Changes in marine turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) epidermis and skin mucus composition during development from bilateral larvae to juvenile flat fish

Alike other flat fish, marine turbot has the particularity that changes from larvae with bilateral symmetry to adult with asymmetry, in terms of the position of the eyes. As expected, the skin configuration of this species is also affected by the development and transformation suffered by fish during metamorphosis. In this context, changes in the epidermis of marine turbot were studied using conventional staining and histochemical techniques using six lectins (UEA-I, PNA, RCA-I, WGA, Con A and SBA). During development from larvae to juvenile (3–300 days post-hatching), the epidermis increased in both thickness and the number of cell layers. In fact, the simple cuboidal epithelium observed in larvae at day 3 already became stratified at days 10–12, which sequentially increase in thickness with fish development. Turbot epidermis is composed basically of four cell types: epithelial and mucous or secretory cells that are present through the development, and pigmented cells and a type that the authors described as club-like cells that appear during and post-metamorphosis. The Alcian blue-periodic acid Schiff (AB-PAS) histochemical method revealed the presence of neutral glycoconjugates in mucous and club-like cells at post-metamorphic stages of fish. Accordingly, lectin analysis showed mucous cells containing glycoproteins rich in fucose (UEA-I labelling) and glycoconjugates rich in the sequence galactose-N-acetyl galactosamine (PNA and RCA-I labelling) when this cell type appears. Interestingly, melanophores were observed in the dorsal epidermis of post-metamorphic juveniles. This type of cell contains a black-to-brown pigment that provides the skin the typical colour of this fish species. Changes in mucous coat composition were observed during fish development, which was attributed to different roles of the glycoconjugates.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. CGL 2009-07904Universidade de Vigo/ CISU

Optimización de un método de doble tinción para la demostración simultánea de astrocitos y microglía en bulbo olfativo

Este trabajo se centra en la técnica de marcaje de células gliales (astrocitos y microglía) procedentes de bulbos olfativos humanos. Para el caso de los astrocitos se utilizó el método inmunocitoquímico con el anticuerpo anti-GFAP (proteína gliofibrilar ácida), sabiendo que en estas células se encuentra una gran cantidad de esta proteína. Sin embargo, la tinción de la microglía se realizó usando dos tipos de lectinas: Lycopersicon esculentum (TL) y Ricinus communis (RCA-I). Mediante esta técnica se mejoró la diferenciación cromática de las células gliales en comparación con el método de Villacampa et al. (2013).Instituto cultura ciencia y tecnologíaConsellería de Economía empleo y industria (Xunta de Galicia)Agencia de Innovación (gain

Herramientas de código abierto para la creación de un sitio web didáctico: El atlas de histología de la Universidad de Vigo

Las herramientas docentes disponibles libremente en Internet son numerosas y abarcan prácticamente todos los ámbitos del conocimiento. Las grandes instituciones docentes ofrecen recursos didácticos de forma libre y abierta en sus sitios institucionales en Internet, ofreciendo contenidos e itinerarios de aprendizaje en formato digital. El Atlas de Histología es un sito web de la Universidad de Vigo dedicado a los tejidos vegetales y animales cuyo contenido es de acceso abierto y uso libre. Esto permite no sólo acceso abierto sino la utilización y modificación de sus contenidos para usos docentes. Siguiendo con esta filosofía, en su construcción se ha empleado software de código abierto para crear las páginas HTML, para la manipulación de imágenes, para los ejercicios, contadores, etcétera. La variedad y libertad de uso de estos programas informáticos ha permitido abordar aspectos del sitio web que de otra manera no se hubieran planteado. La corriente de liberar herramientas y contenidos bajo licencias tipo GPL o Creative Commons está llevando a la creación de sitios de aprendizaje abierto (“open learning”) y plataformas educativas que facilitan el autoaprendizaje

Narcea—an unknown, ancient cultivated rose variety from northern Spain

The present work reports the discovery and the complete characterisation of an ancient cultivated rose variety found growing in a private garden in the southwest of the Principality of Asturias (northern Spain). The variety is here given the name Narcea. The majority of roses currently cultivated belong to the so-called group of ‘Modern Roses’, all of which were obtained after 1867 via artificial crosses and improvement programmes. All are destined for ornamental use. Until the 19th century, the great majority of the many ancient cultivated roses in Europe were used in perfumery and cosmetics, or had medicinal uses. Rosa damascena and Rosa centifollia are still grown and used by the French and Bulgarian perfume industries. The Asturian Massif of the Cantabrian Mountain Range provides a natural habitat for some 75% of the wild members of the genus Rosa, but until now there was no evidence that this area was home to ancient cultivated roses. A complete botanical description is here provided for a discovered ancient rose. It is also characterised according to a series of sequence tagged microsatellite sites, and its agronomic features are reported. In addition, a histological description (optical and scanning electronic microscope studies) of the petals is offered, along with an analysis of the volatile compounds present in these organs as determined by solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The results reveal the uniqueness of this ancient type of rose and suggest it may be of interest to the perfume industry