scholarly journals Studies on the mechanism of polyethylene glycol-mediated cell fusion using fluorescent membrane and cytoplasmic probes.

1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
J W Wojcieszyn ◽  
R A Schlegel ◽  
K Lumley-Sapanski ◽  
K A Jacobson
Keyword(s):  
Polyethylene Glycol ◽  
Cell Fusion ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Adjacent Cell ◽  
Freeze Fracture Electron Microscopy ◽  
Fracture Electron

The mechanism by which polyethylene glycol (PEG) mediates cell fusion has been studied by examining the movements of membrane lipids and proteins, as well as cytoplasmic markers, from erythrocytes to monolayers of cultured cells to which they have been fused. Fluorescence and freeze-fracture electron microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching have yielded the following results: (a) In the presence of both fusogenic and nonfusogenic PEG membranes are brought together at closely apposed contact regions. (b) Fluorescent lipid probes quickly spread from the membranes of erythrocytes to cultured cells in the presence of both fusogenic and nonfusogenic PEG. (c) Proteins of the erythrocyte membranes were never observed to diffuse into the cultured cell membrane. (d) Water-soluble proteins did not diffuse from the erythrocyte interior into the target cell cytoplasm until the PEG was removed. These data suggest that the coordinate action of two distinct components is necessary for fusion as mediated by PEG. Presumably, the polymer itself promotes close apposition of the adjacent cell membranes but the fusion stimulus is provided by the additives contained in commercial PEG.

Studies of membrane fusion. III. Fusion of erythrocytes with polyethylene glycol

1979 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-72
Author(s):  
S. Knutton
Keyword(s):  
Polyethylene Glycol ◽  
Cell Fusion ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Cell Swelling ◽  
Adjacent Cell ◽  
Cell Contact ◽  
Cell Agglutination ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Freeze Fracture Electron Microscopy

Freeze-fracture electron microscopy has been used to investigate the mechanism of polyethylene glycol-induced cell fusion. Interaction of cells with the high concentrations of polyethylene glycol required for cell fusion results in cell agglutination with large planar areas of very close contact between adjacent cell membranes. An aggregation of intramembrane particles into large patches at the sites of cell-cell contact accompanies cell agglutination. Fusion occurs following the removal of most of the PEG when cells only remain in close contact at small (approximately 0.1 micrometer diameter) plaques of smooth membrane resulting in cells connected by one (or more) small cytoplasmic connexions. Expansion to form spherical fused cells occurs by a process of cell swelling.

scholarly journals Cell fusion and intramembrane particle distribution in polyethylene glycol-resistant cells.

1983 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
pp. 909-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
D S Roos ◽  
J M Robinson ◽  
R L Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Polyethylene Glycol ◽  
Particle Distribution ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Visual Observation ◽  
Accurate Analysis ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Freeze Fracture Electron Microscopy ◽  
Fracture Electron ◽  
Resistant Cells

The distribution of intramembrane particles (IMP) as revealed by freeze-fracture electron microscopy has been analyzed following treatment of mouse L cells and fusion-deficient L cell derivatives with several concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG). In cell cultures treated with concentrations of PEG below the critical level for fusion, no aggregation of IMP was observed. When confluent cultures of the parental cells are treated with 50% PEG, greater than 90% of the cells fuse, and cold-induced IMP aggregation is extensive. In contrast, identical treatment of fusion-deficient cell lines shows neither extensive fusion nor IMP redistribution. At higher concentrations of PEG, however, the PEG-resistant cells fuse extensively and IMP aggregation is evident. Thus the decreased ability of the fusion-deficient cells to fuse after treatment with PEG is correlated with the failure of IMP aggregation to occur. A technique for quantifying particle distribution was developed that is practical for the accurate analysis of a large number of micrographs. The variance from the mean number of particles in randomly chosen areas of fixed size was calculated for each cell line at each concentration of PEG. Statistical analysis confirms visual observation of highly aggregated IMP, and allows detection of low levels of aggregation in parental cells that were less extensively fused by exposure to lower concentrations of PEG. When low levels of fusion were induced in fusion-deficient cells, however, no IMP aggregation could be detected.

