Figure 4

Ultrastructure of Cpn infected HASMC. Cells were either infected with 128 IFU/cell Cpn-K6 for 72 h (B,C) or incubated with staurosporin 1 μM for 16 h (D) or were left untreated (A). A: Untreated HASMC with normal ultrastructure, note the elongated nucleus with finely dispersed euchromatin. B: HASMC with a typical Cpn inclusion. The membrane bound vesicle contains dark (= elementary bodies) and pale (= reticular bodies) stained bacteria. The chromatin structure in the nucleus is unchanged. C: Cpn infected HASMC undergoing cell death. The nucleus is characterized by highly condensed heterochromatin (arrow head) and a compact nucleolus and is surrounded by dilate organelles (arrow). The cell membrane is completely disrupted. D: Staurosporin treated HASMC. The nucleus is partially fragmented containing patchy condensed heterochromatin (arrow heads).