Ultrastructural localisation of carbonic anhydrase in rat stomach parietal cells

Gating mechanism of elongating β-ketoacyl-ACP synthases

Carbon-carbon bond forming reactions are essential transformations in natural product biosynthesis. During de novo fatty acid and polyketide biosynthesis, β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthases (KS), catalyze this process via a decarboxylative Claisen-like condensation reaction. KSs must recognize multiple chemically distinct ACPs and choreograph a ping-pong mechanism, often in an iterative fashion. Here, we report crystal structures of substrate mimetic bearing ACPs in complex with the elongating KSs from Escherichia coli, FabF and FabB, in order to better understand the stereochemical features governing substrate discrimination by KSs. Complemented by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and mutagenesis studies, these structures reveal conformational states accessed during KS catalysis. These data taken together support a gating mechanism that regulates acyl-ACP binding and substrate delivery to the KS active site. Two active site loops undergo large conformational excursions during this dynamic gating mechanism and are likely evolutionarily conserved features in elongating KSs.

The source of carbon dioxide for gastric acid production

The source of carbon dioxide for the chemical reaction leading to the production of gastric acid is unknown. The decarboxylation of an amino acid releases carbon dioxide. Pepsinogens provide a rich source of the amino acid arginine. Both the source of carbon dioxide, arginine, and the consequence of arginine decarboxylation, agmatine, have been studied. The site of carbon dioxide production has been related to the survival of the parietal cell. An immunohistochemical study has been carried out on glycol methacrylate embedded gastric biopsies from the normal stomach of 38 adult patients. The sections have been stained using polyclonal antibody to pepsinogen II, polyclonal antibody to agmatine, and polyclonal antibody to Helicobacter pylori. Pepsinogen II and agmatine are found in the parietal cell canaliculi. This is consistent with the production of carbon dioxide from arginine in the parietal cell canaliculi. Evidence is presented for the decarboxylation of arginine derived from the activation segment of pepsinogen as the source of carbon dioxide for the production of gastric acid. The production of carbon dioxide by the decarboxylation of arginine in the parietal cell canaliculus enables the extracellular hydration of carbon dioxide at the known site of carbonic anhydrase activity. The extracellular production of acid in the canaliculus together with the presence of agmatine helps to explain why the parietal cells are not destroyed during the formation of gastric acid. Agmatine is found in the mucus secreting cells of the stomach and its role in acid protection of the stomach is discussed. Anat Rec, 2009. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The formation of type-I concretions in Drosophila Malpighian tubules studied by electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis

There are two types of concretions in Drosophila Malpighian tubules: Type-I concretions originate in the distal segments of the anterior tubules, type-II concretions in the adjacent transitional segment between the apical microvilli. Type-I concretions are formed with the aid of carbonic anhydrase within intracellular vesicles, which migrate to the apical cell membrane where they are discharged into the lumen by exocytosis. The carbonic anhydrase inhibitors acetazolamide or hydrochlorothiazide prevent the formation of concretions by interruption of bicarbonate supply. In addition, the formation of concretions can be reduced by feeding with sodium cellulose phosphate.

Carbonic anhydrase supports electrolyte transport in Drosophila Malpighian tubules. Evidence by X-ray microanalysis of cryosections

Electron probe X-ray microanalytical studies on the role of carbonic anhydrase in electrolyte transport in the cells of Drosophila Malpighian tubules indicate that carbonic anhydrase delivers protons and bicarbonate ions to ion transport systems in the cell membrane. After injection and after feeding acetazolamide or hydrochlorothiazide, known inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase, the contents of potassium, magnesium and chloride in the apical cytoplasm and in the cytoplasm close to the basal plasma membrane decreased. We explain our measurements by the hypothesis of a basal Mg-H-antiport system in parallel with Cl-HCO(3)-antiport, inhibitable by DIDS. Zinc is supposed to enters cells and intracellular Zn storage vacuoles by a negatively charged Zn-anion-complex in exchange for HCO(3)(-) ions. This antiport is inhibitable by SITS. The content of the Zn storage vacuoles is acid, as shown by red fluorescence after incubation of Malpighian tubules with acridine orange. Red fluorescence is absent after preincubation in a medium containing an inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase. Carbonic anhydrase was demonstrated cytochemically in the Golgi-ER complex, Golgi vesicles and intercellular space. We suppose that carbonic anhydrase is synthesized and stored in the Golgi-ER-complex from where it is released into the tubule lumen.