Image Analysis of Intramembrane Particles in Freeze-Fractured Biomembranes Using Computer Simulation Techniques

1975 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 214-215
Author(s):  
D.J. Benefiel ◽  
R.S. Weinstein
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Integral Membrane Proteins ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Intramembrane Particles ◽  
Modeling Methods ◽  
Simulation Techniques ◽  
Freeze Fracture Electron Microscopy ◽  
Fracture Electron ◽  
Computer Simulation Techniques

Intramembrane particles (IMP or MAP) are components of most biomembranes. They are visualized by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, and they probably represent replicas of integral membrane proteins. The presence of MAP in biomembranes has been extensively investigated but their detailed ultrastructure has been largely ignored. In this study, we have attempted to lay groundwork for a systematic evaluation of MAP ultrastructure. Using mathematical modeling methods, we have simulated the electron optical appearances of idealized globular proteins as they might be expected to appear in replicas under defined conditions. By comparing these images with the apearances of MAPs in replicas, we have attempted to evaluate dimensional and shape distortions that may be introduced by the freeze-fracture technique and further to deduce the actual shapes of integral membrane proteins from their freezefracture images.

scholarly journals Freeze-fracture Electron Microscopy on Microbubbles Used as Theranostics or Made of Lung Surfactant

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1172-1173
Author(s):  
B Papahadjopoulos-Sternberg ◽  
J Ackrell
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Lung Surfactant ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Freeze Fracture Electron Microscopy ◽  
Fracture Electron

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA, August 1 – August 5, 2010.

Transmembrane phospholipid distribution revealed by freeze-fracture replica labeling

1996 ◽  
Vol 109 (10) ◽  
pp. 2453-2460 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Fujimoto ◽  
M. Umeda ◽  
T. Fujimoto
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membranes ◽  
Membrane Lipids ◽  
Secretory Granules ◽  
General Scheme ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Electron Microscopic Observation ◽  
Erythrocyte Membranes ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Intracellular Membranes

We propose the use of membrane splitting by freeze-fracture for differential phospholipid analysis of protoplasmic and exoplasmic membrane leaflets (halves). Unfixed cells or tissues are quick-frozen, freeze-fractured, and platinum-carbon (Pt/C) shadowed. The Pt/C replicas are then treated with 2.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to solubilize unfractured membranes and to release cytoplasm or contents. While the detergent dissolves unfractured membranes, it would not extract lipids from split membranes, as their apolar domains are stabilized by their Pt/C replicas. After washing, the Pt/C replicas, along with attached protoplasmic and exoplasmic membrane halves, are processed for immunocytochemical labeling of phospholipids with antibody, followed by electron microscopic observation. Here, we present the application of the SDS-digested freeze-fracture replica labeling (SDS-FRL) technique to the transmembrane distribution of a major membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine (PC), in various cell and intracellular membranes. Immunogold labeling revealed that PC is exclusively localized on the exoplasmic membrane halves of the plasma membranes, and the intracellular membranes of various organelles, e.g. nuclei, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, secretory granules, and disc membranes of photoreceptor cells. One exception to this general scheme was the plasma membrane forming the myelin sheath of neurons and the Ca(2+)-treated erythrocyte membranes. In these cell membranes, roughly equal amounts of immunogold particles for PC were seen on each outer and inner membrane half, implying a symmetrical transmembrane distribution of PC. Initial screening suggests that the SDS-FRL technique allows in situ analysis of the transmembrane distribution of membrane lipids, and at the same time opens up the possibility of labeling membranes such as intracellular membranes not normally accessible to cytochemical labels without the distortion potentially associated with membrane isolation procedures.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document