Midbodies and beaded threads

Abstract

When the dorsal surface of the young chick embryo is examined by SEM, long threads are visible, each of which appears to connect pairs of cells; these cells may be separated from each other by several intervening cells. Many of the threads possess a bead-like structure about half way along their length. When sections of the beads are examined by TEM they are found to resemble midbodies. Furthermore, the threads possess longitudinally arranged structures within them, which are probably the remnants of the microtubules which were part of a mitotic spindle. It is concluded that each bead is a midbody and that each beaded thread is the remains of a telophase bridge connecting two daughter cells which were incompletely separated after mitosis had taken place. The possible function of the beaded threads is considered.