Open AccessMorphological polarity in oral epithelial cells revealed by boric acid partial dissociation
Author(s) -
Newcomb G. M.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
scanning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.359
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1932-8745
pISSN - 0161-0457
DOI - 10.1002/sca.4950030210
Subject(s) - boric acid , dissociation (chemistry) , polarity (international relations) , chemistry , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , materials science , biochemistry , biology , organic chemistry , cell
Layers of epithelium were stripped with adhesive tape from the surface of rat palatal mucosa after that tissue had been fixed in OsO 4 , treated in 0.2 M boric acid and critical point or freeze dried. Cell layers stripped off evenly with very few intracellular fractures. The oral surface of cells in the stratum corneum was characterized by small pits and raised cell boundaries. By contrast the deep aspect of these cells displayed microvilli and linear grooves which exactly matched the pits and raised boundaries on the opposing cell beneath. Partial dissociation with boric acid after OsO 4 fixation greatly assists the demonstration of complementary cell surfaces deep in the epithelium.