AJP - Cell Physiology, Vol 262, Issue 4 C891-C898, Copyright © 1992 by American Physiological Society
Evidence of two distinct epithelial cell types in primary cultures from human sweat gland secretory coil
M. M. Reddy, C. L. Bell and P. M. Quinton
Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside 92521-0121.
The human sweat gland secretory coil (SC) is comprised of myoepithelial
(ME) and two types of secretory epithelial cells. The secretory cells
include beta-adrenergic-sensitive (beta-S) cells [responsive to the
beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (IPR)] and beta-adrenergic
insensitive (beta-I) cells. We have grown segments of SC in primary culture
and found that under the conditions described here, only epithelial cells
form outgrowths as indicated by morphological and physiological properties.
As in the native SC epithelium, the secretory cells in primary culture were
comprised of polygonal epithelial cells with a characteristic
hyperpolarization of cell potentials (Vm) to cholinergic stimulation by
mecholyl (magnitude of change of Vm = delta Vm = 21.5 +/- 1.3 mV, mean +/-
SE, n = number of cells = 44). We have found both beta-S and beta-I cells
as determined by unstimulated membrane potentials, sensitivity to IPR, and
K+ conductance (GK+). The frequency distribution of unstimulated cells
indicated two distinct populations of cells, one with high membrane
potentials (Vm = -63 +/- 2.6 mV), which correlated with beta-S cells, and a
second with low membrane potentials (Vm = -22 +/- 1.5 mV), which correlated
with the beta-I cells. IPR depolarized the Vm of beta-S cells (delta Vm =
11.0 +/- 0.8 mV, n = 25) without affecting the Vm of beta-I cells.(ABSTRACT
TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
