Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

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Plasmid
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Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#1 Post by Plasmid » Wed Nov 04, 2020 5:17 pm

>>>>Is it possible to see ribosomes with a compound microscope? I was able to snap this short video using my cell phone camera of a Spirogyra cell, in it you'll be able to see round objects moving from one side of the cell to the other, the chloroplast and pyrinoid are clearly visible and are the larger round units, and so I'm wondering if the little round moving spheres are indeed cytoplasmic ribosomal units?
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ImperatorRex
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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#2 Post by ImperatorRex » Wed Nov 04, 2020 5:59 pm

Hi Plasmid,
nice catch. Maybe it could also be mitochondria?

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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#3 Post by Wes » Wed Nov 04, 2020 5:59 pm

Absolutely not, you can't see single ribosomes not even polysomes (multiple ribosomes on the same mRNA as string on beads). Best case scenario you can see things like Nissl granules in neurons which are made up of large amounts of rough endplasmic reticulum that stains well with basic dyes because of the high amount of negatively charged ribosomal RNA present.

I also see the granules you documented moving around due to actomyosin complex facilitated cyclosis but did not reach as far as identifying what they are. I think they are storage granules of some sort, like little starchy bumps shuffled around.
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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#4 Post by ImperatorRex » Wed Nov 04, 2020 6:12 pm

The mitochondria inside the microtubuli would be still withing the visible size range (size 0.5 micrometer to 1 micrometer)

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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#5 Post by Plasmid » Wed Nov 04, 2020 6:34 pm

Thank you for the clarification, doing some research into it , I read that its could be in fact storage granules, although mitochondria are also visible with a compound microscope , it mentioned that the use of a dye was required. Is there any specimen where the mitochondria is clearly visible at higher magnification without a dye ?

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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#6 Post by Wes » Wed Nov 04, 2020 6:55 pm

This is a video of onion cells showing cyclosis (cytoplasmic streaming). You can see 2 classes of objects, big highly refractile bodies (storage granules I suspect) and if you pay close attention you can spot smaller bodies of lower contrast that appears somewhat more heterogenous in shape (visible in some planes of the second and third frames). I think these are mitochondria. One can definitely see mitochondria with a light microscope, especially in a fluorescent microscope if the mitochondria are labelled with GFP or mitotracker but high resolution DIC microscopy with contrast enhancement can clearly show mitochondria (if I find such a DIC video I'll post it here).



Btw I have a video showing the tip of a Spirogyra with lots of moving stuff including big chunks of cytoplasmic content getting transferred around. In case you are interested I can upload it to youtube.
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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#7 Post by LouiseScot » Sat Nov 21, 2020 5:16 pm

Wes wrote:
Wed Nov 04, 2020 6:55 pm
Btw I have a video showing the tip of a Spirogyra with lots of moving stuff including big chunks of cytoplasmic content getting transferred around. In case you are interested I can upload it to youtube.
Yes, please do!
Thanks
Louise
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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#8 Post by Wes » Sat Nov 21, 2020 6:53 pm

LouiseScot wrote:
Sat Nov 21, 2020 5:16 pm
Wes wrote:
Wed Nov 04, 2020 6:55 pm
Btw I have a video showing the tip of a Spirogyra with lots of moving stuff including big chunks of cytoplasmic content getting transferred around. In case you are interested I can upload it to youtube.
Yes, please do!
Thanks
Louise
As you wish, sir!

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Re: Spirogyra Ribosomes at 1000x?

#9 Post by LouiseScot » Sat Nov 21, 2020 7:48 pm

Cool! Thanks
Louise
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