6533b860fe1ef96bd12c3baa

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Electron Microscopic Contrast of the Cytoskeleton and Junctional Complexes of Intestinal Epithelial Cells by Ethanolic Phosphotungstic Acid

A. TatoJ.m. FerrerJ. C. Stockert

subject

Tissue FixationBiologyMicrofilamentSpecimen HandlingAdherens junctionTerminal webGlycocalyxchemistry.chemical_compoundAnimalsIntestine LargePhosphotungstic acidIntestinal MucosaRats WistarCytoskeletonIntermediate filamentCytoskeletonEthanolMicrovilliStaining and LabelingTissue EmbeddingTight junctionEpithelial CellsPhosphotungstic AcidAgricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)ChromatinMitochondriaRatsCell biologySolutionsMicroscopy ElectronIntercellular JunctionschemistrySolventsAnatomyCell Nucleolus

description

After glutaraldehyde fixation and treatment with ethanolic phosphotungstic acid (E-PTA) before plastic embedding, sections of rat large intestine showed a characteristic electron contrasting pattern in epithelial cells. The axis of microvilli, terminal web, a thin band below the luminal plasma membrane, centrioles and junctional complexes (tight junctions, adherens junctions, and desmosomes) appeared highly contrasted. In addition to protein components of microfilaments and intermediate filaments, proteins from the junctional complexes could also be implicated in the contrasting reaction with E-PTA. Mitochondrial membranes, chromatin masses, and nucleoli of enterocytes showed considerable electron density, whereas no reaction was found in the glycocalyx and mucin content of goblet cells. The clear visualization of cytoskeleton elements and junctional complexes by E-PTA contrasting represents a simple and valuable method for studies on the normal and pathological organization of these structures in epithelial cells.

https://doi.org/10.1076/0924-3860(200004)38:2;1-f;ft134