ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Cultured keratinocytes
;
Cell junctions
;
Freeze-fracture
;
Man
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Human skin expiants obtained from 2 to 5-year-old patients with harelips were cultured in NCTC 168 medium at 37° C, in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. After a 2-week incubation period, plasma membranes of the newly grown cells were characterized by freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Desmosomal diameter in cultured keratinocytes was much smaller, ranging from 0.08 to 0.19 μm, than that in vivo, where it ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 μm in diameter. On the E-face of the plasma membranes, attached to the bottom of the culture dish, small particle aggregations were observed. These were thought to be half-desmosomes, each consisting of 10 to 30 particles. Small gap junctions were also observed. These ranged in size from 0.05 to 0.1 urn in diameter. Membranous structures were found adhering to the plasma membrane from the intercellular spaces. These membranous structures may be lipid vesicles, since they are similar in freeze-fracture electron-microscopic features to lamellar lipid structures seen in the intercellular spaces of horny cells in vivo.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00218651
