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Cytoplasmic bridges and gap junctions in an insect cell line (Aedes albopictus)
Author(s) -
Bukauskas FF,
Kempf C,
Weingart R
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
experimental physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0958-0670
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1992.sp003657
Subject(s) - lucifer yellow , gap junction , intracellular , biophysics , cytoplasm , cell junction , biology , voltage clamp , microbiology and biotechnology , anatomy , membrane potential , cell , biochemistry
Cell pairs of an insect cell line (Aedes albopictus, clone C6/36) were used study simultaneously the diffusional and electrical properties of intercellular junctions. Diffusion studies involved injection of fluorescent molecules into one cell of a cell pair and visual inspection of their intercellular redistribution. Electrical measurements involved a dual voltage clamp method and whole‐cell recording with patch pipette. The voltage clamp protocol was aimed at examining the dependency of the junctional conductance, gj, on membrane potential, Vm. Cell pairs exhibiting a voltage‐dependent gj were found to allow intercellular diffusion of Lucifer Yellow CH (molecular mass, 443 Da), but not of FITC‐dextran (molecular mass, 4,400 Da). This response pattern is consistent with the presence of gap junctions in the intercellular junctions. Cell pairs showing no voltage dependence of gj were found to permit intercellular diffusion of both Lucifer Yellow CH and FITC‐dextran (dextran labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate). This behaviour is compatible with the presence of cytoplasmic bridges connecting the two adjacent cells. Hence, in culture the cells investigated express two kinds of intercellular structures, gap junctions and cytoplasmic bridges.