Ultrastructure of tubular myelin and lamellar bodies in fast-frozen adult rat lung. 1982

M C Williams

In order to study the structure of membranes of tubular myelin and lamellar bodies (pulmonary surfactant), tissue from adult rat lung was prepared for freeze fracture by the rapid freezing method of Heuser et al. which requires no prior fixation or cryoprotection. Other tissues were freeze substituted and thin sectioned. A layer of tissue 50-100 mu thick was well preserved, but alveoli were partially collapsed. Freeze-fractured lamellar bodies were composed of tightly packed stacks of smooth lamellae about 100 A thick. Cross-fractures through tubular myelin exposed membranes organized into the square lattice described earlier. Fractures parallel to the longitudinal axis exposed particles arranged in rows which coincided with the corners. Membrane faces between the rows were smooth. These observations suggest (1) that in vivo the content of lamellar bodies is most likely arranged in layers, (2) that tubular myelin is present in tissues unexposed to fixatives or lipid solvents, (3) that smooth-surfaced lamellar body membranes become particulate when they form tubular myelin, and (4) that chemical fixation does not alter the general appearance of tubular myelin but it may affect lattice dimensions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008168 Lung Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood. Lungs
D008297 Male Males
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D011663 Pulmonary Surfactants Substances and drugs that lower the SURFACE TENSION of the mucoid layer lining the PULMONARY ALVEOLI. Surfactants, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Surfactant,Surfactant, Pulmonary
D005614 Freeze Fracturing Preparation for electron microscopy of minute replicas of exposed surfaces of the cell which have been ruptured in the frozen state. The specimen is frozen, then cleaved under high vacuum at the same temperature. The exposed surface is shadowed with carbon and platinum and coated with carbon to obtain a carbon replica. Fracturing, Freeze,Fracturings, Freeze,Freeze Fracturings
D005615 Freezing Liquids transforming into solids by the removal of heat. Melting
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus

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