Texas Journal of Microscopy - Texas Society for Microscopy

losa), a herbaceous exotic invader. All perennial species contained
calcium carbonate deposits as primary and secondary cystoliths, and
calcium oxalate prisms and druses. The herbaceous mulberry weed
contained only druses. The leaves of fiddle-leaf ficus and paper mulberry
possessed silicified trichomes, some of which with cystoliths
inside their basal cells. EDAX analysis of the trichomes showed the
presence of Ca, Si, and Mg. Calcium abundance increases towards
the tip of the hair and Si abundance towards the base of the hair.
Calcium decreases significantly at the base of the hair. The druses
as well as the cystoliths extracted from the fiddle-leaf ficus leaves
showed dominant peaks of Ca and traces of Si. In white mulberry,
a small percentage of cystoliths have a dominant peak of Si than of
Ca. Soil analyses will help explain the deposition of Si on cystoliths
of mulberry. This study will help us better understand the genetics
and environmental factors involved in mineral deposition in plants
of the mulberry family.
A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN HERBIVORE PREFERENCE AND THE
ANATOMY AND MORPHOLOGY OF FORAGE SORGHUM
LINES. M.W. PENDLETON , E. A. ELLIS , S. VITHA , F.R.
MILLER 2 , and B.B. PENDLETON 3 , Microscopy & Imaging
Center, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-2257,
2 MMR Genetics Ltd., Box 60, Vega, Texas 79092, 3 Department
of Agricultural Sciences, West Texas A&M University, Canyon,
Texas 790 6-000 .
Field trials have determined that cattle have a preference for
a specific sorghum line. Anatomical and morphological characteristics
of the preferred sorghum line are compared to those of
seven other lines. Leaf blade cross sections were fixed in 2.5%
glutaraldehyde- .0% acrolein in 0. M HEPES buffer (pH 7.2),
and post fixed in buffered % osmium tetroxide. Specimens
were dehydrated in a graded methanol series and infiltrated and
embedded in a low viscosity epoxy resin. Thick sections (0.5- .0
µm) were examined with a JEOL JSM-6400 SEM to observe leaf
epicuticular wax platelet pattern and size. Sections (5 mm thick)
of the leaf blade at approximately cm above the sheath were
made. Each section was passed through an alcohol series and 2
washes of hexamethyldisilazane. Dry samples were mounted on
aluminum stubs, coated with gold-palladium, and observed by
SEM. The mean proportion of xylem vessel diameter in relation
to the diameter of the leaf blade was very high for the preferred
line. This proportion may be related to soluble carbohydrate and
starch levels. The concentration and average size of epicuticular
wax platelets on the adaxial leaf surface was highest for the preferred
sorghum line. Wax platelet size and concentration influence
water permeability through the leaf cuticle. Soluble carbohydrate
levels, starch levels and water permeability may influence cattle
preference for sorghum lines.
0 Tex. J. Micros. 38: , 2007
INVESTIGATNG THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF EGG-
SHELL THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS: A COMPARI-
SON OF MICROCALIPER AND IMAGE ANALYSIS. H.
POURARSALAN, M. GRACEY, and S.L. WESTMORELAND,
Department of Biology and The Center for Electron Microscopy,
The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 760 9.
Eggshell thickness can be measured using a variety of methods.
One of the instruments commonly used is the micrometer caliper.
The Starrett micro caliper claims to allow measurements accurate
to 2-3 micrometers. The shell of a single egg from Kroger supermarket
was used for this experiment. Several 5 cm pieces were
broken from the equator of the egg shell and each piece was treated
with 6% sodium hypochlorite for 90 min and rinsed with deionized
water. Ten pieces were selected and the thickness of each
piece was measured three times using the Starrett micro caliper.
The data were recorded in a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and
the average of each measurement, as well as the overall averages,
were calculated. For comparison, the same pieces were broken
into .5 centimeter pieces and placed on stubs. Ten samples were
analyzed per specimen. The samples were oriented for a radial
(cross section) view and samples were sputter coated with gold
and palladium. Micrographs of each sample were taken using the
JOEL 35C SEM. The thickness of each sample was measured using
the Image Pro Plus Image Analysis Software. Three measurements
were obtained for each sample. The data were analyzed
using the student’s t-test. The average eggshell thickness of the
two measurement methods were significantly different (p = 0.03,
micro caliper mean = 333.0 ± 20.6 SD micrometers; Image Pro
Plus mean = 352.6 ± 6.6 SD micrometers).
THE USE OF SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
AND IMAGE ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE CHANGES IN
ZEBRA FINCH (TAENIOPYGIA GUTATTA) EGGSHELL
MORPHOLOGY AFTER ORAL ESTROGEN EXPOSURE
AS CHICKS. S. L. WESTMORELAND , H. POURSRSALAN ,
D. H. HAWKINS 2 , J. R. ROCHESTER 3 , J. R. MILLAM 3 , The
University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Biology and The
Center for Electron Microscopy, Arlington, Texas , The University
of Texas at Arlington, Department of Mathematics, Arlington,
Texas 2 , The University of California, Department of Animal Science,
Davis, California 3
Environmental estrogens have been implicated in changes in the
oviduct histology, reproductive performance (egg production), shell
breakage, and song systems in Zebra Finch birds (Taeniopygia guttata).
We investigated the relationship of estradiol benzoate (EB)
to eggshell thickness and morphology. Zebra Finch birds from a
breeding colony at The University of California at Davis were fed
a mixed seed diet and water ad libitum and kept on a 6L: 8D photoschedule.
Female chicks were treated for 7 days, from post-hatch
days 5- , with either orally administered EB in canola oil ( 00
nmol/g body weight) or canola oil alone (control) at microliter/g
body weight. Males were treated only with canola oil. The 25 eggs
for this study included 5 eggs from control females and 0 eggs
from EB-treated females; all eggs were the second egg laid in the
clutch. On the day of collection, eggs were split open at the equator,
emptied, rinsed with deionized water, and air dried. Three samples
were taken from each egg at the equator region and placed on aluminum
stubs. The samples were oriented for a radial (cross section)
view of the shell, coated with gold and palladium, and viewed using
SEM. Digital micrographs were recorded for all shell samples at
500X. Micrographs of shell cross sections were analyzed for shell
thickness using Image Pro Plus computer software. These data were
statistically analyzed using SAS. The experimental shells were
found to be significantly thinner than the control shells (p = 0.02,
experimental mean - control mean = -6.45 micrometers, SE=2.58).