Biomaterial Database

Freeze-fracture study of rat ventral prostate: the columnar epithelial cell. 1981

B Kachar, and P Pinto de Silva

The organization of the secretory epithelium of the rat ventral prostate as seen by freeze-fracture is analyzed. Ultrastructural interpretation of the tall columnar epithelial cell is facilitated by the axial regionalization of the cytoplasm. The endoplasmic reticulum, which exists in all the regions of the cell, appears to have a role in the maintenance of cellular organization. Its cisternae delimit the spaces for the nucleus, the Golgi, and the apical secretory apparatus. Elements involved in the formation of secretory products for export are located within the apical region of the cell and are regionally separated from the Golgi complex. Structural and functional specializations of the plasma membrane in the apical, lateral, and basal areas are illustrated. Artifacts related to specimen preparation procedures are reported. Displacement of membrane particles, which we observed in the fracture faces of plasma and intracellular membranes, appears related to fixation at low temperature. Fixation at 37 degrees C, which does not induce membrane-particle displacement, results in proliferation of tight-junctional elements.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011467	Prostate	A gland in males that surrounds the neck of the URINARY BLADDER and the URETHRA. It secretes a substance that liquefies coagulated semen. It is situated in the pelvic cavity behind the lower part of the PUBIC SYMPHYSIS, above the deep layer of the triangular ligament, and rests upon the RECTUM.	Prostates
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
D004848	Epithelium	The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body.	Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
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