Tubular membranes extended between monolayer cells, from solid spheroids, and from clustered hollow spheroids in Ishikawa endometrial cell cultures can carry chromatin granules and mitonucleons

Membrane tubular extensions, recently recognized an important communication element in mammalian cells are demonstrated to form in Ishikawa endometrial epithelial cells growing in monolayers, and to extend from solid spheroids and from clustered hollow spheroids. Two kinds of chromatin cargoes travel through these tubules. Chromatin granules can pass through an endometrial tubule bridge extending from one monolayer fragment to another. The passage of granules over time from one of the fragments appears to support the self-assembly of nuclei in the other colony fragment. Similarly, in a process detected by observing an open-ended membrane tubule extending from a solid cell spheroid, a nucleus was observed to form over a period of 3 hours. Indications are that chromatin granules such as those observed in the amitotic processes of epithelial dome cell formation and of hollow spheroid cell formation are contributing to the build up of nuclei. Mitonucleons, a transient subcellular organelle consisting of fused mitochondria intimately associated with aggregated chromatin are also observed to pass through tubular membrane extensions. Multiple membrane extensions can be shown to to extend from clusters of unicellular polyploid hollow spheroids whose formation is described for the first time in this paper.

Tubular membranes extended between monolayer cells, from solid spheroids, and from clustered hollow spheroids in Ishikawa endometrial cell cultures can carry chromatin granules and mitonucleons

Membrane tubular extensions, recently recognized an important communication element in mammalian cells are demonstrated to form in Ishikawa endometrial epithelial cells growing in monolayers, and to extend from solid spheroids and from clustered hollow spheroids. Two kinds of chromatin cargoes travel through these tubules. Chromatin granules can pass through an endometrial tubule bridge extending from one monolayer fragment to another. The passage of granules over time from one of the fragments appears to support the self-assembly of nuclei in the other colony fragment. Similarly, in a process detected by observing an open-ended membrane tubule extending from a solid cell spheroid, a nucleus was observed to form over a period of 3 hours. Indications are that chromatin granules such as those observed in the amitotic processes of epithelial dome cell formation and of hollow spheroid cell formation are contributing to the build up of nuclei. Mitonucleons, a transient subcellular organelle consisting of fused mitochondria intimately associated with aggregated chromatin are also observed to pass through tubular membrane extensions. Multiple membrane extensions can be shown to to extend from clusters of unicellular polyploid hollow spheroids whose formation is described for the first time in this paper.

Tropidomyrmex elianae, a new myrmicine ant genus and species from Brazil, tentatively assigned to Solenopsidini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

A new myrmicine ant, Tropidomyrmex elianae gen. n. & sp. n., is described from southeastern and central Brazil, based on workers, ergatoid gynes, males and larvae. Tropidomyrmex workers are relatively small, monomorphic, characterized mainly by the feebly pigmented and extremely thin integument; subfalcate mandibles bearing a single apical tooth; palpal formula 1,2; clypeus relatively broad and convex; reduced compound eyes; propodeum unarmed and with a strongly medially depressed declivous face; double and bilobed well developed subpostpetiolar processes; and peculiarities in the sting apparatus. A colony fragment of T. elianae containing workers, ergatoid gynes, males, and brood was found inside a ground termite nest (Anoplotermes pacificus Apicotermitinae) in a montane rocky scrubland in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. Tropidomyrmex elianae is known also from two workers collected in leaf litter samples processed with a Winkler extractor, from the state of Tocantins, central-north Brazil. Despite the differences from the accepted solenopsidine genera, Tropidomyrmex is tentatively assigned to this tribe. Within the solenopsidine ants, the genus is apparently related to Tranopelta. Tropidomyrmex is marked by extreme reductions, perhaps reflecting adaptations to particular habits and habitats.

New data on soft corals (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) from Nha Trang Bay, South China Sea

A new species of Eleutherobia is described, enlarging the Eleutherobia species group that lack sclerites in the anthocodiae. The Octocorallia of the South-China Sea are poorly known, and the data that is presented provides a new record of the genus for Vietnam. The original description of Sinularia manaarensis Verseveldt, 1980 was based on a single incomplete colony fragment collected in 1902 near Ceylon (Verseveldt, 1980, Pl. 16, Fig. 3). Here we present data on both living and preserved S. manaarensis colonies that were found in Nha Trang Bay (South China Sea) in 2006. The club-shaped surface sclerites with wide flattened handles are characteristic of the species. Images of live colonies are given along with a biogeographical discussion. S. arctium sp. nov., is also described. It has a remarkable assortment of sclerites, which includes both leptoclados- like clubs and warty clubs with a distinct central wart.