Characterisation of an epithelium-like layer of cells in the multicellular Dictyostelium discoideum slug.

Ultrarapid freezing (RF) followed by freeze-substitution (FS) provide superior preservation of the Dictyostelium discoideum multicellular slug tissue over conventional methods of chemical fixation at room temperature. The peripheral cells of slugs prepared by RF and FS form a tight layer of flattened cells. This cell layer resembles epithelia of other multicellular organisms in that it has close junctional contact between cells associated with the extracellular matrix (ECM, slime sheath). This is the first report that clearly demonstrates the existence of such peripheral cellular specialisation in this otherwise well-studied model system. Junctional contacts between adjacent cells mean that there is no intercellular space evident between apical membranes of apposing cells, and basally the intermembraneous space between peripheral cells is less than 10 nm. By contrast, the intercellular space between internal cells is approximately 10–25 nm. The shape of the peripheral cells varies with their location around the slug. In the posterior prespore zone, the peripheral cells are squamous and exhibit polarity along their antero-posterior axis. In the anterior prestalk zone, peripheral cells are less flattened, project irregular filipodia between internal cells, and are polarised along their apical-basal axis. Colloidal gold immunocytochemistry with the markers MUD1, MUD50 and MUD62 demonstrated that the peripheral layer is formed of prestalk cells in the anterior region and ventrum, and mostly prespore cells along the dorsum. Thus, the peripheral layer, while having specific cell classes in different regions, is not differentiation-specific. Rather, it appears that the structure of these epithelium-like cells is influenced by interaction with molecules of the ECM (sheath).