Integrin regulation of cell-cell adhesion during epithelial tubule formation.

The extracellular matrix plays an important role in regulation of epithelial development and organization. To determine more precisely the function of extracellular matrix in this process, the initial steps in collagen-mediated formation of epithelial tubules were studied using a model cell culture system. Previous studies have demonstrated that incubation of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells with a collagen gel overlay induces (beta)1 integrin-regulated epithelial remodeling accompanied by extensive cell rearrangements and formation of epithelial tubules.

Expression and localization of Rab3D in rat parotid gland.

Rab3 proteins (isoforms A, B, C and D) are low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins proposed to be involved in regulated exocytosis. In the present study, Rab3 protein expression and localization was examined in rat parotid gland by reverse transcription (rt) PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. An approximately 200 bp PCR product was obtained from parotid RNA by rtPCR and this fragment was cloned and sequenced.

The alpha 2 beta 1 integrin regulates collagen-mediated MDCK epithelial membrane remodeling and tubule formation.

Previous studies have demonstrated that incubation of MDCK cell epithelial cysts in collagen gel induced a reversal in cell surface polarity that was regulated by beta 1 integrins. Further experiments were done to identify the specific collagen binding integrin involved by applying collagen gel overlays to the apical membrane of subconfluent MDCK monolayers. Cell surface levels of the apical membrane glycoprotein gp135 were monitored by ELISA to quantitate the extent of collagen-mediated membrane remodeling.

Regulation of epithelial cell surface polarity reversal by beta 1 integrins.

The role of extracellular matrix in the regulation of epithelial cell surface polarity development was studied using MDCK cells. Previous work has demonstrated that MDCK cells cultured in suspension form epithelial cysts having polarized cell surface distributions of several membrane proteins. When MDCK suspension cysts are incubated within collagen gel, a dynamic epithelial membrane remodeling occurs that is accompanied by the reversal of cell surface polarity (Wang et al.

Antimicrotubule drugs inhibit the polarized insertion of an intracellular glycoprotein pool into the apical membrane of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells.

Previous experiments on MDCK cells have demonstrated that the polarized appearance of a 135 kDa glycoprotein (gp135) on the apical plasma membrane can occur through the insertion of both newly synthesized gp135 as well as a pre-existing gp135 intracellular pool. In this study, anticytoskeletal drugs were utilized to determine the role of the cytoskeleton in the polarized delivery of gp135. Colchicine and nocodazole produced a 15-20% inhibition in the apical surface accumulation of newly synthesized gp135 and inhibited the appearance of the gp135 pool by approximately 33%, while cytochalasin D had no affect on the apical accumulation of either newly synthesized gp135 or the gp135 pool.