Transmembrane phospholipid distribution revealed by freeze-fracture replica labeling

1996 ◽  
Vol 109 (10) ◽  
pp. 2453-2460 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Fujimoto ◽  
M. Umeda ◽  
T. Fujimoto
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Secretory Granules ◽  
General Scheme ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Electron Microscopic Observation ◽  
Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Intracellular Membranes

We propose the use of membrane splitting by freeze-fracture for differential phospholipid analysis of protoplasmic and exoplasmic membrane leaflets (halves). Unfixed cells or tissues are quick-frozen, freeze-fractured, and platinum-carbon (Pt/C) shadowed. The Pt/C replicas are then treated with 2.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to solubilize unfractured membranes and to release cytoplasm or contents. While the detergent dissolves unfractured membranes, it would not extract lipids from split membranes, as their apolar domains are stabilized by their Pt/C replicas. After washing, the Pt/C replicas, along with attached protoplasmic and exoplasmic membrane halves, are processed for immunocytochemical labeling of phospholipids with antibody, followed by electron microscopic observation. Here, we present the application of the SDS-digested freeze-fracture replica labeling (SDS-FRL) technique to the transmembrane distribution of a major membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC), in various cell and intracellular membranes. Immunogold labeling revealed that PC is exclusively localized on the exoplasmic membrane halves of the plasma membranes, and the intracellular membranes of various organelles, e.g. nuclei, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, secretory granules, and disc membranes of photoreceptor cells. One exception to this general scheme was the plasma membrane forming the myelin sheath of neurons and the Ca(2+)-treated erythrocyte membranes. In these cell membranes, roughly equal amounts of immunogold particles for PC were seen on each outer and inner membrane half, implying a symmetrical transmembrane distribution of PC. Initial screening suggests that the SDS-FRL technique allows in situ analysis of the transmembrane distribution of membrane lipids, and at the same time opens up the possibility of labeling membranes such as intracellular membranes not normally accessible to cytochemical labels without the distortion potentially associated with membrane isolation procedures.

scholarly journals Hydrogen-ion titration studies on erythrocyte membranes

1976 ◽  
Vol 156 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Hallam ◽  
J M Wrigglesworth
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Structure ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Spectrophotometric Assay ◽  
Hydrogen Ion ◽  
Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Chemical Treatments ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Selective Chemical ◽  
Ionizable Groups

1. H+ titration was used to detect the presence of ionizable groups on human erythrocyte plasma membranes. Between pH2.9 and 11.3, two significant peaks of H+ association/dissociation occur in the differential from of the titration curve, one at pH3. 1. And the other at pH10.3. 2. After disruption of membrane structure by exposure to high pH or by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulphate, maxima of H+ association/dissociation were seen at pH3.1,4.3,6.5,10.3 and 10.7. 3. Spectrophotometric assay and selective chemical treatments were used to identify several of the titratable residues. 4. The degree of eleectrostatic interaction between titratable charged groups was investigated by comparing the titration characteristics of the membranes before and after modification of membrane structure.

scholarly journals Isolation of the intercellular glycoproteins of desmosomes.

1981 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Gorbsky ◽  
M S Steinberg
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Gradient Centrifugation ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Insoluble Residue ◽  
Differential Centrifugation ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Nonionic Detergent ◽  
Cell Layers ◽  
Membrane Attachment

To characterize the desmosome components that mediate intercellular adhesion and cytoskeletal-plasma membrane attachment, we prepared whole desmosomes and isolated desmosomal intercellular regions (desmosomal "cores") from the living cell layers of bovine muzzle epidermis. The tissue was disrupted in a nonionic detergent at low pH, sonicated, and the insoluble residue fractionated by differential centrifugation and metrizamide gradient centrifugation. Transmission electron microscopic analyses reveal that a fraction obtained after differential centrifugation is greatly enriched in whole desmosomes that possess intracellular plaques. Metrizamide gradient centrifugation removes most of the plaque material, leaving the intercellular components and the adjoining plasma membranes. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis coupled with methods that reveal carbohydrate-containing moieties on gels demonstrate that certain proteins present in whole desmosomes are glycosylated. These glycoproteins are specifically and greatly enriched in the desmosome cores of which they are the principal protein constituents, and thus may function as the intercellular adhesive of the desmosome.

scholarly journals Cytochemical evidence for the presence of phospholipids in epithelial tight junction strands.

1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 649-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
F W Kan
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Tight Junction ◽  
Phospholipase A2 ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Fracture Face ◽  
Gold Particles ◽  
Pancreatic Cells ◽  
Specific Association

Previous freeze-fracture experiments using either glutaraldehyde-fixed and cryoprotected specimens or unfixed rapid-frozen samples led to the proposal that cylindrical strands of the tight junction (TJ) observed in freeze-fracture preparations are inverted cylindrical micelles made up of membrane lipids and, possibly, membrane proteins. However, no one has yet been able to directly label the structural fibrils of the TJ. To test the hypothesis that TJ strands observed on freeze-fracture preparations are composed at least partially of lipids, we have combined the phospholipase A2-gold and the fracture-label techniques for localization of phospholipids. Phospholipase A2, purified from bee venom, was adsorbed on gold particles and used for specific labeling of its substrate. Phospholipase A2-colloidal gold (PLA2-CG) complex was applied to freeze-fractured preparations of rat exocrine pancreatic cells and testicular Sertoli cells, both of which are known to have extensive TJ complexes on their plasma membranes. Fracture-label replicas of exocrine pancreatic cells revealed specific association of gold particles with TJ fibrils on the protoplasmic fracture-face of the plasma membrane. The majority of these gold particles were observed either directly on the top of the TJ fibrils or adjacent to these cylindrical structures. A high density of PLA2-CG labeling was also observed over the complementary exoplasmic fracture-face of the TJ complex. This intimate association of PLA2-CG labeling with the TJ is particularly evident in the Sertoli cell plasma membrane, where rows of gold particles were observed to be superimposed on parallel arrays of cylindrical strands of the TJ complex. The present findings provide direct cytochemical evidence to support the hypothesis that cylindrical TJ strands observed in freeze-fracture preparations contain phospholipids.

