Lithium-induced developmental anomalies in the spirotrich ciliate Stylonychia lemnae (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida)

Lithium is known to have profound biological effects of varying intensity in different life forms. In the present investigation, the effect of lithium was studied on the spirotrich ciliate Stylonychia lemnae. Lithium treatment brings about quantitative changes in the patterning of ciliary structures...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of protistology 2015-08, Vol.51 (4), p.290-298
Main Authors: Makhija, Seema, Gupta, Renu, Toteja, Ravi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cell Proliferation - drug effects
Cilia - drug effects
Ciliary pattern
Hypotrichida - cytology
Hypotrichida - drug effects
Lithium
Lithium - toxicity
Reorganization
Stylonychia lemnae
Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
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Summary:Lithium is known to have profound biological effects of varying intensity in different life forms. In the present investigation, the effect of lithium was studied on the spirotrich ciliate Stylonychia lemnae. Lithium treatment brings about quantitative changes in the patterning of ciliary structures in S. lemnae. The dorsal surface of the affected cells develops supernumerary ciliary kineties due to excessive proliferation of the kinetosomes. The ventral surface on the other hand develops fewer than normal cirri formed from reduced numbers of ciliary primordia. The adoral zone of membranelles (AZM) fails to remodel properly as, in certain segments, membranelles become disarranged and misaligned. Lithium-induced changes are transitory as the normal pattern is restored during recovery after the cells are shifted to normal medium, suggesting non-genic regulation of cortical pattern. Lithium also affects the process of cell proliferation as the number of cells undergoing division is negligible as compared to reorganizing cells. The results point to the extremely complex and heterogeneous organization of the cellular cortex (plasma membrane and cytoskeleton) which is capable of exerting autonomous control over the phenotype and cortical pattern.
ISSN:0932-4739
1618-0429
DOI:10.1016/j.ejop.2015.06.006