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JUNCTIONAL COMPLEXES OF THE HAMSTER VAGINA, UNDER NORMAL AND EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS
Author(s) -
VargasLinares Clara E. Roigde,
Burgos Mario H.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology and cognate medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0033-5541
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1965.sp001813
Subject(s) - desmosome , tight junction , hamster , cell junction , epithelium , ultrastructure , septate junctions , vagina , basement membrane , chemistry , anatomy , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , gap junction , biophysics , intracellular , cell , biochemistry , genetics
The ultrastructure of the different junctional complexes of the stratified epithelium of the hamster vagina at late metestrus has been studied both under normal conditions and after perfusion with EDTA. Four types of junctions are described through which the vaginal cells adhere both to each other and to the basement membrane. These junctions are: the typical desmosome; the tight junction; the adhering band, and the basal junction. After the calcium depletion due to EDTA, the desmosomes open up and there is a disappearance of the central laminar density. This causes the extension of the intercellular spaces. The other junctions, with the exception of the adhering bands in the vicinity of the desmosomes, appear to be resistent to EDTA. These EDTA‐induced changes are similar to those produced by leucocyte invasion of the vaginal epithelium in metestrus.