Ultrastructural observations on the aldosterone-stimulated toad urinary bladder epithelium-ATPase activity

Light and electron microscopic localization of ATPase in normal and degenerating testes of Syrian hamsters

The distribution of Mg++-activated ATPase was determined with light and electron microscopy in normal and degenerating seminferous tubules. In the normal animals ATPase was localized in the interface between spermatids and Sertoli cells, in association with the cytoplasmic filaments contained within Sertoli cell processes, and in the lymphatic endothelium. ATPase activity increased in degenerating tubules as observed by light microscopy. Electron microscopic investigations of the degenerating tubules which contained only spermatogonia and Sertoli cells revealed reaction product on the outer surface of the Sertoli cell processes and within the interface between adjacent Sertoli cells. Reactaction product was also observed in the Sertoli cell processes between the cytoplasmic filaments and the cell membrane. Where filaments were absent in Sertoli cell processes, no reaction product was observed. These electron microscopic studies indicate that the increase in ATPase activity in testicular degeneration is probably a relative increase due to a loss of the germinal elements of the tubular epithelium and subsequent apposition of the Sertoli cell processes. We speculate that the ATPase activity localized within the Sertoli cell processes may be involved in providing an energy source for filament motility.

Mode of stimulation by aldosterone of the sodium efflux in barnacle muscle fibres: effects of ouabain, ethacrynic acid, diphenylhydantoin, (ATPMg)(2-), adenine translocase inhibitors, pyruvate and oxythiamine

1. A study has been made of the nature of the delayed stimulation caused by external aldosterone in barnacle fibres pre-exposed to aldosterone. 2. (i) Microinjection of 0-5 M-ATPMg2- caused only a small but prompt rise in the Na efflux. (ii) Microinjection of 0-5 M-ATPMg2- followed by external application of 10(-5)M aldosterone greatly augmented the magnitude of the delayed stimulation. The response was dose-dependent, as well as dependent on the concentration of external K+ and H+, but not Na+, Ca2+ or Mg2+. (iii) External application of 10(-5) M aldosterone for 30 min followed by its withdrawal from the bathing medium failed to bring about delayed stimulation. By contrast, fibres into which ATP had been injected showed delayed stimulation under these conditions. 3. Microinjection of actinomycin-D or spironolactone SC-14266 into fibres into which ATP had been injected followed by external application of aldosterone resulted in complete abolition of the delayed stimulation. 4. Delayed stimulation was reduced whether ATP had been injected or not by prior external application of 10(-4)M ouabain or internal application of 8 x 10(-2)M ethacrynic acid. It was completely abolished by prior application of ouabain externally and ethacrynic acid internally, or only 10(-4)M diphenylhydantoin externally. 5. (i) Microinjection of atractyloside or bongkrekic acid caused a substantial fall in the resting Na efflux. Bonkrekic acid proved more powerful than atractyloside. Microinjection of 0-05 M-ATPMg2- into fibres poisoned with 2-0 x 10(-2)M bongkrekic acid completely restored the Na efflux.