Summary
The formation of milk protein droplets in lactating cells of the mammary glands of BALB/cCrgl mice was studied by electron microscopy and by autoradiographic techniques adapted to electron microscopy. The morphological evidence strongly indicates that minute percursor particles are concentrated within the Golgi apparatus to form the mature milk protein droplets present in the apices of the cells and in the alveolar lumens. The autoradiographic evidence also supports this hypothesis. Tritiated leucine, shown to be a constituent of mouse milk protein droplets in the present experiments, was injected into the tail veins of lactating mice. The Golgi regions of the cells showed the highest grain counts in autoradiographs of specimens obtained at 30 minutes after injection. Prior to that time, the highest counts were over the ergastoplasm. The results of the experiments indicate that at least one funtion of the Golgi apparatus in lactating cells is the concentration of smaller proteinaceous precursors to form the larger milk protein droplets.
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Supported by USPHS grant CA 05585-03 CB and USPHS grant GM 81802.
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Wellings, S.R., Philp, J.R. The function of the golgi apparatus in lactating cells of the balb/cCrgl mouse. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 61, 871–882 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340040
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00340040