Unusual light-reflecting pigment cells appear in the Xenopus neural tube culture system in the presence of guanosine.

Isolation and culture of Xenopus laevis neural tubes resulted in differentiation of melanophores and iridophores from neural crest cells; the differentiated melanophores and iridophores were then maintained in culture for more than 6 months. Guanosine has been reported to promote reflecting platelet formation in melanin-producing pigment cells; however, the process of pigment organellogenesis is still unclear. In the present study, unusual light-reflecting pigment cells were observed upon addition of guanosine to the neural tube culture system, which contained melanosomes specific to melanophores, and reflecting platelets specific to iridophores. Ultrastructural studies suggested that irregularly shaped reflecting platelets were formed from stage II melanosomes (the early stage of melanosome formation) in these unusual pigment cells.