Summary
The space between the oesophageal basal and prickle epithelial cells appears empty by standard ultrastructural preparative techniques. Fixation of human oesophageal biopsies with a variety of agents, including tannic acid, glutaraldehyde—lysine, cetylpyridinium chloride and Ruthenium Red shows that this space is filled with mucosubstances, some free, some attached to the cells as a glycocalyx. There is evidence that this material is secreted constitutively by the basal and prickle cells. This secretion may be changed or blocked by incubating oesophageal biopsies in the presence of colchicine or dinitrophenol. Incubation at 16°C has the same effect. Absorption from the intercellular space may be followed using the fluid phase marker, horseradish peroxidase. Early endosomes may also be shown by their acid phosphatase activity. Incubation of biopsies at 20–22°C allows early endosomes to accumulate material, but not pass it on the late endosomes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alberts, B., Bray, D., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. & Watson, J. D. (1989) Molecular Biology of the Cell. London: Garland Publishing.
Al-Yassin, T. M. & Toner, P. G. (1977) Fine structure of squamous epithelium and submucosal glands of human oesophagus. J. Anat. 123, 705–21.
Boyles, J. (1984) The use of primary amines to improve glutaraldehyde fixation. Science of biological specimen preparation, Chicago: AMF O'Hare, SEM Inc. 7–21.
Boyles, J., Anderson, L. & Hutcherson, P. (1985) A new fixative for the preservation of actin filaments. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 33, 1116–28.
Gluck, S., Cannon, C. & Al-Awqati, Q. (1982) Exocytosis regulates urinary acidification in turtle bladder by rapid insertion of H+ pumps into the luminal membrane. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 79, 4327–31.
Hixson, D. C., Yep, J. M., Glenney, J. R., Hayes, T. & Walborg, E. F. (1981) Evaluation of periodate/lysine/paraformaldehyde fixation as a method for cross linking plasma membrane glycoproteins. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 29, 561–6.
Hopkins, C. R. & Trowbridge, I. S. (1983) Internalization and processing of transferrin and the transferrin receptor in human carcinoma A431 cells. J. Cell Biol. 97, 508–21.
Hopkins, C. R., Gibson, A., Shipman, M. & Miller, K. (1990) Movement of internalized ligand-receptor complexes along continuous endosomal reticulum. Nature 346, 335–9.
Hopwood, D. & Milne, G. (1991) Fixation. In Electron Microscopy in Biology (edited by Harris, J. R.), pp. 1–15. Oxford: IRL Press.
Hopwood, D., Logan, K. R. & Milne, G. (1977) Mucosubstances in the normal oesophageal epithelium. Histochemistry 54, 67–74.
Hopwood, D., Logan, K. R. & Milne, G. (1978a) The light and electron microscopic distribution of acid phosphatase activity in normal human oesophageal epithelium. Histochem. J. 10, 159–70.
Hopwood, D., Logan, K. R., Milne, G. & Bouchier, I. A. D. (1978b) Concanavalin A receptors in normal and inflamed oesophageal epithelium. A light and electron microscopic study. Histochemistry 57, 255–63.
Hopwood, D., Logan, K. R. & Bouchier, I. A. D. (1978c) The electron microscopy of normal human epithelium. Virchows Archiv B26, 345–58.
Hopwood, D., Curtis, M., Nicholson, G. & Milne, G. (1979) The distribution and mobility of surface anionic groups of normal human oesophageal epithelium following interaction with cationized ferritin. Virchows Archiv B31; 277–88.
Hopwood, D., Coghill, G., Ramsay, J., Milne, G. & Kerr, M. A. (1984) Microwave fixation: its potential for routine techniques, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Histochem. J. 16, 1171–91.
Hopwood, D., Milne, G., Jankowski, J., Howat, K. & Wormsley, K. G. (1991a) Uptake of horseradish peroxidase by human oesophageal explants over 24 hours. Histochem. J. 23, 409–14.
Hopwood, D., Milne, G. & Penston, J. (1991b) Leakiness of gastric superficial and foveolar cells. A quantitative electron microscopic study using tannic acid. J. Pathol. 165, 119–24.
Hopwood, D., Jankowski, J., Milne, G. & Wormsley, K. G. (1992) Flow cytometry of oesophageal mucosal biopsies; epidermal growth factor receptor and CD15. J. Pathol. 167, 321–6.
