Biomaterial Database

Freeze-fracture images of the zonula occludens in the mouse oviduct epithelium. 1978

M Komatsu, and K Ishimura, and H Fujita

Freeze-fracture images of zonulae occludentes of the oviduct epithelium of adult mice were observed in the electron microscope. The structure of zonulae occludentes varies depending on the types of oviduct epithelial cells. Those between two secretory cells consist of 5--14 (9.2 +/- 2.0) strands interposed between the luminal and the lateral plasma membrane. The strands run irregularly making well developed anastomoses with one another. The tight junction between two ciliated cells consists of 4--14 (8.5 +/- 2.3) strands. Among them the upper 3--9 strands are unique in shape. The strands run regularly, compactly and parallel to the luminal surface and to each other with a few anastomoses. The distance between the adjacent strands is about 40 nm. Under this characteristic part several strands are very loosely distributed and run irregularly. The pattern of the strands in the zonula occludens between a secretory cell and a ciliated one resembles that between adjacent ciliated cells. The junction consists of 4--13 (8.3 +/- 2.0) strands. The characteristically dense and parallel arrangement of the strands demonstrated in this study is presumed to be related to the ciliary movement. All the zonulae occludentes in the mouse oviduct epithelium are "very tight" in type. No large gap junctions are seen in the mouse oviduct epithelium.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007365	Intercellular Junctions	Direct contact of a cell with a neighboring cell. Most such junctions are too small to be resolved by light microscopy, but they can be visualized by conventional or freeze-fracture electron microscopy, both of which show that the interacting CELL MEMBRANE and often the underlying CYTOPLASM and the intervening EXTRACELLULAR SPACE are highly specialized in these regions. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p792)	Cell Junctions,Cell Junction,Intercellular Junction,Junction, Cell,Junction, Intercellular,Junctions, Cell,Junctions, Intercellular
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
D002923	Cilia	Populations of thin, motile processes found covering the surface of ciliates (CILIOPHORA) or the free surface of the cells making up ciliated EPITHELIUM. Each cilium arises from a basic granule in the superficial layer of CYTOPLASM. The movement of cilia propels ciliates through the liquid in which they live. The movement of cilia on a ciliated epithelium serves to propel a surface layer of mucus or fluid. (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Motile Cilia,Motile Cilium,Nodal Cilia,Nodal Cilium,Primary Cilia,Primary Cilium,Cilium,Cilia, Motile,Cilia, Nodal,Cilia, Primary,Cilium, Motile,Cilium, Nodal,Cilium, Primary
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
D005187	Fallopian Tubes	A pair of highly specialized canals extending from the UTERUS to its corresponding OVARY. They provide the means for OVUM transport from the ovaries and they are the site of the ovum's final maturation and FERTILIZATION. The fallopian tube consists of an interstitium, an isthmus, an ampulla, an infundibulum, and fimbriae. Its wall consists of three layers: serous, muscular, and an internal mucosal layer lined with both ciliated and secretory cells.	Oviducts, Mammalian,Salpinges, Uterine,Salpinx, Uterine,Uterine Salpinges,Uterine Salpinx,Fallopian Tube,Uterine Tubes,Mammalian Oviduct,Mammalian Oviducts,Oviduct, Mammalian,Tube, Fallopian,Tube, Uterine,Tubes, Fallopian,Tubes, Uterine,Uterine Tube
D005260	Female		Females
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
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus