Biomaterial Database

Contraction of isolated brush borders from the intestinal epithelium. 1976

R Rodewald, and S B Newman, and M J Karnovsky

Brush borders isolated from epithelial cells from the small intestine of neonatal rats are able to contract in the presence of ATP and Mg2+; Ca2+ is not required. Contraction is characterized by a pinching-in of the plasma membrane in the region of the zonula adherens and a subsequent rounding of the brush borders. No movement or consistent shortening of the microvilli is observed. The contraction appears to involve the 5- to 7-nm diameter microfilaments in the terminal web which associate with the zonula adherens. These filaments bind heavy meromyosin as do the actin core filaments of the microvilli. A model for contraction is presented in which, in the intact cell, terminal web filaments and core filaments interact to produce shortening of the microvilli.

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
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
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
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
D002465	Cell Movement	The movement of cells from one location to another. Distinguish from CYTOKINESIS which is the process of dividing the CYTOPLASM of a cell.	Cell Migration,Locomotion, Cell,Migration, Cell,Motility, Cell,Movement, Cell,Cell Locomotion,Cell Motility,Cell Movements,Movements, Cell
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
D015879	Myosin Subfragments	Parts of the myosin molecule resulting from cleavage by proteolytic enzymes (PAPAIN; TRYPSIN; or CHYMOTRYPSIN) at well-localized regions. Study of these isolated fragments helps to delineate the functional roles of different parts of myosin. Two of the most common subfragments are myosin S-1 and myosin S-2. S-1 contains the heads of the heavy chains plus the light chains and S-2 contains part of the double-stranded, alpha-helical, heavy chain tail (myosin rod).	Actomyosin Subfragments,Meromyosin Subfragments,Myosin Rod,Myosin S-1,Myosin S-2,ATPase, Actin-S1,Actin S1 ATPase,Actoheavy Meromyosin,Actomyosin Subfragment 1 ATPase,H-Meromyosin,Heavy Meromyosin,Heavy Meromyosin Subfragment-1,Heavy Meromyosin Subfragment-2,Light Meromyosin,Myosin Subfragment-1,Myosin Subfragment-2,ATPase, Actin S1,Actin-S1 ATPase,H Meromyosin,Heavy Meromyosin Subfragment 1,Heavy Meromyosin Subfragment 2,Meromyosin Subfragment-1, Heavy,Meromyosin Subfragment-2, Heavy,Meromyosin, Actoheavy,Meromyosin, Heavy,Meromyosin, Light,Myosin S 1,Myosin S 2,Myosin Subfragment 1,Myosin Subfragment 2,Subfragment-1, Heavy Meromyosin,Subfragment-1, Myosin,Subfragment-2, Heavy Meromyosin,Subfragment-2, Myosin,Subfragments, Actomyosin,Subfragments, Meromyosin,Subfragments, Myosin
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