[Development of the gastric glands of cats (Felis silvestris catus)]

There are five stages in the development of the cat's gastric glands: 1. During the stage of the indifferent epithelium from day 19 to day 24, the anlage of the stomach develops with all layers; 2. The stage of gland formation from day 24 to day 41 is the beginning of the gland buds. They develop in connection with endocrine cells on day 34 into primitive oxyntic and primitive mucous cells. The latter form the basis for all other cells, including the surface mucous cells; 3. During the stage of gland evagination from day 42 to 55, the anlagen are separated into primitive pits and tubules, while the cells continue to differentiate and the first intermediate cells are seen; 4. The stage of gland branching from day 56 to birth is characterized by the formation of additional glands at the bottom of the pits which change the ordinary anlagen into branched glands. During this stage, the cardiac glands are formed; 5. In the stage of gland maturation from birth to the 9th week, the peptic cells are formed and the glands start functioning. The oxyntic cells show carbonic-anhydrase activity and signs of acid secretion, and, between the weeks 4 and 8, the peptic cells contain pepsinogen, producing a negative reaction to PAS and a positive reaction to HID. Mucous cells and mucous neck cells produce PAS- and AB-positive mucin.

Studies on carbonic anhydrase (CA) of light microsomal membranes isolated from bovine and pig gastric mucosa

1. The occurrence and characteristics of carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity were studied in light microsomal membranes (LMM) purified from bovine gastric mucosa. 2. Bovine gastric LMM contained a high activity of CA ranging from 170 to 400 mumol.H+/min/mg protein when assayed at 0 degree C by pH-stat technique. 3. The addition of 2mM EDTA to the assay mixture increased the enzyme activity. Lower concentrations (0.5-1 mM) had no effect. 4. The enzyme activity was dose-dependently inhibited by acetazolamide and furosemide (I50: 5 x 10(-10) M and 4.8 x 10(-7) M, respectively) and by chloride ion (Ki 85 mM) and appeared to be quite stable to treatment with alkaline Triton X-100. 5. Most of the CA activity is loosely associated with the LMM since it was removed by different washing treatments. Nevertheless, after extensive washes, gastric LMM still contained CA activity suggesting the existence of a firmly membrane-associated form of CA. 6. Values of CA activity higher than those reported previously were found in pig gastric LMM. Furthermore, the washing treatments described in this work were more effective in washing CA activity off pig gastric LMM than procedures described previously.

Effect of bile salts on carbonic anhydrase from rat and human gastric mucosa

Gastric carbonic anhydrase (CA) is believed to play an important role related to cytoprotection, and duodenogastric reflux of bile salts (BS) is suspected of having a causal role in many pathologic conditions. Thus, we decided to investigate the effect of free and conjugated BS on human and rat gastric CA activity. Cholate exerted the most potent inhibitory activity on both human (I50 = 2.24 mM) and rat (I50 = 1.68 mM) gastric CA, followed by glycochenodeoxycholate and taurocholate (I50 = 6.90 mM and 13.67 mM on rat gastric CA). Human and rat whole bile produced 10-90% and 20-40% inhibition of gastric CA of the same species. Since the concentrations of free and conjugated BS tested in this study can be found in the postgastrectomized stomach, our data suggest that inhibition of gastric CA might be one mechanism contributing to the gastric mucosa damage caused by BS refluxing into the stomach after gastric surgery.

