PMID: 9427287Jan 14, 1998Paper

Mechanisms for de novo biogenesis of an apical membrane compartment in groups of simple epithelial cells surrounded by extracellular matrix

Journal of Cell Science
G K OjakianK A Beck

Abstract

In open monolayers of epithelial cells grown in vitro, the apical membrane domain forms on the free cell surface that faces the culture medium. However, in vivo, the apical lumenal compartment arises within groups of cells that do not have a free cell surface. We designed in vitro culture conditions, using small colonies of MDCK cells overlaid with collagen, in which formation of the apical membrane must occur de novo by remodeling existing membrane domains that are contacted by other cells or extracellular matrix. Within 12 hours of collagen overlay, the apical membrane glycoprotein gp135 is removed from the free cell surface, while lateral membrane proteins (e.g. Na+,K+-ATPase) remain at sites of cell-cell contacts. Subsequently, lumenal structures, containing gp135 and the apically secreted protein gp81, formed within these cell-cell contacts. Na+,K+-ATPase, adherens junction (E-cadherin, alpha- and beta-catenins) and tight junction (ZO-1) proteins were localized on the lateral membrane adjacent to, but excluded from the gp135-positive lumenal compartment. Therefore, each lumen represents a newly formed apical compartment on the lateral membrane. The Golgi complex (alpha-mannosidase II and Golgi beta-spectrin), centrosomes (...Continue Reading

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