Enzyme cytochemical and morphometrical analyses of gap junctions in rabbit ovarian granulosa cells during follicle maturation and ovulatory process.

Review: Cytochemical aspects of gap junction: Enzyme activity, hydrophilic channel and charge.

“…Thus the intravesicular condition speculated by Mazet et al (36) would result from the alteration of the charge. Furthermore, we have recently observed the disappearance of cyclase activity on the inside and/or both side membranes of the internalized gap junctions in rabbit ovarian granulosa cells (38). Although it is not clear what relationship exists between the disappearance of enzyme activity and the breakdown of the gap junction, the disappearance might reflect the disorganization of the gap junction during the sequence of events in its breakdown as expected from our enzyme cytochemical data.…”

Calcium-activated adenosine triphosphatase and gap junctions in rat epidermis.

“…Recently it has been reported, that the formation of gap junctions is induced in ovarian granulosa cells in reponse to hCG stimulation (16), in uterine epithelium in response to embryo recognition (27), during wound healing process (11), following infection of skin by Molluscum contagiosum virus (3) and during the mucous metaplasia by retinoid acids (5,6). These results suggest that gap junctions play an important role in intercellular communication for the synchronous response of neighboring cells following some kind of stimulation.…”

“…Previous studies have indicated that normal epidermis has a very small amount of gap junctions, as compared to liver cells, ovarian follicle, cheek pouch epithelium etc. (11,16,26,29). We examined peripheral gap junctions showing the enzyme activity by the procedure of morphometry.…”

Gap junction and its cytoskeletal undercoats as involved in invagination-endocytosis.

“…Such GJs as representing various endocytotic phases have been described in follicular membrana granulosa cells (Larsen 1977;Larsen et al 1979Larsen et al , 1987Narimoto et al 1985), developing otocysts (Ginzberg and Gilula 1979), uterine smooth muscle cells (Cole and Garfield 1985), and cultured adrenocortical tumor cells (Murray et al 1981 ;Risinger and Larsen 1983). Although the cytoskeletal undercoat has been presumed as an essential part of the endocytosis, its structural change in the procedure has not been sufficiently analyzed.…”