Comparative study by histochemical, biochemical, and histophotometrical methods of carbonic anhydrase activity in the stomach of various vertebrate classes

Histochemical, biochemical, and histophotometrical studies of carbonic anhydrase activity have been carried out on the stomach of the various vertebrate classes, in order to make functional comparisons. Our results on carbonic anhydrase activity of epithelial surface may be interpreted in favour of a protective role by the secretion of an alkaline fluid against damage due to intraluminal low pH values. As regards the presence of carbonic anhydrase in the different types of gastric glandular cells, in addition to the already known function of the enzyme in hydrochloric acid secretion in the oxyntic and oxyntic-peptic cells, we suggest an interpretation of carbonic anhydrase presence observed in many chief cells.

Tissue culture of retinal glial cells

In order to be able to investigate the properties and characteristics of glia in the retina, a monotypic culture of retinal glial cells is likely to be an important research vehicle. Several techniques are now available to produce cultures of glial cells from the retina. These methods generally result in cultures of Mueller cells rather than retinal astrocytes. Publications on glial cultures involved complex procedures for the isolation of the target cell. Recent developments have resulted in simpler procedures with the advantage that large numbers of cultures can be established quickly and easily. Glial cultures have already been used in a variety of studies, simpler methods of culture, particularly if these can be adapted for culture of human glial cells, will probably result in more extensive use of cultures to unravel the properties of retinal glia.

The isolated stomach preparation of the mouse: a physiological unit for pharmacological analysis

Although oxyntic cell secretion can be studied at many organisation levels between isolated cell suspensions and non-invasive techniques in animals, the isolated, lumen-perfused, stomach preparation of the mouse represents a hierarchical level which eliminates extrinsic regulatory influences but retains all the cellular architecture known to be necessary for physiological responses and so can be defined as the physiological unit of acid secretion. The feeding pattern before and the distending pressure during an experiment have been identified as the main determinants of basal secretion: the combination of an intragastric pressure of 12 cmH2O and the fasted state generated a stable basal secretion over 2 h providing a satisfactory basis for bioassays. Basal acid secretion was lowered by treatment with omeprazole and sodium thiocyanate but not with tetrodotoxin, N-methylatropine or tiotidine, suggesting that basal secretion does not involve nervous stimulation or the local release of histamine under these experimental conditions. The improved assay permitted the full characterization of cumulative agonist concentration-effect curves in single stomach preparations to histamine, 5-methylfurmethide, pentagastrin and isobutyl-methylxanthine. Interestingly, pentagastrin produced sustained stimulation of gastric acid secretion under conditions when there was no pharmacological evidence that histamine secretion was taking place. This finding is discussed in relation to the role of histamine in the control of gastric acid secretion.

Ultrastructural localization of carbonic anhydrase in lysosomes

Ultrastructural localization of carbonic anhydrase was determined by applying Hansson's histochemical method to glutaraldehyde-fixed frozen sections of guinea pig peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and lysosomes isolated from rat liver tissue after the animal had been injected with Triton WR-1339. A positive histochemical reaction for carbonic anhydrase in PMNs was found in the matrix of lysosomes. After PMNs phagocytized polystyrene latex particles or emulsified paraffin oil droplets, a positive reactivity for carbonic anhydrase was found in the space between the lysosomal membrane and the particle. Liver lysosomes also revealed positive carbonic anhydrase histochemical reactivity. To confirm the histochemical reaction, indirect immunoferritin labeling was conducted with rabbit antibody to human red blood cell carbonic anhydrase C on glutaraldehyde-fixed, freeze-thawed human PMNs. Immunolabeling was observed in lysosomes. These results suggest that carbonic anhydrase is a constituent of lysosomes of PMNs and liver cells.

