Fine Cellular Processes Research Articles

Scanning and freeze-fracture electron microscopy of rabies virus infection in murine neuroblastoma cells

A persistent infection of CVS strain of rabies virus was established in murine neuroblastoma cells, C-1300, by a serial passage of the cells infected with a low input multiplicity. Little cytopathic effects were seen in the infected cultures and the cell growth was not interfered, although 90–100% of the cells were bearing intracytoplasmic inclusions and the infectious virus was constantly recovered from the supernatant. Scanning electron microscopy disclosed preferential budding of the virus from fine cellular processes with a relative sparing of the cell body. Freeze-fracture of the infected cells revealed that the intracytoplasmic inclusion (matrix) was composed of an aggregate of fine particles with a diameter of approximately 200 Å. Intramembrane particles were distributed sparsely and randomly in the viral envelope.

Application of the Critical Point Dried Whole Cell Technique to the Study of Animal Rhabdoviruses

The critical point dried (CPD) whole cell technique was applied to the study of the morphogenesis and morphology of rabies virus and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in mouse neuroblastoma and baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. With the stereoscopic technique, progeny viruses at the cell surface and within the cytoplasm of the CPD whole cells were clearly visualized. The presence of many fine cellular processes and of virus budding from these processes were prominent features of the infected cells. Long strings of virus particles and virus apparently fused into different forms were often seen; a possible mechanism for the formation of these aberrant forms is discussed. Negative staining of the CPD whole cells clearly revealed the detailed structure of virus particles in the process of budding.