scholarly journals A new 82-kD barbed end-capping protein (radixin) localized in the cell-to-cell adherens junction: purification and characterization.

1989 ◽  
Vol 108 (6) ◽  
pp. 2369-2382 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Tsukita ◽  
Y Hieda ◽  
S Tsukita

An 82-kD protein has been purified from the undercoat of the adherens junction isolated from the rat liver. The purification scheme includes low salt extraction followed by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange, DNase I-actin affinity, and carboxyl methyl-cellulose ion exchange chromatographies. The purified 82-kD protein was essentially free of contaminants as judged by SDS-PAGE combined with silver staining. The substoichiometric 82-kD protein largely inhibited the actin filament assembly; when the molar ratio of the 82-kD protein to G-actin was 1:1,000, the viscosity was reduced to 28% of the control value. Direct electron microscopic studies revealed that the 82-kD protein selectively inhibited monomer addition at the barbed ends of actin filaments. By use of the antibody raised against the 82-kD protein, this protein was shown by immunofluorescence microscopy to be localized at the cell-to-cell adherens junction in various types of cells. In contrast, the 82-kD protein was not concentrated at the cell-to-substrate adherens junctions (focal contacts). These findings have led us to conclude that the 82-kD protein is a barbed end-capping protein which is associated with the undercoat of the cell-to-cell adherens junction. Hence, we have tentatively designated the 82-kD protein as radixin (from the Latin word radix meaning root).

2013 ◽  
Vol 203 (5) ◽  
pp. 815-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian W. Tang ◽  
William M. Brieher

By combining in vitro reconstitution biochemistry with a cross-linking approach, we have identified focal segmental glomerulosclerosis 3/CD2-associated protein (FSGS3/CD2AP) as a novel actin barbed-end capping protein responsible for actin stability at the adherens junction. FSGS3/CD2AP colocalizes with E-cadherin and α-actinin-4 at the apical junction in polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Knockdown of FSGS3/CD2AP compromised actin stability and decreased actin accumulation at the adherens junction. Using a novel apparatus to apply mechanical stress to cell–cell junctions, we showed that knockdown of FSGS3/CD2AP compromised adhesive strength, resulting in tearing between cells and disruption of barrier function. Our results reveal a novel function of FSGS3/CD2AP and a previously unrecognized role of barbed-end capping in junctional actin dynamics. Our study underscores the complexity of actin regulation at cell–cell contacts that involves actin activators, inhibitors, and stabilizers to control adhesive strength, epithelial behavior, and permeability barrier integrity.


2007 ◽  
Vol 282 (49) ◽  
pp. 36024-36036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunju Choi ◽  
Elisabeth A. Gustafson-Wagner ◽  
Qinchuan Wang ◽  
Shannon M. Harlan ◽  
Haley W. Sinn ◽  
...  

Targeted deletion of mXinα results in cardiac hypertrophy and cardiomyopathy with conduction defects (Gustafson-Wagner, E., Sinn, H. W., Chen, Y.-L., Wang, D.-Z., Reiter, R. S., Lin, J. L.-C., Yang, B., Williamson, R. A., Chen, J. N., Lin, C.-I., and Lin, J. J.-C. (2007) Am. J. Physiol. 293, H2680-H2692). To understand the underlying mechanisms leading to such cardiac defects, the functional domains of mXinα and its interacting proteins were investigated. Interaction studies using co-immunoprecipitation, pull-down, and yeast two-hybrid assays revealed that mXinα directly interacts with β-catenin. The β-catenin-binding site on mXinα was mapped to amino acids 535-636, which overlaps with the known actin-binding domains composed of the Xin repeats. The overlapping nature of these domains provides insight into the molecular mechanism for mXinα localization and function. Purified recombinant glutathione S-transferase- or His-tagged mXinα proteins are capable of binding and bundling actin filaments, as determined by co-sedimentation and electron microscopic studies. The binding to actin was saturated at an approximate stoichiometry of nine actin monomers to one mXinα. A stronger interaction was observed between mXinα C-terminal deletion and actin as compared with the interaction between full-length mXinα and actin. Furthermore, force expression of green fluorescent protein fused to an mXinα C-terminal deletion in cultured cells showed greater stress fiber localization compared with force-expressed GFP-mXinα. These results suggest a model whereby the C terminus of mXinα may prevent the full-length molecule from binding to actin, until the β-catenin-binding domain is occupied by β-catenin. The binding of mXinα to β-catenin at the adherens junction would then facilitate actin binding. In support of this model, we found that the actin binding and bundling activity of mXinα was enhanced in the presence of β-catenin.


Author(s):  
Jan Zarzycki ◽  
Joseph Szroeder

The mammary gland ultrastructure in various functional states is the object of our investigations. The material prepared for electron microscopic examination by the conventional chemical methods has several limitations, the most important are the protein denaturation processes and the loss of large amounts of chemical constituents from the cells. In relevance to this,one can't be sure about a degree the observed images are adequate to the realy ultrastructure of a living cell. To avoid the disadvantages of the chemical preparation methods,some autors worked out alternative physical methods based on tissue freezing / freeze-drying, freeze-substitution, freeze-eatching techniqs/; actually the technique of cryoultraraicrotomy,i,e.cutting ultrathin sections from deep frozen specimens is assented as a complete alternative method. According to the limitations of the routine plastic embbeding methods we were interested to analize the mammary gland ultrastructure during lactation by the cryoultramicrotomy method.