Cytochemical quantification of physiologic regulation of oxyntic cell carbonic anhydrase

We have studied the physiologic factors regulating oxyntic cell activity using cytochemical quantification of carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity. Gastrin (10 (-16) to 10(-12)M), histamine (10(-17) to 10(-13) M), and carbamylcholine (10(-13) to 10(-8) M) caused a dose-dependent increase in CA in the oxyntic cells in guinea pig gastric fundus, maximal at 90 sec. The stimulation of CA by all three secretagogues was inhibited by the CA inhibitor, acetazolamide. The agonist activities were selectively blocked by respective antagonists. The benzimidazole derivative compound Hassle 149/94 (10(-3)M) abolished the actions of all agonists. Thus, histamine, gastrin and carbamylcholine have independent actions on oxyntic cell CA. The inhibition of the activity of all three secretagogues by H149/94 suggests a close link between CA activity and the functioning of the proton pump H+ + K+-ATPase.

Role of calcium and calmodulin in activation of the oxyntic cell by histamine and carbamylcholine in the guinea pig

The role of calcium in stimulation of the oxyntic cell by histamine and carbamylcholine was studied using a sensitive quantitative cytochemical staining technique that measures oxyntic cell hydroxyl ion production (HIP) as an index of acid secretion. Histamine (10(-17)-10(-14) M), carbamylcholine (10(-12)-10(-9) M), and extracellular calcium (10(-7)-10(-3) M) caused a linear, dose-dependent stimulation of the oxyntic cell. EGTA (10(-6) M) inhibited carbamylcholine by 50% but not histamine-stimulated activity. Lanthanum chloride (10(-6) M) caused 100% inhibition of carbamylcholine-induced activity but did not affect histamine-stimulated activity. A maximally effective dose of calcium (10(-4) M) caused additive effects on HIP at low doses of carbamylcholine without alteration of the maximal effect of carbamylcholine. Calcium (10(-4) M) did not enhance the effects of histamine. The calmodulin antagonists, trifluoperazine (10(-5) M), pimozide (10(-5) M), and a naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7), inhibited the integrated response to histamine by 54, 56, and 53%, and that of carbamylcholine by 65, 64, and 99%, respectively. Thus, extracellular calcium per se, stimulates the oxyntic cell. The action of carbamylcholine is completely dependent upon calcium/calmodulin mediation, supporting the concept that cholinergic actions are mediated via calcium-calmodulin events. Although histamine does not require extracellular or membrane calcium events to stimulate the oxyntic cell, calmodulin appears to participate in histamine action.

Human carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme C. Effects of some fixatives on the antigenicity and improvements in the method of localization

The effects of some alcohol and aldehyde containing fixatives on the antigenicity of human carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme C (HCA C) were tested in order to reveal the most suitable method for the immunohistochemical localization of this enzyme. The use of 2% and 4% paraformaldehyde or 2% glutaraldehyde solutions before immunoperoxidase (PAP) staining resulted in the loss of HCA C-specific reactivity in the surface epithelial cells of human appendicular and gastric mucosae, whereas the antigenic reactivity of HCA C was well retained in the parietal cells of gastric glands. In corresponding tissue sections fixed with one of the alcohol containing solutions (abs. methanol, methanol + chloroform 2:1 or Carnoy fluid) both the surface epithelial and parietal cells showed HCA C-specific immunostaining after the PAP procedure. In addition, the antigenicity of HCA C was found to be well preserved in some tubular cells of human kidney fixed in Carnoy fluid. The paraffin infiltration at relatively low temperature did not markedly affect the enzyme antigenicity. Fixation in Carnoy fluid coupled with paraffin embedding at 55-60 degrees C in vacuo was found to give the best preservation of the antigenicity of HCA C with good morphological integrity for light microscopical localization.

