Summary
In freeze-etched vertebrate smooth muscles cells of the mouse intestine thick filaments were observed, showing a main orientation in the long fiber axis and a random arrangement within the cell. The filaments strongly resemble that obtained by thin-sectioning technique of the same tissue.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Buelbring, B., Golenhofen, K.: Oxygen consumption by the isolated smooth muscle of the guinea-pig taenia coli. J. Physiol. (Lond.)193, 213–224 (1967).
Choi, J. K.: Fine structure of smooth muscle of the chicken's gizzard. Proc. 5th Int. Congr. Electron Microscopy, Philadelphia. Vol. 2, M9 (1962).
Devine, C. E., Simpson, F. O., Bertraud, W. S.: Surface features of smooth muscle cells from the mesenteric artery and vas deferens. J. Cell Sci.8, 427–443 (1971).
Gansler, H.: Phasenkontrast- und elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zur Morphologie und Funktion der glatten Muskulatur. Z. Zellforsch.52, 60–92 (1960).
Heumann, H.-G.: A regular actin filament lattice in a vertebrate smooth muscle. Experientia (Basel)26, 1131–1132 (1970).
—: Über die Funktionsweise glatter Muskelfasern. Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen an der Darmmuskulatur der Hausmaus. Cytobiologie3, 259–281 (1971).
Kelly, R. E., Rice, R. V.: Localization of myosin filaments in smooth muscle. J. Cell Biol.37, 105–116 (1968).
— —: Ultrastructural studies on the contractile mechanism of smooth muscle. J. Cell Biol.42, 683–694 (1969).
Lowy, J., Small, J. V.: The organization of myosin and actin in vertebrate smooth muscle. Nature (Lond.)227, 46–51 (1970).
Moor, H.: Die Gefrierfixation lebender Zellen und ihre Anwendung in der Elektronenmikroskopie. Z. Zellforsch.62, 546–580 (1964).
—, Mühlethaler, K.: The fine structure of frozen etched yeast cells. J. Cell Biol.17, 609–628 (1963).
Nonomura, Y.: Myofilaments in smooth muscle of guinea pig's taenia coli. J. Cell Biol.39, 741–745 (1968).
Panner, B. J., Honig, C. R.: Filament ultrastructure and organization in vertebrate smooth muscle. Contraction hypothesis based on localization of actin and myosin. J. Cell Biol.35, 303–321 (1967).
— —: Locus and state of aggregation of myosin in tissue sections of vertebrate smooth muscle. J. Cell Biol.44, 52–61 (1970).
Pease, D. C.: Structural features of unfixed mammalian smooth and striated muscle prepared by glycol dehydration. J. Ultrastruct. Res.23, 280–303 (1968).
Rüegg, J. C.: Contractile mechanisms of smooth muscles. In: Aspects of cell motility, p. 45–66. Cambridge University Press 1968.
Shoenberg, C. F.: Contractile proteins of vertebrate smooth muscle. Nature (Lond.)206, 526–527 (1965).
—, Rüegg, J. C., Needham, D. M., Schirmer, R. H., Nemetchek-Gansler, H.: A biochemical and electron microscope study of the contractile proteins in vertebrate smooth muscle. Biochem. Z.345, 255–266 (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The authors wish to thank Dr. F. Wunderlich for helpful discussions and Mrs. I. Vocke for technical assistance. The work was supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heumann, H.G., Speth, V. Thick filaments in a freeze-etched vertebrate smooth muscle. Z.Zellforsch 122, 139–144 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00936122
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00936122