An electron microscopic investigation of the surface coat of visceral yolk sac endoderm cells in the guinea pig.

Abstract

AbstractGuinea pig visceral yolk sac endoderm cells are known to absorb proteins from the uterine lumen by the process of pinocytosis. Since previous studies have shown that the first step in protein absorption is the binding of the protein to an extracellular material on the surface of pinocytotic invaginations, it was thought that the surface coat might possess receptor sites for molecules which are subsequently absorbed. This study investigates the nature of the surface coat of the endoderm cells using ruthenium red, alcian blue/cetylpyridynium chloride‐lanthanum and concanavalin A‐peroxidase procedures. Results using these methods showed the presence of a surface coat on both the microvilli and pinocytotic invaginations. The coat on the pinocytotic invaginations was thicker than that on the microvilli. Concanavalin A receptor sites were separated from one another on the cell surface. Since only those pinocytotic invaginations which were open to the surface at the time of fixation would be “stained” by these methods, the procedures also show that the numerous tubules and vesicles in the apical cytoplasm do not all form an intercommunicating labyrinth open to the surface, even though most of them are part of a related functional system. The results indicate that the surface coat contains mucopolysaccharide components. In addition, concanavalin A receptor sites are present which are probably oligosaccharides associated with a glycoprotein component of the apical cell membrane.