title: Confocal microscopy study of the distribution, content and activity of mitochondria during Paracentrotus lividus development.
abstract: In the present paper we applied confocal microscopy and fluorescence technologies for studying the distribution and the oxidative activity of sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) mitochondria during development, by in vivo incubating eggs and embryos with cell-permeant MitoTracker probes. We calculated, by a mathematical model, the intensity values, the variations of intensity, and the variation index of incorporated fluorochromes. Data demonstrate that mitochondrial mass does not change during development, whereas mitochondrial respiration increases. In addition, starting from 16 blastomeres stage, some regions of the embryo contain organelles more active in oxygen consumption.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo A. Monroy, Università degli Studi di Palermo, viale delle Scienze, ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morici
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agnello
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spagnolo
authors.forename: Maria Carmela
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Roccheri
authors.forename: Carlo Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Di Liegro
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D047328:Paracentrotus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen