Summary
The ultrastructure of peroxisomes in the proximal nephron tubules of bovine kidney cortex was studied using ultrathin-sectioning, diaminobenzidine cytochemistry for the visualization of catalase, and by freeze-fracture. Peroxisomes in this nephron segment are up to 1.5 μm in diameter and exhibit a peculiar angular shape, which is probably related to the occurrence of multiple straight plate-like inclusions (marginal plates) in the matrix of peroxisomes; they lie directly underneath the peroxisomal membranes. The peroxisomal membrane in such regions follows the outline of the marginal plate. The peculiar shape of peroxisomes allows their unequivocal identification in freeze-fracture preparations. Peroxisomal membranes are recognized by their flat, often rectangular appearance. Intramembrane particles are much more numerous on P-fracture faces than on E-fracture faces. A crystalline lattice-structure with a periodicity of approximately 10 nm can be observed on the flat rectangular areas of E-fracture faces. This lattice structure is intensified after prolonged freeze-etching. Intramembranous particles seem to be superimposed over this pattern. The crystalline pattern on the E-fracture faces of peroxisomal membranes is probably not a membrane structure but it reveals the structure of the membrane-associated marginal plates. A cast of the marginal-plate surface may be generated by a collapse of the peroxisomal membrane half onto the immediately underlying matrix inclusion.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Angermüller S, Fahimi HD (1986) Ultrastructural cytochemical localization of uricase in peroxisomes of rat liver. J Histochem Cytochem 34:159–165
Barett JM, Heidger PM Jr (1975) Microbodies of the rat proximal tubule: ultrastructural and cytochemical investigations. Cell Tissue Res 157:283–305
Beard ME, Novikoff AB (1969) Distribution of peroxisomes (microbodies) in the nephron of the rat. A cytochemical study. J Cell Biol 42:501–518
Bearer EL, Orci L (1985) Peroxisomal membrane crystalline array exposed by deep-etching. J Cell Biol 101:310a
Böck P, Kramar R, Pavelka M (1980) Peroxisomes and related particles in animal tissue. Cell Biol Monogr 7. Springer, Wien New York
Branton D, Bullivant S, Gilula NB, Karnovsky MJ, Moor H, Mühlethaler K, Northcote DH, Packer L, Satir B, Satir P, Speth V, Staehlin LA, Steer RL, Weistein RS (1975) Freeze-etching nomenclature. Science 190:54–56
De Duve C, Baudhuin P (1966) Peroxisomes (microbodies and related particles). Physiol Rev 46:323–357
Ericsson JLE, Trump BF (1966) Electron microscopic studies of the epithelium of the proximal tubule of rat kidney. III. Microbodies, multivesicular bodies, and the Golgi apparatus. Lab Invest 15:1610–1633
Fahimi HD, Yokota S (1981) Ultrastructure and cytochemical aspects of animal peroxisomes—some recent observations. In: Schweiger HG (ed) International Cell Biology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 640–650
Gorgas K, Zaar K (1984) Peroxisomes in sebaceous glands. III. Morphological similarities of peroxisomes with smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi stacks in the circumanal gland of the dog. Anat Embryol 169:9–20
Hruban Z, Rechcigl M (1969) Microbodies and related particles. Int Rev Cytol [Suppl] 1. Academic Press, New York London
Kalmbach P, Fahimi HD (1978) Peroxisomes: identification in freeze-etch preparations of rat kidney. Cell Biol Int Rep 2:389–396
Kalmbach P, Taugner R, Fahimi HD (1977) A freeze-fracture study of peroxisomes (microbodies) in rat kidney. J Cell Biol 75:199a
Karnovsky MJ (1971) Use of ferrocyanide-reduced osmium tetroxide in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 51: 146a
Langer KH (1968) Feinstrukturen der Mikrokörper (Microbodies) des proximalen Nierentubulus. Z Zellforsch 90:432–446
LeHir M, Herzog V, Fahimi HD (1979) Cytochemical detection of catalase with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine. A quantitative reinvestigation of the optimal conditions. Histochemistry 64:51–66
Maunsbach AB (1966) Observations on the ultrastructure and acid phosphatase activity of the cytoplasmic bodies in rat kidney tubule cells. With a comment on their classification. Ultrastruct Res 16:197–238
Reddy JK, Tewari JP, Svoboda DJ, Malhotra SK (1974) Identification of hepatic microbody membrane in freeze-fracture replicas. Lab Invest 31:268–275
Reddy JK, Rao MS, Moody DE, Qureschi SA (1976) Peroxisome development in the regenerating pars recta (P 3 segment) of the proximal tubules of the rat kidney. J Histochem Cytochem 24:1239–1248
Sandström B (1970) Liver fixation for electron microscopy by means of transparenchymal perfusion with glutaraldehyde. Lab Invest 23:71–73
Sternlieb I, Quintana N (1977) The peroxisomes of human hepatocytes. Lab Invest 36:140–149
Tsubouchi J, Tonomura K, Tanaka K (1976) Ultrastructure of microbodies of methanol-assimilating yeasts. J Gen Appl Microbiol 22:131–142
Tsukada H, Mochizuki Y, Fujiwara S (1966) The nucleoids of rat liver cell microbodies. Fine structure and enzymes. J Cell Biol 28:449–460
Usada N, Usmann MJ, Reddy MK, Hashimoto T, Reddy JK, Rao MS (1988) Immunocytochemical localization of urate oxidase, fatty acyl-CoA oxidase, and catalase in bovine kidney peroxisomes. J Histochem Cytochem 36:253–258
Van Dijken JP, Veenhuis M, Kreger-van Rij NJW, Harder W (1975) Microbodies in methanol-assimilating yeasts. Arch Microbiol 102:41–44
Völkl A, Baumgart E, Fahimi HD (1988) Localization of urate oxidase in the crystalline cores of rat liver peroxisomes by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting. J Histochem Cytochem 36:329–336
Zaar K, Gorgas K (1985) Peroxisome-endoplasmic reticulum aggregates in the duck uropygial gland. Eur J Cell Biol 38:322–327
Zaar K, Hartig F, Fahimi HD, Gorgas K (1984) Peroxisomal aggregates forming large stacks in the lipid segment of the canine kidney. Acta Histochem [Suppl] XXIX:165–168
Zaar K, Völkl A, Fahimi HD (1986) Isolation and characterization of peroxisomes from the renal cortex of beef, sheep, and cat. Eur J Cell Biol 40:16–24
Zaar K, Völkl A, Fahimi HD (1987) Association of isolated bovine kidney cortex peroxisomes with endoplasmic reticulum. Biochem Biophys Acta 897:135–142
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zaar, K., Fahimi, H.D. A freeze-etch study of angular marginal-plate-containing peroxisomes in the proximal tubules of bovine kidney. Cell Tissue Res 260, 409–414 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318644
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00318644