Polarity of the Forssman glycolipid in MDCK epithelial cells

To determine whether epithelial plasma membrane glycolipids are polarized in a manner analogous to membrane proteins, MDCK cells grown on permeable filters were analyzed for the expression of Forssman ceramide pentasaccharide, the major neutral glycolipid in these cells. Immunofluorescence and immun...

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Published inBiochimica et biophysica acta, Protein structure and molecular enzymology Vol. 930; no. 2; pp. 154 - 166
Main Authors Nichols, GE, Shiraishi, T, Allietta, M, Tillack, T W, Young, WW Jr
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.01.1987
Subjects
glycolipids
MDCK cells
plasma membranes
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Summary:To determine whether epithelial plasma membrane glycolipids are polarized in a manner analogous to membrane proteins, MDCK cells grown on permeable filters were analyzed for the expression of Forssman ceramide pentasaccharide, the major neutral glycolipid in these cells. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopic staining revealed the Forssman glycolipid on both the apical and basolateral surfaces of polarized cells. Analysis of metabolically labeled glycolipids released into the apical and basal culture medium, either as shed membrane vesicles or in budding viruses, also demonstrated the presence of the Forssman glycolipid on both apical and basolateral membranes of polarized cells. Quantitation of the released glycolipid indicated that the Forssman glycolipid was concentrated in the apical membrane. The results are consistent with previous reports which described quantitative enrichment of glycolipids in the apical domain of several epithelia.
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ISSN:0167-4838