Biomaterial Database

Differing effects of various cryoprotectants on intercellular junctions of epithelial (MDCK) cells. 1995

W J Armitage, and B K Juss, and D L Easty

Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bristol, Bristol Eye Hospital, United Kingdom.

The effects of 30 min exposure to 10% v/v cryoprotectant (glycerol, dimethyl sulfoxide, or propane-1,2-diol) on intercellular junctions were investigated in monolayers of epithelial (MDCK) cells. The cells were grown on microporous membrane filters and transepithelial resistance was monitored as an index of junction integrity. At 22 degrees C, Me2SO had the least effect of the three cryoprotectants, causing a gradual fall in transepithelial resistance of only 17% in 30 min. This compares with falls of 50% in 15 min and 37% over 30 min, respectively, with glycerol and propane-1,2-diol. At 0 degrees C, however, propane-1,2-diol had no effect on transepithelial resistance, whereas the effect of Me2SO was now similar to that of glycerol, viz. a sustained reduction in resistance of approximately 30% throughout the 30-min exposure. The results could not be explained solely in terms of osmotic effects and suggested that the cryoprotectants were directly affecting components of the junctional complex or associated elements of the cytoskeleton. During removal of the cryoprotectants by two-step dilution, changes in transepithelial resistance showed little consistency between the different cryoprotectants. This suggested that the pattern of change was dictated more by the state of the junctions immediately before removal of the cryoprotectants, with each cryoprotectant having affected the junctions to different extents and perhaps by different mechanisms, than by the removal of cryoprotectant itself. Thus, intercellular junctions in epithelial sheets were affected by even modest concentrations of cryoprotectant, but the effect was influenced by the type of cryoprotectant and by temperature of exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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
D007668	Kidney	Body organ that filters blood for the secretion of URINE and that regulates ion concentrations.	Kidneys
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D003451	Cryoprotective Agents	Substances that provide protection against the harmful effects of freezing temperatures.	Cryoprotective Agent,Cryoprotective Effect,Cryoprotective Effects,Agent, Cryoprotective,Agents, Cryoprotective,Effect, Cryoprotective,Effects, Cryoprotective
D004285	Dogs	The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, comprising about 400 breeds, of the carnivore family CANIDAE. They are worldwide in distribution and live in association with people. (Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, p1065)	Canis familiaris,Dog
D004553	Electric Conductivity	The ability of a substrate to allow the passage of ELECTRONS.	Electrical Conductivity,Conductivity, Electric,Conductivity, Electrical
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
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
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity
D013696	Temperature	The property of objects that determines the direction of heat flow when they are placed in direct thermal contact. The temperature is the energy of microscopic motions (vibrational and translational) of the particles of atoms.	Temperatures