Ultrastructural localization of carbonic anhydrase in gastric parietal cells with the immunoglobulin-enzyme bridge method

Ultrastructural immunostaining of carbonic anhydrase in gastric parietal cells was accomplished with the immunoglobulin-peroxidase bridge procedure applied to cryostat sections of fixed guinea-pig stomach prior to dehydration and embedment. Of a variety of fixatives tested, only freshly prepared paraformaldehyde buffered with calcium acetate provided both immunostaining and adequate preservation of ultrastructural morphology. Delipidization or exposure of specimens to detergent prior to staining enhanced the intensity of the immunostaining and increased the sensitivity of the method. Increased diaminobenzidine concentration in the peroxidase substrate appeared also to intensify the densification at the reactive site. Carbonic anhydrase was localized ultrastructurally with this pre-embedment immunobridge procedure in the hyaloplasm of gastric parietal cells and less consistently in the superficial surface epithelium. The basal portion of the parietal cells stained more intensely than the apical region and immunoreactivity appeared concentrated at the plasmalemma and around mitochondria.

Ultrastructural localization of carbonic anhydrase in tissues involved in shell formation and ionic regulation in the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis

The ultrastructural localization of carbonic anhydrase (CA) was investigated with the cobalt-bicarbonate method in three epithelia of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. In the epidermis a selective population of "positive cells" was observed. In these cells, CA is confined to the apical and to small parts of the lateral plasma membrane. In cells of the outer mantle epithelium, CA is localized in the lateral and basal parts of the plasma membrane. In cells of the ureter, CA was found apically as well as basally. The localization of CA is discussed in relation to the different functions of the epidermis (electrolyte uptake), mantle (HCO3- secretion, calcification) and ureter (electrolyte uptake, acid-base regulation).

Histochemical localization of carbonic anhydrase in fowl proventriculus

The carbonic anhydrase activity in fowl proventriculus was studied by the histochemical method of Hanssom. The activity was observed in the mucose membrane cells and in proventricular gland cells. These results, about which there is disagreement in the literature, are discussed in the text.

Immunohistochemical localization of human carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme C

Methods for immunohistochemical localization of human carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme C (HCA C) with indirect fluorescent antibody and immunoperoxidase techniques are described. Both methods revealed large amounts of this "high activity" isoenzyme in the mucosae of human stomach and appendix. With the indirect immunofluorescent method the presence of the enzyme in human erythrocyte cytoplasm was also demonstrated. Correlations of present findings with those obtained with the traditional histochemical methods for demonstration of carbonic anhydrase activity are discussed.

Carbonic anhydrase activity in mouse endocrine pancreas

Histochemical staining for carbonic anhydrase (CAH) was demonstrated in the mouse pancreas. Light microscopically, a strong reaction for CAH was found in the B-cell region of the islets, in blood vessels inside and outside the islets, and in centroacinar cells and ductules. In contrast, no distinct reaction was seen in the peripheral A- and D-cell regions of the islets, or in the cytoplasm of the acinar cells. A weak, irregular staining could, however, be observed in some nuclei of the acinar parenchyma. A newly-developed ultrastructural modification disclosed a distinct reaction in a varying number of the secretory granules of the B-cells, whereas a sparse, irregularly-distributed reaction was observed in the nuclei and cytoplasmic ground substance, and in association to the plasma membranes and microvilli of these cells. The CAH reaction was in all portions of the pancreas abolished by acetazolamide. The specificity of these results is discussed. The findings are suggested to indicate presence of a true CAH activity in the B-cells of the mouse pancreas.

