Balamuthia mandrillaris: the multiple nuclei of Balamuthia amebas; their location, activity, and site of development

TitleBalamuthia mandrillaris: the multiple nuclei of Balamuthia amebas; their location, activity, and site of development
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsDunnebacke TH
JournalExp Parasitol
Volume126
Issue1
Pagination14 - 21
Date PublishedSep
ISSN1090-2449 (Electronic) 0014-4894 (Linking)
Accession Number19857489
KeywordsAmoebozoa / cytology / *ultrastructure, Animals, Cell Division, Cell Nucleus / genetics / physiology / *ultrastructure, Humans, Mitosis, Pseudopodia / ultrastructure, Rosaniline Dyes
Abstract

Multiple nuclei were first noted in the pseudopodia of Balamuthia mandrillaris amebas feeding on mammalian cells. Phase microscope observations of live amebas in vitro reveal that while many amebas have a single nucleus, others have multiple nuclear-like structures, now confirmed as nuclei with hematoxylin and Feulgen stains. In the live cultures, two nuclei located near the tip of an extended pseudopodium were seen to fuse resulting in one larger morphologic unit. Such merging of nuclei has not been previously reported. Other nuclei were located at positions that subsequently became the site for the outgrowth of an additional pseudopod branch. A newly discovered large structure, a polyploid nucleus, was located in the mid-part of the ameba. Nucleoli of uniform size were seen to develop from the central mass of chromatin and each became surrounded by a vesicular component as they moved into the protoplasm as morphologically complete nuclei.

DOI10.1016/j.exppara.2009.10.012
Short TitleBalamuthia mandrillaris: the multiple nuclei of Balamuthia amebas; their location, activity, and site of development
Notify Library Reference ID461

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