ISSN:
1432-0878
Keywords:
Intercellular junctions
;
Brush border
;
Cecum
;
Freeze-fracture
;
Prokaryotic cells
;
Guinea pig
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the cecum of the guinea-pig is colonized by numerous spiral-shaped bacteria; these microorganisms, which adhere to mucosa at one end, were found exclusively on the brush border of the surface epithelium. The membranes of sectioned bacteria have a set of electron-dense bands girdling the tip adhered to epithelium. Freeze-fracture replicas of the bacteria revealed the prokaryote-eukaryote junction as a set of ridges on the P-face of outer membrane; the numerous particles of E-face were arranged in parallel rows; on the other hand, the apical plasma membrane and subjacent cytoplasm of epithelium occupied by the spiral-shaped bacteria did not show a structural counterpart. Observations suggest that one end of the spiral-shaped bacteria possesses specialized membrane components that permit specific attachment to the apical surface of epithelial cells.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00219094
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