Organized Living: From Cell Surfaces to Basement Membranes

2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 (196) ◽  
pp. pe34-pe34 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. J. Boudreau
Development ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-195
Author(s):  
Stephen Meier ◽  
Christopher Drake

Fibronectin has been localized to basement membranes and cell surfaces with the light microscope by fluorescent staining of thick sections, and with the TEM by immunoperoxidase reaction. However, these methods are limited because it is difficult to appreciate the patterned distribution of fibronectin from sectioned material. We have developed a probe for fibronectin that facilitates its identification with the SEM. Our probe consists of two parts; the first component is a derivatized methacrylate microsphere 90 nm in diameter, linked to purified sheep anti-rabbit IgG. The second component is anti-fibronectin IgG raised in rabbits. Stage-3 to -12 chick embryos were fixed and the ectoderm covering the cranial mesoderm was removed. Embryos were treated with testicular hyaluronidase, exposed to rabbit antifibronectin IgG and finally to sheep anti-rabbit IgG conjugated microspheres. As expected, the basal lamina of surface and neural ectoderm as well as the remaining fibrous ECM were heavily decorated with microspheres, whereas control embryos treated with preimmune serum were beadless. Fibronectin was localized on the cell soma and processes of primary mesenchyme as early as stage 3. In addition, it was possible to decorate to various extents, populations of prosencephalic, mesencephalic, and rhombencephalic cranial neural crest cells. Our studies suggest that fibronectin is present in the cranium of chick embryos at earlier times than heretofore realized, and that fibronectin accumulates in a cranial to caudal gradient that reflects the sequential differentiation of the embryonic axis.


1980 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 735-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
W H Reeves ◽  
Y S Kanwar ◽  
M G Farquhar

Glomerular development was studied in the newborn rat kidney by electron microscopy and cytochemistry. Glomerular structure at different developmental stages was related to the permeability properties of its components and to the differentiation of anionic sites in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and on endothelial and epithelia cell surfaces. Cationic probes (cationized ferritin, ruthenium red, colloidal iron) were used to determine the time of appearance and distribution of anionic sites, and digestion with specific enzymes (neuraminidase, heparinase, chondroitinases, hyaluronidases) was used to determine their nature. Native (anionic) ferritin was used to investigate glomerular permeability. The main findings were: (a) The first endothelial fenestrae (which appear before the GBM is fully assembled) possess transient, negatively charged diaphragms that bind cationized ferritin and are impermeable to native ferritin. (b). Two types of glycosaminoglycan particles can be identified by staining with ruthenium red. Large (30-nm) granules are seen only in the cleft of the S-shaped body at the time of mesenchymal migration into the renal vesicle. They consist of hyaluronic acid and possibly also chondroitin sulfate. Smaller (10-15-nm) particles are seen in the earliest endothelial and epithelial basement membranes (S-shaped body stage), become concentrated in the laminae rarae after fusion of these two membranes to form the GBM, and contain heparan sulfate. They are assumed to be precursors of the heparan sulfate-rich granules present in the mature GBM. (c) Distinctive sialic acid-rich, and sialic acid-poor plasmalemmal domains have been delineated on both the epithelial and endothelial cell surfaces. (d) The appearance of sialoglycoproteins on the epithelial cell surface concides with the development of foot processes and filtration slits. (e) Initially the GBM is loosely organized and quite permeable to native ferritin ;it becomes increasinly impermeable to ferritin as the lamina densa becomes more compact. (f) The number of endothelial fenestrae and open epithelial slits increases as the GBM matures and becomes organized into an effective barrier to the passage of native ferritin.


1986 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 1221-1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Parker

Tissue uptake, extravascular distribution volumes, and plasma-lymph equilibration of two isozymes of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were labeled with radioiodine and studied in dogs with either normal or injured lungs. Cationic LDH 5 [isoelectric point (pI) = 7.9] was initially cleared from plasma by lung tissue at a rate 1.61 times higher (9.3 vs. 5.8 X 10(-3) ml X min-1 X g-1 extravascular wet wt) than anionic LDH 1 (pI = 5.0). LDH 5 also had a significantly higher extravascular distribution volume but equilibrated more slowly between plasma and pulmonary lymph (t1/2 = 120 min) than LDH 1 (t1/2 = 78 min) in normal lungs. Respective lymph-to-plasma ratios were 0.53 and 0.43 for LDH 1 and LDH 5 after 4 h of infusion. Infusion of the isozymes 2 h after injection of alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) resulted in larger initial tissue plasma clearances for both isozymes compared with control, but greater relative tissue plasma clearances and extravascular distribution volumes for LDH 5 compared with LDH 1. Plasma-lymph equilibration half times of LDH 5 and LDH 1 were reduced after ANTU to 50 min and 41 min, respectively, whereas the respective alveolar fluid-to-plasma ratios of the two isozymes at termination of the ANTU experiments were 0.56 and 0.84. These data suggest that the fixed anionic charges on endothelial cell surfaces, intercellular junctions, basement membranes, and interstitial structures act much like a cation exchange gel to rapidly take up cationic proteins and retard the plasma-lymph equilibration of these proteins relative to anionic proteins of the same size.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1999 ◽  
Vol 145 (3) ◽  
pp. 619-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Colognato ◽  
Donald A. Winkelmann ◽  
Peter D. Yurchenco

The transition of laminin from a monomeric to a polymerized state is thought to be a crucial step in the development of basement membranes and in the case of skeletal muscle, mutations in laminin can result in severe muscular dystrophies with basement membrane defects. We have evaluated laminin polymer and receptor interactions to determine the requirements for laminin assembly on a cell surface and investigated what cellular responses might be mediated by this transition. We found that on muscle cell surfaces, laminins preferentially polymerize while bound to receptors that included dystroglycan and α7β1 integrin. These receptor interactions are mediated through laminin COOH-terminal domains that are spatially and functionally distinct from NH2-terminal polymer binding sites. This receptor-facilitated self-assembly drives rearrangement of laminin into a cell-associated polygonal network, a process that also requires actin reorganization and tyrosine phosphorylation. As a result, dystroglycan and integrin redistribute into a reciprocal network as do cortical cytoskeleton components vinculin and dystrophin. Cytoskeletal and receptor reorganization is dependent on laminin polymerization and fails in response to receptor occupancy alone (nonpolymerizing laminin). Preferential polymerization of laminin on cell surfaces, and the resulting induction of cortical architecture, is a cooperative process requiring laminin– receptor ligation, receptor-facilitated self-assembly, actin reorganization, and signaling events.


Author(s):  
P. Hernández-Jáuregui ◽  
A. Sosa ◽  
A. González Angulo

Glycocalyx is the name given by Bennett to the extracellular glycoprotein coat present in some cell surfaces. It appears to play an important role in cell properties such as antigenicity, cell adhesivity, specific permeability, and ATP ase activity. In the sperm this coat can be directly related to such important phenomena as capacitation and fertilization. The presence of glycocalyx in invertebrate spermatozoa has already been demonstrated. Recently Yanagimachi et al. has determined the negative charges on sperm surfaces of mammalian spermatozoa including man, using colloidal iron hydroxide. No mention was made however of the outer surface coat as composed of substances other than those confering a negative charge. The purpose of this work was therefore to determine the presence of a glycocalyx in human spermatozoa using alcian blue and lanthanum staining.


Author(s):  
Jared Grantham ◽  
Larry Welling

In the course of urine formation in mammalian kidneys over 90% of the glomerular filtrate moves from the tubular lumen into the peritubular capillaries by both active and passive transport mechanisms. In all of the morphologically distinct segments of the renal tubule, e.g. proximal tubule, loop of Henle and distal nephron, the tubular absorbate passes through a basement membrane which rests against the basilar surface of the epithelial cells. The basement membrane is in a strategic location to affect the geometry of the tubules and to influence the movement of tubular absorbate into the renal interstitium. In the present studies we have determined directly some of the mechanical and permeability characteristics of tubular basement membranes.


Author(s):  
T. G. Sarphie ◽  
C. R. Comer ◽  
D. J. Allen

Previous ultrastructural studies have characterized surface morphology during norma cell cycles in an attempt to associate specific changes with specific metabolic processes occurring within the cell. It is now known that during the synthetic ("S") stage of the cycle, when DNA and other nuclear components are synthesized, a cel undergoes a doubling in volume that is accompanied by an increase in surface area whereby its plasma membrane is elaborated into a variety of processes originally referred to as microvilli. In addition, changes in the normal distribution of glycoproteins and polysaccharides derived from cell surfaces have been reported as depreciating after cellular transformation by RNA or DNA viruses and have been associated with the state of growth, irregardless of the rate of proliferation. More specifically, examination of the surface carbohydrate content of synchronous KB cells were shown to be markedly reduced as the cell population approached division Comparison of hamster kidney fibroblasts inhibited by vinblastin sulfate while in metaphase with those not in metaphase demonstrated an appreciable decrease in surface carbohydrate in the former.


Author(s):  
Linda M. Sicko ◽  
Thomas E. Jensen

The use of critical point drying is rapidly becoming a popular method of preparing biological samples for scanning electron microscopy. The procedure is rapid, and produces consistent results with a variety of samples. The preservation of surface details is much greater than that of air drying, and the procedure is less complicated than that of freeze drying. This paper will present results comparing conventional air-drying of plant specimens to critical point drying, both of fixed and unfixed material. The preservation of delicate structures which are easily damaged in processing and the use of filter paper as a vehicle for drying will be discussed.


Author(s):  
John C. Garancis ◽  
Roland A. Pattillo ◽  
Robert O. Hussa ◽  
Jon V. Straumfjord

Two different cell lines (Be-Wo and Jar) of human gestational choriocarcinoma have been maintained in continuous tissue culture for a period of four and two years respectively without losing the ability to elaborate human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Tissue cultures, as revealed by electron microscopy, consisted of small cells with single nuclei. In some instances cell surfaces were provided with microvilli but more often the intercellular spaces were narrow and bridged by desmosomes. However, syncytium was not formed. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was poorly developed in both cell lines, except in some Be-Wo cells it was prominent. Golgi complex, lysosomes and numerous free ribosomes, as well as excessive cytoplasmic glycogen, were present in all cells (Fig. 1). Glycogen depletion and concomitant increase of ER were observed in many cells following a single dose of 10 ugm/ml of adrenalin added to medium (Fig. 2).


Author(s):  
Douglas R. Keene ◽  
Robert W. Glanville ◽  
Eva Engvall

A mouse monoclonal antibody (5C6) prepared against human type VI collagen (1) has been used in this study to immunolocalize type VI collagen in human skin. The enbloc method used involves exposing whole tissue pieces to primary antibody and 5 nm gold conjugated secondary antibody before fixation, and has been described in detail elsewhere (2).Biopsies were taken from individuals ranging in age from neonate to 65 years old. By immuno-electron microscopy, type VI collagen is found to be distributed as a fine branching network closely associated with (but not attached to) banded collagen fibrils containing types I and III collagen (Fig. 1). It appears to enwrap fibers, to weave between individual fibrils within a fiber, and to span the distance separating fibers, creating a “web-like network” which entraps fibers within deep papillary and reticular dermal layers (Fig. 2). Relative to that in the dermal matrix, the concentration of type VI collagen is higher around endothelial basement membranes limiting the outer boundaries of nerves, capillaries, and fat cells (Fig. 3).


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