Hussein, K. A., Milne, G. & Hopwood, D. (1988) Glycosaminoglycans in human gall bladder basement membranes: nature and quantitative change in chronic cholecystitis. Histochem. J. 20, 449–54.
Kaaber, S. (1973) Studies on the permeability of human oral mucosa. IV Regional changes in outflow of water hydrated and dehydrating oral mucosa. Acta Odontol. Scand. 31, 88–99.
Kelly, R. B. (1990) Microtubules, membrane traffic and cell organization. Cell 61, 5–7.
Khan, K. M., Hatfield, J. S. & Drescher, D. G. (1990) The cell coat of the sensory and supporting cells of the rainbow trout saccular macula as demonstrated by reaction with ruthenium red and tannic acid. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 38, 1615–23.
Kok, L. P. & Boon, M. E. (1992) Microwave Cookbook for Microscopists. 3rd edn, Leiden: pp. 1–432. Coulomb Press Leyden.
Logan, K. R., Hopwood, D. & Milne, G. (1977) Ultrastructural demonstration of cell coat on the cell surface of normal human oesophageal epithelium. Histochem. J. 9, 495–504.
Luther, P. W. & Bloch, R. J. (1989) Formaldehyde-amine fixatives for immunocytochemistry of cultured Xenopus myocytes. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 37, 75–82.
McLeanI. W., & Nakane, P. K. (1974) Periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde fixative, a new fixative for immunoelectron microscopy. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 22, 1077–90.
Nunez-Duran, H. (1980) Tannic acid as an electron microscope tracer for permeable cell membranes. Stain Technol. 55, 361–5.
Pavelka, M. & Ellinger, A. (1983) Effect of colchicine on the Golgi complex of rat pancreatic acinar cells. J. Cell Biol. 97, 737–48.
Sanders, D. S. A., Kerr, M. A., Hopwood, D., Coghill, G. & Milne, G. (1988) Expression of the 3-fucosyl N-acetyllactosamine (CD15) antigen in normal, metaplastic, dysplastic and neoplastic squamous epithelia. J. Pathol. 154, 255–62.
Saraste, J., Palade, G. E. & Farquhar, M. G. (1986) Temperaturesensitive steps in the transport of secretory proteins through the Golgi complex in exocrine pancreatic cells. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 83, 6425–9.
Scott, J. E. (1980) Collagen-proteoglycan interactions. Localization of proteoglycans in tendon by electron microscopy. Biochem. J. 187, 887–91.
Scott, J. E. (1989) Cetylpyridinium chloride as a fixative for glycosaminoglycans in histological sections. Arch. Dermatol. 125, 1002–3.
Swanson, J., Bushnell, A. & Silverstein, S. C. (1987) Tubular lysosome morphology and distribution within macrophages depends on the integrity of cytoplasmic microtubules. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 84, 1921–5.
Tartakoff, A. M. (1986) Temperature and energy dependence of secretory protein transport in the exocrine pancreas. EMBO J. 7, 1477–82.
Tobey, N. A., Reddy, S. P., Khalbuss, W. E., Silvers, S. M., Craigoe, E. J. & Orlando, R. C. (1993) Na+-dependent and -independent Cl/HCO3 exchanges in cultured rabbit oesophageal epithelial cells. Gastroenterology 104, 185–95.
Tooze, J. & Hollinshead, M. (1991) Tubular early endosomal networks in AtT20 and other cells. J. Cell Biol. 115, 635–53.
Turner, J. R. & Tartakoff, A. M. (1989) The response of the Golgi complex to microtubular alterations: the roles of metabolic energy and membrane traffic in Golgi complex organization. J. Cell Biol. 109, 2081–8.
VanNoorden, C. J. F. & Hulstaert, C. E. (1991) Electron microscopical enzyme histochemistry. In Electron Microscopy in Biology (edited by Harris, J. R.), pp. 125–149. Oxford: IRL Press.
Wolff, K. & Honigsmann, H. (1971) Permeability of the epidermis and the phagocytic activity of keratinocytes. Ultrastructural studies with thorotrast as a marker. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 36, 176–90.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hopwood, D., Milne, G., Jankowski, J. et al. Secretory and absorptive activity of oesophageal epithelium: evidence of circulating mucosubstances. Histochem J 26, 41–49 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209248
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209248