Biomaterial Database

Membrane changes associated with mucus production by intestinal goblet cells. 1978

J G Swift, and T M Mukherjee

Changes in the structural organization of membranes of mucous bodies and the plasma membrane that occur during mucus production in goblet cells of rat rectum have been studied by thin-section and freeze-fracture techniques. Immature mucous bodies are bounded by a trilaminar membrane and fracture faces of the membrane have randomly distributed intramembrane particles. During maturation, mucous bodies become packed tightly together and changes in the structure of their membranes include (1) fusion of apposing membranes of adjacent bodies to form a pentalaminar structure, (2) a reduction in the density of particles on membrane fracture faces, and (3) exclusion of particles from regions of membrane apposition. Some trilaminar membranes of mucous bodies fuse with the lumenal plasma membrane to form a pentalaminar structure. Sites of apposition between mucous body membranes and the lumenal plasma membrane are seen as particle-cleared bulges on fracture faces of the plasma membrane. Our results indicate that membrane reorganization associated with mucous production in goblet cells includes a reduction and redistribution of some membrane proteins and that membrane fusion occurs between portions of membranes from which proteins have been displaced.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007413	Intestinal Mucosa	Lining of the INTESTINES, consisting of an inner EPITHELIUM, a middle LAMINA PROPRIA, and an outer MUSCULARIS MUCOSAE. In the SMALL INTESTINE, the mucosa is characterized by a series of folds and abundance of absorptive cells (ENTEROCYTES) with MICROVILLI.	Intestinal Epithelium,Intestinal Glands,Epithelium, Intestinal,Gland, Intestinal,Glands, Intestinal,Intestinal Gland,Mucosa, Intestinal
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
D009093	Mucus	The viscous secretion of mucous membranes. It contains mucin, white blood cells, water, inorganic salts, and exfoliated cells.
D012007	Rectum	The distal segment of the LARGE INTESTINE, between the SIGMOID COLON and the ANAL CANAL.	Rectums
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
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
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