Biomaterial Database

Freeze-fracture analysis of junctional complexes in the nephron of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis. 1977

W D Peek, and R R Shivers, and D B McMillan

Zonulae occludentes are shown by freeze-fracture to be pleomorphic along the garter snake nephron. In the neck and proximal segments the occluding junctions are moderately complex with frequent discontinuities in their junctional fibrils. Junctional depth and complexity are maximal in the distal and collecting segments and discontinuities in fibrils are absent. Comparison of these results with similar observations on other tissues indicates that the zonulae occludentes in the neck and proximal segments are "intermediate" to "leaky" and that they may be "very light" in the distal and collecting segments. The findings suggest that in the garter snake nephron transepithelial flow of fluid may occur primarily by passive diffusion through the zonulae occludentes in the neck and proximal segments and by cell-mediated osmotic flow in the distal and collecting segments. Gap junctions occur only in the proximal tubule and areprobably involved in low resistance, intercellular movement of ions.

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
D007687	Kidney Tubules, Proximal	The renal tubule portion that extends from the BOWMAN CAPSULE in the KIDNEY CORTEX into the KIDNEY MEDULLA. The proximal tubule consists of a convoluted proximal segment in the cortex, and a distal straight segment descending into the medulla where it forms the U-shaped LOOP OF HENLE.	Proximal Kidney Tubule,Proximal Renal Tubule,Kidney Tubule, Proximal,Proximal Kidney Tubules,Proximal Renal Tubules,Renal Tubule, Proximal,Renal Tubules, Proximal,Tubule, Proximal Kidney,Tubule, Proximal Renal,Tubules, Proximal Kidney,Tubules, Proximal Renal
D009399	Nephrons	The functional units of the kidney, consisting of the glomerulus and the attached tubule.	Nephron
D009995	Osmosis	Tendency of fluids (e.g., water) to move from the less concentrated to the more concentrated side of a semipermeable membrane.	Osmoses
D004058	Diffusion	The tendency of a gas or solute to pass from a point of higher pressure or concentration to a point of lower pressure or concentration and to distribute itself throughout the available space. Diffusion, especially FACILITATED DIFFUSION, is a major mechanism of BIOLOGICAL TRANSPORT.	Diffusions
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
D012911	Snakes	Limbless REPTILES of the suborder Serpentes.	Serpentes,Ophidia,Snake