Late in gestation lung epithelium changes from net chloride and fluid secretion to sodium and fluid absorption. Fluid resorption is required for postnatal gas exchange and occurs by combined action of epithelial sodium channels and Na, K-ATPase. We hypothesized that alveolar epithelial Na, K-ATPase increases perinatally.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn many diseases the lung is injured by oxidants. gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is an ectoenzyme on the apical plasma membrane of many epithelial cells that protects against oxidants by replenishing intracellular glutathione. We sought to localize GGT within rat lungs in vivo and in cultured alveolar epithelial cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA major function of the alveolar epithelium is to keep the airspace free of fluid and preserve gas exchange. Since Na-K-ATPase is believed to be important in this process, we hypothesized that Na-K-ATPase in the rat lung would increase in response to acute lung injury with pulmonary edema. Na-K-ATPase localization, mRNA expression, and protein levels were determined in hyperoxic lung injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmunoglobulin heavy chain binding protein (BiP) (also known as GRP 78) is a protein of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) which has been shown to be involved in post-translational processing of nascent membrane and secretory proteins. To determine BiP's location in the exocytic pathway, we localized BiP at the electron microscopic level in mouse myeloma cell lines by immunoperoxidase cytochemistry. BiP was found to be present within the cisternal spaces of the RER and nuclear envelope but was not detected in the cisternae of the Golgi complex.
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