Author(s):  
F. G. Zaki ◽  
E. Detzi ◽  
C. H. Keysser

This study represents the first in a series of investigations carried out to elucidate the mechanism(s) of early hepatocellular damage induced by drugs and other related compounds. During screening tests of CNS-active compounds in rats, it has been found that daily oral administration of one of these compounds at a dose level of 40 mg. per kg. of body weight induced diffuse massive hepatic necrosis within 7 weeks in Charles River Sprague Dawley rats of both sexes. Partial hepatectomy enhanced the development of this peculiar type of necrosis (3 weeks instead of 7) while treatment with phenobarbital prior to the administration of the drug delayed the appearance of necrosis but did not reduce its severity.Electron microscopic studies revealed that early development of this liver injury (2 days after the administration of the drug) appeared in the form of small dark osmiophilic vesicles located around the bile canaliculi of all hepatocytes (Fig. 1). These structures differed from the regular microbodies or the pericanalicular multivesicular bodies. They first appeared regularly rounded with electron dense matrix bound with a single membrane. After one week on the drug, these vesicles appeared vacuolated and resembled autophagosomes which soon developed whorls of concentric lamellae or cisterns characteristic of lysosomes (Fig. 2). These lysosomes were found, later on, scattered all over the hepatocytes.


Author(s):  
T. Mullin ◽  
G. Yee ◽  
M. Aheam ◽  
J. Trujillo

There have been numerous reports in the current literature suggesting that hematopoietic precursor cells in some human chronic myelocytic leukemias (CML) undergo lymphoblastic transformation at the time of the acute blast crisis (BC) stage. The primary evidence offered in support of this transformation theory--lymphoblastic appearing morphology, increased terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) activity, and chemotherapeutic sensitivity to vincristine and prednisone--has been indirect, however, since these features may occur in nonlymphoid cells. More direct support for the Pre-B lineage of these cells has recently been provided by immunofluorescent light microscopic studies demonstrating the presence of intracytoplasmic immunoglobulin M (IgM) in these CML-BC cells.


Author(s):  
F. G. Zaki ◽  
J. A. Greenlee ◽  
C. H. Keysser

Nuclear inclusion bodies seen in human liver cells may appear in light microscopy as deposits of fat or glycogen resulting from various diseases such as diabetes, hepatitis, cholestasis or glycogen storage disease. These deposits have been also encountered in experimental liver injury and in our animals subjected to nutritional deficiencies, drug intoxication and hepatocarcinogens. Sometimes these deposits fail to demonstrate the presence of fat or glycogen and show PAS negative reaction. Such deposits are considered as viral products.Electron microscopic studies of these nuclei revealed that such inclusion bodies were not products of the nucleus per se but were mere segments of endoplasmic reticulum trapped inside invaginating nuclei (Fig. 1-3).


Author(s):  
P. Frayssinet ◽  
J. Hanker ◽  
D. Hardy ◽  
B. Giammara

Prostheses implanted in hard tissues cannot be processed for electron microscopic examination or microanalysis in the same way as those in other tissues. For these reasons, we have developed methods allowing light and electron microscopic studies as well as microanalysis of the interface between bone and a metal biomaterial coated by plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite(HA) ceramic.An HA-coated titanium hip prosthesis (Corail, Landos, France), which had been implanted for two years, was removed after death (unrelated to the orthopaedic problem). After fixation it was dehydrated in solutions of increasing ethanol concentration prior to embedment in polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA). Transverse femur sections were obtained with a diamond saw and the sections then carefully ground to a thickness of 200 microns. Plastic-embedded sections were stained for calcium with a silver methenamine modification of the von Kossa method for calcium staining and coated by carbon. They have been examined by back-scatter SEM on an ISI-SS60 operated at 25 KV. EDAX has been done on cellular inclusions and extracellular bone matrix.


Author(s):  
G. Rowden ◽  
M. G. Lewis ◽  
T. M. Phillips

Langerhans cells of mammalian stratified squamous epithelial have proven to be an enigma since their discovery in 1868. These dendritic suprabasal cells have been considered as related to melanocytes either as effete cells, or as post divisional products. Although grafting experiments seemed to demonstrate the independence of the cell types, much confusion still exists. The presence in the epidermis of a cell type with morphological features seemingly shared by melanocytes and Langerhans cells has been especially troublesome. This so called "indeterminate", or " -dendritic cell" lacks both Langerhans cells granules and melanosomes, yet it is clearly not a keratinocyte. Suggestions have been made that it is related to either Langerhans cells or melanocyte. Recent studies have unequivocally demonstrated that Langerhans cells are independent cells with immune function. They display Fc and C3 receptors on their surface as well as la (immune region associated) antigens.


Author(s):  
T. G. Merrill ◽  
B. J. Payne ◽  
A. J. Tousimis

Rats given SK&F 14336-D (9-[3-Dimethylamino propyl]-2-chloroacridane), a tranquilizing drug, developed an increased number of vacuolated lymphocytes as observed by light microscopy. Vacuoles in peripheral blood of rats and humans apparently are rare and are not usually reported in differential counts. Transforming agents such as phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen induce similar vacuoles in in vitro cultures of lymphocytes. These vacuoles have also been reported in some of the lipid-storage diseases of humans such as amaurotic familial idiocy, familial neurovisceral lipidosis, lipomucopolysaccharidosis and sphingomyelinosis. Electron microscopic studies of Tay-Sachs' disease and of chloroquine treated swine have demonstrated large numbers of “membranous cytoplasmic granules” in the cytoplasm of neurons, in addition to lymphocytes. The present study was undertaken with the purpose of characterizing the membranous inclusions and developing an experimental animal model which may be used for the study of lipid storage diseases.


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