Summary
By morphological and functional selection of cultured rat liver cells, a cloned strain (PAR-C 1) of epithelial-like cells was established in vitro and investigated by light and electron microscopy. The morphological evidence presented suggested a parenchymal origin of the PAR-C 1 strain, which after 7 months of in vitro propagation was composed of rapidly proliferating and moderately dedifferentiated cells containing large Golgi zones, numerous cytosomes, cytosegresomes (“autophagic vacuoles”) and multivesicular bodies, moderate numbers of mitochondria and cisternae of ER, and abundant free ribosomes. The parenchymal cell origin was suggested by the occurrence of particulate glycogen in the cytoplasmic ground substance and the presence of specialized cell junctions typical of epithelial cells.
The images obtained were consistent with the hypothesis that multivesicular bodies are formed in the vicinity of the Golgi apparatus through sequestration of vesicles in single membrane-limited bodies. These may carry acid phosphatase and other lysosomal enzymes; their participation in intracellular digestive events was suggested by the occurence of internal vesicles in cytosome-like bodies.
The appearance, in the PAR-C 1 cells, of a “cytoskeleton” composed of bundles of filaments, similar to those encountered in the epithelial cells of bile ductules, might indicate a close morphogenetic relationship between the two types of cells.
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Supported by grants from the Swedish Cancer Society, the Damon Runyon Fund for Cancer Research (DR 6-705), “Robert Lundbergs Minnesfond”, and “Bröderna P. A. Ljungbergs Donationsfond”. The authors are indebted to Drs. Jane Baxandall, and Edward A. Smuckler for critically reading the manuscript. The technical assistance of Miss Gesa Thies, Miss Marianne Björk, and Mr. Labs Norman is gratefully acknowledged.
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Biberfeld, P., Ericsson, J.L.E., Perlmann, P. et al. Ultrastructural features of in vitro propagated rat liver cells. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 71, 153–168 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335744
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00335744