Freeze-fracture Electron Microscopic observations on the effects of sulphydryl group reagents on human erythrocyte membranes

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 524-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gheorghe Benga ◽  
Anthony Brain ◽  
Victor I. Pop ◽  
John Wrigglesworth
Keyword(s):  
Human Erythrocyte ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Band 3 ◽  
Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Water Permeation ◽  
Human Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Erythrocyte Membrane Proteins

The intra-membrane particles (IMPs) observed on the fracture face of frozen erythrocyte membranes are thought to correspond primarily to “band 3” tetramers or dimers. Some recent studies correlating the inhibition of water diffusion in erythrocytes by p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (PCMBS) with the binding of 203Hg to erythrocyte membrane proteins has enabled band 3 and the polypeptides in band 4.5 to be identified as the proteins associated with the channels for water permeation in human erythrocytes. A further characterization of the effects of the incubation of human erythrocyte membranes with PCMBS and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) has been performed as previously described. Experimental conditions have been previously described.A comparison was made of the appearance of freeze-etched membranes of control erythrocytes and erythrocytes with the sulphydryl reagents. It was found that on many of the control and NEM-treated cells, small (50-100 nm) elevated patches could be seen (Fig. 1, 2 and 3). These are present on both fracture and etch faces and are devoid of any intramembrane particles. The patch elevations were never observed in the membranes of PCMBS-treated cells (Fig. 4).

Microscopy of membrane lipids: how precisely can we define their distribution?

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sho Takatori ◽  
Toyoshi Fujimoto
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Membrane Lipid ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Lipid Dynamics ◽  
Lipid Species ◽  
Quick Freezing ◽  
The Moment

Membrane lipids form the basic framework of biological membranes by forming the lipid bilayer, but it is becoming increasingly clear that individual lipid species play different functional roles. However, in comparison with proteins, relatively little is known about how lipids are distributed in the membrane. Several microscopic methods are available to study membrane lipid dynamics in living cells, but defining the distribution of lipids at the submicrometre scale is difficult, because lipids diffuse quickly in the membrane and most lipids do not react with aldehydes that are commonly used as fixatives. Quick-freezing appears to be the only practical method by which to stop the lipid movement instantaneously and capture the molecular localization at the moment of interest. Electron microscopic methods, using cryosections, resin sections, and freeze-fracture replicas are used to visualize lipids in quick-frozen samples. The method that employs the freeze-fracture replica is unique in that it requires no chemical treatment and provides a two-dimensional view of the membrane.

scholarly journals Membrane Lipids and the Conformations of Membrane Proteins

1969 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald F. H. Wallach
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma ◽  
Optical Rotatory Dispersion ◽  
Protein Protein Interactions ◽  
Ehrlich Ascites ◽  
General Relations

The general relations between protein conformation and the optical activity of peptide chromophores are outlined and applied to the analysis of the optical rotatory dispersion and circular dichroism of the plasma membranes of human erythrocytes and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. It is concluded that the proteins of these membranes are "globular" and that they have considerable helical content. The spectroscopic consequences of perturbing the membranes with phospholipase C, phospholipase A, lysolecithin, and sodium dodecyl sulfate are examined in the light of the effects of these agents upon certain enzymatic and physical properties of the membranes and upon their proton magnetic resonance spectra. The data suggest that the architecture of membrane proteins is strongly dependent upon apolar lipid-protein and/or lipid-sensitive protein-protein interactions.

Temperature-induced physical changes in fungal plasma membranes

1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (10) ◽  
pp. 1138-1143 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Divalent Cations ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Ordered Structures ◽  
Membrane Protein Complexes ◽  
Hexagonally Ordered ◽  
Physical Changes

Ordered structures suggesting phase separation of lipids were observed in freeze-fracture replicas of plasma membranes of Fusarium sulphureum after free protoplasts had been fixed at 0 °C. Areas representing up to 50% of the protoplast plasma membrane inner fractured face assumed a lateral, hexagonally ordered structure from which the normally randomly distributed 25-nm membrane protein complexes had been excluded. Intact macroconidia only rarely showed small regions of lateral ordering of this type when fixed at the same, nonlethal temperature.The normal impermeability of the macroconidial plasma membrane to divalent cations such as Ni2+ declined rapidly when the cells were incubated at temperatures 5 °C or more above the physiological growth temperature range of the organism. Admission of divalent cations and death of the cells was associated with an irreversible thermotropic change in the fluidity in the membrane lipids as indicated by lipophilic spin probes.Partitioning spin probe and freeze-fracture techniques were best suited to the observation of thermotropic physical changes in the fungal plasma membrane which were induced at supra- and sub-physiological temperatures, respectively.

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