ISSN:
1432-1424
Keywords:
Cell culture
;
Water permeability
;
Epithelial barriers
;
Medium hypertonicity
;
Freeze-fracture
;
Rabbit rectum
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Abstract Caco-2 cells, originated in a human colonic cancer, are currently used as model systems to study transepithelial transports. To further characterize their water permeability properties, clone P1 Caco-2 cells were cultured on permeable supports. At confluence, the transepithelial net water movement (J W), mannitol permeability (P s), and electrical resistance (R) were simultaneously measured. The observed results were correlated with transmission and freeze-fracture electron microscopy studies and compared with those obtained, in similar experimental conditions, in a typical mammalian epithelial barrier: the rabbit rectum. When the serosal solution was made hypertonic (50 mm polyethylene glycol-PEG), the spontaneously observed secretory J w rapidly reversed, became absorptive and then stabilized. Simultaneously, the R values dropped and P s went up. In the case of the rabbit rectal epithelium, a similar treatment did not elicit significant changes in the water permeability during the first 20 min following the osmotic challenge while there was a significant increase in the transepithelial resistance. After exposure to serosal hypertonicity, several morphological modifications developed in the Caco-2 cells: Localized dilations in the intercellular spaces and vacuoles in the cytoplasm appeared. Nevertheless, most cells remained in contact and no evidence of cell shrinking was observed. Simultaneously, the tight-junction structure was more or less disorganized. The filament network lost its sharpness and “omega” figures appeared, bordering the intercellular spaces. In some cases the tight-junction network was completely disrupted. In the case of the rabbit rectum the structural modifications were completely different: Serosal hypertonicity rapidly induced cell shrinking and the opening of the intercellular spaces, with no noticeable change in the tight-junction structure. These results suggest that Caco-2-P1 cell membranes, contrary to the case of the basolateral membrane of rabbit rectal cells, have no water channels and that a paracellular route could play a central role in the water movements across this epithelial barrier.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00233452
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