signaling molecules, together with their expression patterns, suggests that both genes are involved in interactions at the cell surface. Genetic analysis reveals that deletion of the kek1 gene causes no obvious developmental defects. The coexpression of kek2 in the CNS leads us to suggest that Kek1 is part of a family of cell surface proteins with redundant function.

Background: Cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) act as co-receptors for multiple families of growth factors that regulate animal cell proliferation, differentiation and patterning. Elimination of heparan sulfate during brain development is known to produce severe structural abnormalities. Here we investigate the developmental role played by one particular HSPG, glypican-1 (Gpc1), which is especially abundant on neuronal cell membranes, and is the major HSPG of the adult rodent brain.

Thin sections of Trypanosoma cruzi in tissue cultures and from blood agar medium have been examined with the electron microscope.In the leishmania and crithidia forms of the parasite a neat separation of kinetonucleus and blepharoplast has been obtained and these structures are described. The blepharoplast is the row of basal corpuscles which give origin to the axial fibres of the flagellum.Division of the parasite seems to begin in the basal corpuscles; it is followed by binary division of the kinetonucleus and only later by fission of nucleus and cytoplasm.During the development of the leishmania into the crithidia form, the kinetonucleus and basal bodies are dislocated towards the posterior half of the trypanosome. The migration of these two structures and the consequent lengthening of the flagellum causes the surface membrane of the flagellum to be pushed inwards to form a deep invagination, so that the flagellum comes to the surface of the body and is separated from it along its whole length by its own sheath.In the adult form of the parasite a great vacuole is formed near the posterior tip of the trypanosome. It has no definite structure in the electron microscope, is transparent and seems to be filled with a liquid content. The basal corpuscles are situated in this region near the wall of the vacuole. The typical structure of the kinetonucleus could not be identified with certainty in these forms; it seems to be altered by the formation of the vacuole.The vacuole is crossed by a fibre system which comes from the body of the trypanosome and is often dislodged by the size of the vacuole. This fibre system ends in a sharply pointed process of varying length.The cost of reproduction of figures was defrayed by the Instituto de Biofísica da Universidade do Brasil.

SYNOPSIS. The exoerythrocytic forms of Plasmodium gallinaceum in thin sections of infected tissue cultures have been examined with the electron microscope. It was seen that important changes occur in the fine structure of the parasite during the various phases of the cycle. The cytoplasm of the merozoites at the beginning and at the end of each cycle shows a great electron density due to a fine granulation. Larger granules are found at one pole of the parasite. The merozoites have a large nucleus in the center, and an oval body of great electron density at one pole, the significance of which is unknown. Short canaliculi can also be seen in the cytoplasm, but no mitochondria have been found. The cytoplasm of the schizonts shows a low electron density. It contains small particles scattered irregularly throughout its whole mass. The nuclei are not well defined; the oval body observed in the merozoites apparently has disappeared. Short canaliculi are present everywhere; however, mitochondria could not be identified with certainty. In the final phase of the cycle, in the rosette formations, the cytoplasm assumes again the fine granular structure. The future merozoites are grouped around a cytoplasmic core, with which they are directly connected. The whole segmenter is situated in a vacuole formation. In cross sections of the merozoites an opening in the central pole has been observed.