Biomaterial Database

Characteristics of the microvillus brush border of human placenta: insulin receptor localization in brush border membranes. 1978

J A Whitsett, and J L Lessard

Insulin receptor characteristics were examined in purified brush border membrane from the syncytiotrophoblast of the normal human placenta and quantified during membrane preparation. Insulin receptor concentration was enriched 10- to 15-fold in this preparation, and insulin receptor specific activity followed closely the enrichment values for microvillus plasma membrane markers, alkaline phosphatase, Ca2+- and Mg2+-ATPase, and 5'-nucleotidase during cell fractionation. Insulin receptor concentrations and marker enzyme analyses were compared in whole homogenate, mitochondrial, microsomal, and microvillus fractions, and these fractions were characterized by SDS-gel electrophoresis. Microvillus insulin receptor interactions were dependent on time, [125I]iodoinsulin concentration, protein, and unlabeled hormone concentrations. Competition studies with porcine insulin and [125I]iodoinsulin for this receptor revealed a curvilinear Scatchard plot. Insulinase was demonstrated at 37 C but was minimal at 24 C in the microvillus fraction. Electron microscopy of the microvillus membrane preparation revealed its composition to be mainly spherical closed membrane vesicles and brush border fragments. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide and isoelectric focusing gels of membrane fractions were compared. Actin was tentatively identified as a major microvillus membrane protein and was further fractionated: beta-Actin and gamma-actin were present in approximately equal concentrations. The localization of the insulin receptor in the microvillus brush border of the human placenta suggests that this receptor interacts with maternal, rather than fetal insulin.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007339	Insulysin	An enzyme the catalyzes the degradation of insulin, glucagon and other polypeptides. It is inhibited by bacitracin, chelating agents EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, and by thiol-blocking reagents such as N-ethylmaleimide, but not phosphoramidon. (Eur J Biochem 1994;223:1-5) EC 3.4.24.56.	Insulinase,Insulin Protease,Insulin Proteinase,Insulin-Degrading Enzyme,Enzyme, Insulin-Degrading,Insulin Degrading Enzyme,Protease, Insulin,Proteinase, Insulin
D008871	Microvilli	Minute projections of cell membranes which greatly increase the surface area of the cell.	Brush Border,Striated Border,Border, Brush,Border, Striated,Borders, Brush,Borders, Striated,Brush Borders,Microvillus,Striated Borders
D010920	Placenta	A highly vascularized mammalian fetal-maternal organ and major site of transport of oxygen, nutrients, and fetal waste products. It includes a fetal portion (CHORIONIC VILLI) derived from TROPHOBLASTS and a maternal portion (DECIDUA) derived from the uterine ENDOMETRIUM. The placenta produces an array of steroid, protein and peptide hormones (PLACENTAL HORMONES).	Placentoma, Normal,Placentome,Placentas,Placentomes
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011972	Receptor, Insulin	A cell surface receptor for INSULIN. It comprises a tetramer of two alpha and two beta subunits which are derived from cleavage of a single precursor protein. The receptor contains an intrinsic TYROSINE KINASE domain that is located within the beta subunit. Activation of the receptor by INSULIN results in numerous metabolic changes including increased uptake of GLUCOSE into the liver, muscle, and ADIPOSE TISSUE.	Insulin Receptor,Insulin Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinase,Insulin Receptor alpha Subunit,Insulin Receptor beta Subunit,Insulin Receptor alpha Chain,Insulin Receptor beta Chain,Insulin-Dependent Tyrosine Protein Kinase,Receptors, Insulin,Insulin Receptor Protein Tyrosine Kinase,Insulin Receptors
D002458	Cell Fractionation	Techniques to partition various components of the cell into SUBCELLULAR FRACTIONS.	Cell Fractionations,Fractionation, Cell,Fractionations, Cell
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
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013347	Subcellular Fractions	Components of a cell produced by various separation techniques which, though they disrupt the delicate anatomy of a cell, preserve the structure and physiology of its functioning constituents for biochemical and ultrastructural analysis. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p163)	Fraction, Subcellular,Fractions, Subcellular,Subcellular Fraction