Osmiophilic reagents in electronmicroscopic histocytochemistry

Direct histocytochemical staining methods on undisrupted tissues, stabilized by chemical fixation, potentially offer perhaps the most reliable approach to the study of the enzymes of the cell with relation to its ultrastructure. The atoms which, for the most part, comprise the biomacromolecules and enzymes of cells and tissues contribute little to their inherent electron opacity or ability to scatter electrons differentially. The latter property of a substance is responsible for its observation with the electron microscope. Since the introduction of osmiophilic reagents into cytochemistry (HANKER et al. 1964), the selective deposition of relatively large amounts of polymeric osmium black reaction products at the subcellular sites of insoluble or immobilized enzymes or biomacromolecules has facilitated their demonstration with the light and electron microscopes. Perhaps the most widely employed osmiophilic reagent in histocytochemistry has been DAB which was introduced by GRAHAM and KARNOVSKY (1966a, b). Although it receives its widest use for demonstrating the sites to which the exogenous ultrastructural tracer horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is transported in vertebrate tissues, it is also widely employed for the demonstration of catalase in peroxisomes with the media of FAHIMI (1969) or of NOVIKOFF and GOLDFISCHER (1969), and for the demonstration of cytochrome oxidase with the medium of SELIGMAN et al. (1968a). The importance of this reagent lies in its ability to undergo oxidative polymerization forming an insoluble osmiophilic melanin-like product (HANKER et al. 1972a) which comforms well to ultrastructure, at the sites of enzymic or nonenzyme proteins which catalyze its oxidation. In the past few years, studies in our laboratory have shown that a rational approach to the histocytochemical demonstration of enzymes could be devised. It is based on the selective deposition of transition metal compounds at the sites of enzymes that resemble hemoproteins in their ability to catalyze the oxidative polymerization of DAB. The most useful of these compounds, cupric ferrocyanide (Hatchett's brown) was also introduced into cytochemistry by Karnovsky's laboratory (KARNOVSKY 1964; KARNOVSKY and ROOTS 1974). By the use of natural substrates, when available, or synthetic substrates which liberate or form a reducing agent at the sites of the enzymatic activity, many diverse types of enzymes have been demonstrated by methods depending on this principle known as catalytic osmiophilic polymer generation. DAB has probably been the most useful histocytochemical reagent of the past decade. Yet its borderline carcinogenicity and the frequent interruption of a supply of good quality DAB have encouraged research into a substitute reagent. A new substitute for DAB has resulted from the study of artificial melanins in our laboratory for several years. It consists of a mixture of p-phenylenediamine and pyrocatechol and is much better than DAB for the demonstration of HRP used as a cytochemical tracer...

Orthogonal arrays of particles in plasma membranes of the gastric parietal cell

Freeze-fracture of rat gastric mucosa revealed a specific set of intramembranous particles in the plasma membrane of the parietal cells. The particles were small and of square shape and formed orthogonal arrays in the P-face with corresponding orthogonal arrays of pits in the E-face. Arrays, scattered among usual globular particles, were particularly numerous at the basal pole of the cell and less concentrated on the lateral side. They were not present in the apical microvillar membrane nor in the membranes of intracellular tubulovesicles. As in other cell types in which similar arrays were described previously (e.g., astrocytes, "light" cells of the kidney collecting tubule), their presence in parietal cell membranes suggest some specialized function of these membranes not shared by plasma membranes showing only a population of globular particles. This function has yet to be identified.

Localization of histamine and histamine H2-receptor antagonists in the gastric mucosa

Histamine stimulates acid secretion by the parietal cell and this secretion is inhibited by the histamine H2-receptor antagonists. Whole body autoradiography showed that radioactivity from 14C-histamine was localized in the artery walls of the stomach and in the muscularis mucosae, but that the level in the fundic mucosa was the same as the blood. When the H2-receptor antagonists burimamide, metiamide and cimetidine were labelled with 35S, 14C or 3H and dosed to rats, whole body autoradiography showed that the stomach was predominantly labelled in the glandular mucosa from 5 to 120 min after administration. Microautoradiography in the rat and dog after intravenous injection of [3H]metiamide or [3H]cimetidine demonstrated an uptake of tritium in the parietal cell cytoplasm that was 3- to 4-times greater than that found in adjacent peptic cells or areas of muscularis mucosa. The preferential labelling persisted at a low level up to 6h after injection in the rat. The localization of radioactivity from the H2-antagonists in the parietal cell cytoplasm correlates well with their pharmacological activity in preventing acid secretion from this cell.

