Junctional transfer in cultured vascular endothelium: II. Dye and nucleotide transfer
Vascular endothelial cultures, derived from large vessels, retain many of the characteristics of their in vivo counterparts. However, the observed reduction in size and complexity of intercellular gap and tight junctions in these cultured cells suggests that important functions, thought to be mediated by these structures, may be altered in vitro. In continuing studies on intercellular communication in vessel wall cells, the authors have quantitated the extent of junctional transfer of small molecular tracers (the fluorescent dye Lucifer Yellow CH and tritiated uridine nucleotides) in confluent cultures of calf aortic (BAEC) and umbilical vein (BVEC) endothelium. Both BAEC and BVEC show extensive (and quantitatively equivalent) dye and nucleotide transfer. As an analogue of intimal endothelium, the authors have also tested dye transfer in freshly isolated sheets of endothelium. Transfer in BAEC and BVEC sheets was more rapid, extensive and homogeneous than in the cultured cells, implying a reduction in molecular coupling as endothelium adapts to culture conditions. In addition, they have documented heterocellular nucleotide transfer between cultured endothelium and vascular smooth muscle cells, of particular interest considering the prevalence of ''myo-endothelial'' junctions in vivo. These data yield further information on junctional transfer in cultured vascular endothelium and have broad implications for the functional integration of the vessel wall in the physiology and pathophysiology of the vasculature.
- OSTI ID:
- 5016762
- Journal Information:
- J. Membr. Biol.; (United States), Vol. 1-2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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DYES
MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
NUCLEOTIDES
BIOCHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CATTLE
CELL CULTURES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENDOTHELIUM
L CELLS
MICE
MUSCLES
PREGNANCY
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
URIDINE
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
AZINES
BODY
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
KINETICS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NUCLEOSIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRIMIDINES
REACTION KINETICS
RIBOSIDES
RODENTS
RUMINANTS
TISSUES
URACILS
VERTEBRATES
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques