ISSN:
1573-0778
Keywords:
MDCK cells
;
epithelial polarity
;
transient transfection
;
CD7
;
CD55
;
Decay Accelerating Factor
;
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus G protein
;
chloroquine
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
Abstract We have evaluated transient transfection of MDCK cells by the DEAE-dextran/chloroquine method as a rapid method for study of heterologous plasma membrane protein polarity. Transiently transfected cells reseeded onto permeable supports formed confluent monolayers with normal tight junctions and normal distribution of endogenous apical and basolateral surface markers. Transfected monolayers reseeded onto opaque polycarbonate filters attained cell heights 3 times greater than on transparent filters. Conventional and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy were used to assess polarity of transient expression of heterologous proteins previously defined in stably transfected cell lines as apical (DAF-CD55), basolateral (VSV-G), and nonpolarized (CD7) in distribution. Through each transiently expressed protein exhibited a polarity phenotype in most cells which resembled the stable phenotype, consistency of polarized localization was less than in stably transfected cells. Similar results were obtained by lipofection. We conclude that transient transfection of MDCK cells may be useful as a rapid screen, but is not sufficiently reliable for definitive assessment of heterologous membrane proein polarity.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00749394
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