Carbonic anhydrase in the intestinal tract of the guinea-pig

The distribution of carbonic anhydrase activity in the intestinal tract of the guinea-pig was studied by the histochemical method of Hansson. Enzyme activity was demonstrated in epithelial cells, erythrocytes and capillary walls. In the gastric mucosa parietal cells, surface mucous cells and neck mucous cells were highly active. In the small intestine only a few epithelial cells on the villi and in the upper part of the crypts showed enzyme activity. They seemed to be randomly scattered among inactive ones. It is not clear at present if they represent a distinct cell type or specialized absorptive cells. In the proximal colon most surface epithelial cells were highly active (goblet cells were inactive), whereas the surface cells in the distal colon showed less activity with a more varying degree of staining. In the cecum enzyme activity was found in the surface epithelium and in the upper part of the crypts, the staining being most marked at the luminal border of the surface cells. The staining reaction was completely inhibited in all tissues by 10 muM acetazolamide, except for the luminal staining of the cecum, which was inhibited only by 100 muM acetazolamide. This indicates the presence of high concentrations of carbonic anhydrase, probably of the "low activity" form, at this locus. Mucosal scrapings were taken from the intestinal tissues, homogenized and assayed for carbonic anhydrase activity by a changing-pH indicator method. The results confirm those of previous studies and correlate well with the histochemical findings.

Integration of biochemical functions of different cells of rat gastric mucosa for hydrochloric acid secretion

The regulation patterns of gastric acid secretion in rats were investigated. Pentagastrin and histamine stimulate gastric acid secretion, but the inhibitors of DNA-dependent synthesis of RNA and of proteins prevent only the pentagastrin action. It has been found that pentagastrin induces histidine decarboxylase in gastric mucosa, ensuring local accumulation of histamine. The latter activates adenylate cyclase and results in 3',5'-AMP accumulation in gastric tissues. The administration of pentagastrin, histamine or 3',5'-AMP enhances the activity of gastric carbonic anhydrase, the enzyme which takes part in HCl formation. The data suggest that these three compounds act sequentially (pentagastrin leads to histamine leads to3',5'-AMP) and the effect of the last one could be mediated through 3',5'-AMP dependent protein kinase. The experiments in vitro demonstrated that gastric carbonic anhydrase can be separated into two isoenzymes and thephosphorylation of one of them by the 3',5'-AMP dependent protein kinase sharply increases its activity. The findings raise the possibility that histamine and 3',5'-AMP, mediating gastrin action, form together with enzymes (histidine decarboxylase, adenylate cyclase, protein kinase, carbonic anhydrase) a caascade of amplifiers. Autoradiographic studies have shown that [3H]-pentagastrin is not bound by oxyntic cells but adheres preferentially to histamine-producing alpha-like endocrine cells and to the chief cells, while 3H-histamine adheres preferentially to oxyntic and to chief cells. Electron microscopy indicates that only pentagastrin (but not histamine) initiates in alpha-like endocrine cells ultrastructural changes characteristic for induction. Pentagastrin, histamine and 3',5'-AMP administration produces in oxyntic cells ultrastructural changes typical for the secretion processes. These results lead to assumption that pentagastrin (gastrin) induces histidine decarboxylase in alpha-like endocrine cells of gastric glands. Histamine which is secreted enhances adenylate cyclase activity in the neighbouring oxyntic cells where 3',5'-AMP dependent protein kinase activates carbonic anhydrase by means of phosphorylation. These different cells form, probably, a multicellular functional unit for gastric acid secretion.

Electron microscopic localization of carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in rabbit cornea

The localization of CA activity in the rabbit cornea was investigated using a modified Hansson's method. The reaction products indicating CA activity was observed in the lateral membrane of endothelial cell, but not in the apical membrane. In cytoplasm, Golgi complex, and mitochondria of the endothelial cells no specific reaction product could be found. In epithelium, stroma, and Descemet's membrane, no reaction product was seen. The specific staining was inhibited in the control group which was treated with 10(-4)M sodium acetazolamide.