|
|
||||||||
AJP - Cell Physiology, Vol 269, Issue 6 C1433-C1449, Copyright © 1995 by American Physiological Society
ARTICLES |
P. A. Piepenhagen and W. J. Nelson
Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305-5426, USA.
Structural and functional differences among epithelial cells of kidney nephrons may be regulated by variations in cell-to-cell (cell-cell) and cell-to-substratum (cell-substratum) junctions. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate that the cadherin-associated proteins alpha- and beta-catenin are localized to basolateral membranes of cells in all nephron segments, whereas plakoglobin, a protein associated with both classical and desmosomal cadherins, is localized to noninterdigitated lateral membranes in the distal half of the nephron where it colocalizes with desmoplakin and cytokeratin K8. Plakoglobin is also present in capillary endothelial cells where staining for the other catenins and desmosomal proteins is not observed. Immunofluorescence for laminin A and alpha 6-integrin, proteins that mediate cell-substratum contacts, reveal no correlations with the other staining patterns observed. These data indicate that plakoglobin and beta-catenin subserve distinct functions in cell-cell adhesion and suggest that E-cadherin-mediated contacts generate a basal level of cell-cell adhesion, whereas desmosomal junctions provide additional strength to cell-cell contacts in the distal nephron.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
D. B. N. Lee, E. Huang, and H. J. Ward Tight junction biology and kidney dysfunction Am J Physiol Renal Physiol, January 1, 2006; 290(1): F20 - F34. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. M. Xu, T. Sikaneta, B. M. Sullivan, Q. Zhang, M. Andreucci, T. Stehle, I. Drummond, and M. A. Arnaout Polycystin-1 Interacts with Intermediate Filaments J. Biol. Chem., November 30, 2001; 276(49): 46544 - 46552. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. M. MAHIMKAR, W. H. BARICOS, O. VISAYA, A. S. POLLOCK, and D. H. LOVETT Identification, Cellular Distribution and Potential Function of the Metalloprotease-Disintegrin MDC9 in the Kidney J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., April 1, 2000; 11(4): 595 - 603. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. REISER, W. KRIZ, M. KRETZLER, and P. MUNDEL The Glomerular Slit Diaphragm Is a Modified Adherens Junction J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., January 1, 2000; 11(1): 1 - 8. [Abstract] [Full Text] |
||||
![]() |
O. Kwon, B. D. Myers, R. Sibley, D. Dafoe, E. Alfrey, and W. J. Nelson Distribution of Cell Membrane-associated Proteins Along the Human Nephron J. Histochem. Cytochem., December 1, 1998; 46(12): 1423 - 1434. [Abstract] [Full Text] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Visit Other APS Journals Online |