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Membrane associated particles: Distribution in frog urinary bladder epithelium at rest and after oxytocin treatment

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Summary

The fine structure of the plasmic membrane of the frog urinary bladder epithelium has been studied with a freeze-etching technique. The results reveal that the external face of the cytoplasmic leaflet (A face) of the apical membrane of epithelial cells is characterized by: 1) A markedly reduced number of membrane associated particles compared to the value observed on the A face of the lateral membranes of these cells. 2) The existence after oxytocin treatment of numerous spots of clustered particles.

These characteristics are present in unfixed glycerinated cells but are more clearly observed after prefixation of glycerol treated cells with glutaraldehyde. The oxytocin induced clustering is completely reversible.

It is suggested that these ultrastructural features are related to the permeability properties of the apical barrier and to their control by antidiuretic hormone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Pathologie Cellulaire, INSERM, U. 48 (Directeur: Professeur M. Bessis), Hópital de Bicètre, Bicètre, France

    J. Chevalier

  2. Department de Biologie, C.E.N., Saclay, France

    J. Bourguet

  3. Départment de Pathologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada

    J. S. Hugon

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  1. J. Chevalier
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  2. J. Bourguet
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  3. J. S. Hugon
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This work was supported in part by a grant from the Medical Research Council of Canada (J. H).

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Chevalier, J., Bourguet, J. & Hugon, J.S. Membrane associated particles: Distribution in frog urinary bladder epithelium at rest and after oxytocin treatment. Cell Tissue Res. 152, 129–140 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224690

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