Chloride secretion in the submandibular gland of adult and early postnatal rats studied by X-ray microanalysis

X-ray microanalysis of biological specimens by high voltage electron microscopy

For the purpose of analyzing and imaging chemical components of cells and tissues at the electron microscopic level, 3 fundamental methods are available, chemical, physical and biological. Among the physical methods, two methods qualifying and quantifying the elements in the structural components are very often employed. The first method is radioautography which can demonstrate the localization of radiolabeled compounds which were incorporated into cells and tissues after the administration of radiolabeled compounds. The second method is X-ray microanalysis which can qualitatively analyze and quantify the total amounts of elements present in cells and tissues. We have developed the two methodologies in combination with intermediate high or high voltage transmission electron microscopy (200-400 kV) and applied them to various kinds of organic and inorganic compounds present in biological materials. As for the first method, radioautography, I had already contributed a chapter to PHC (37/2). To the contrary, this review deals with another method, X-ray microanalysis, using semi-thin sections and intermediate high voltage electron microscopy developed in our laboratory. X-ray microanalysis is a useful method to qualify and quantify basic elements in biological specimens. We first quantified the end-products of histochemical reactions such as Ag in radioautographs, Ce in phosphatase reaction and Au in colloidal gold immunostaining using semithin sections and quantified the reaction products observing by intermediate high voltage transmission electron microscopy at accelerating voltages from 100 to 400 kV. The P/B ratios of all the end products Ag, Ce and Au increased with the increase of the accelerating voltages from 100 to 400 kV. Then we analyzed various trace elements such as Zn, Ca, S and Cl which originally existed in cytoplasmic matrix or cell organelles of various cells, or such elements as Al which was absorbed into cells and tissues after oral administration, using both conventional chemical fixation and cryo-fixation followed by cryo-sectioning and freeze-drying, or freeze-substitution and dry-sectioning, or freeze-drying and dry-sectioning producing semithin sections similarly to radioautography. As the results, some trace elements which originally existed in cytoplasmic matrix or cell organelles of various cells in different organs such as Zn, Ca, S and Cl, were effectively detected. Zn was demonstrated in Paneth cell granules of mouse intestines and its P/B ratios showed a peak at 300 kV. Ca was found in human ligaments and rat mast cells with a maximum of P/B ratios at 350 kV. S and Cl were detected in mouse colonic goblet cells with maxima of P/B ratios at 300 kV. On the other hand, some elements which were absorbed by experimental administration into various cells and tissues in various organs, such as Al in lysosomes of hepatocytes and uriniferous tubule cells in mice was detected with a maximum of P/B ratios at 300 kV. From the results, it was shown that X-ray microanalysis using semi-thin sections observed by intermediate high voltage transmission electron microscopy at 300-400 kV was very useful resulting in high P/B ratios for quantifying some trace elements in biological specimens. These methodologies should be utilized in microanalysis of various compounds and elements in various cells and tissues in various organs.

Effects of forksolin, dibutyryl cAMP and H89 on Ca2+ mobilization in submandibular salivary cells of newborn rats

The effects of substances which affect cAMP or the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) on the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and Ca2+ responses to acetylcholine or thapsigargin were investigated in submandibular gland cells of newborn rats. Exposure to forskolin, dibutyryl cAMP or the PKA inhibitor H89 did not affect the formation of IP3 or the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores elicited by acetylcholine. However, the thapsigargin-induced Ca2+ release was reduced by dibutyryl cAMP and enhanced by H89 in immature cells. Ca2+ influx activated by acetylcholine and thapsigargin was additive in immature cells but not in mature cells, suggesting the presence of a separate Ca2+ entry pathway in immature cells. Moreover, the acetylcholine-stimulated Ca2+ influx was significantly potentiated by forskolin and dibutyrylcAMP, but not by H89 in immature cells. In contrast, the thapsigargin-activated Ca2+ influx was dramatically enhanced by H89, but not by forskolin and dibutyrylcAMP in these cells. This modulation of Ca2+ mobilization by the test substances is different from that observed in mature submandibular cells in which forskolin, dibutyrylcAMP and H89 affected both IP3 formation and Ca2+ release in response to acetylcholine. Therefore, these results suggest differences in the interaction between the cAMP-PKA and the phosphoinositide-Ca2+ signalling pathways of mature and immature salivary cells. The modulation of Ca2+ influx by the cAMP-PKA pathway in immature cells is likely to play a part in the maturation of salivary cells.

Evidence for a Ca2+ pool associated with secretory granules in rat submandibular acinar cells

Intracellular Ca2+ stores in rat submandibular acinar cells were characterized using the Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent indicator fura 2 and the radiotracer 45Ca2+. Acetylcholine induced a rapid Ca2+ release from a store sensitive to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and to thapsigargin (TG). After this store was presumably depleted, ionomycin caused a further increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), suggesting the presence of an IP3-insensitive Ca2+ release from a store that is more extensive and heterogeneous than the IP3-sensitive one and includes a small mitochondrial component. After both of these stores had been discharged, exposure to monensin caused an additional release of Ca2+ from a third store. This store appears to be associated with secretory granules, since Ca2+ release was significantly reduced when degranulation was induced by isoprenaline. This third store appears to be insensitive to IP3, discharges Ca2+ when the pH gradient across the limiting membrane is collapsed with monensin and only in the presence of both ionomycin and monensin. Ca2+ release from this store is not by Na+/Ca2+ exchange, since simply altering [Na+]i did not cause significant Ca2+ release. In permeabilized cells, IP3 and TG released approx. 35% of 45Ca2+, and ionomycin released an additional 57%, whereas monensin only caused a small additional release, suggesting that only IP3- and ionomycin-sensitive stores are loaded with 45Ca2+ under these conditions. The absence of significant isotope uptake into the ionomycin+monensin-sensitive store may result from a low rate of tracer accumulation or from the lack of Ca2+ pumps in the store. The pattern of response was similar in the presence and absence of mitochondrial inhibitors, indicating that the store is not located in mitochondria. In summary, these results suggest that a substantial IP3-insensitive Ca2+ store is present in secretory granules in rat submandibular acinar cells.