Osmium impregnation of the endoplasmic reticulum correlates with the functional status of prostatic secretory cells

Abstract

The ultrastructure of prostatic secretory cells was studied with the osmium impregnation technique in order to determine if the ER reactivity, or its absence, and its three-dimensional organization correspond to specific functions possibly hormono-dependent. Thick sections (0.3 micron) of rat ventral prostate were made after a five-day impregnation with osmium tetroxide and examined by standard transmission electron microscopy at 80 kV. Studies were performed in normal adult rats, between the 3rd and 26th day following castration and in castrated rats treated with 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone. In normal rats the impregnation technique delineated three secretory cell types (dark, greyish and clear), representing various degrees of reactivity in ER cisternae; however, despite this quantitative variation, they had similar morphological characteristics. In a longitudinal section, the ER network appeared to be made of saccules running parallel along the length of the cell and forming whorl-like patterns around the nucleus. Comparison of sections taken at various angles suggests that the ER network is made of concentric parallel saccules extending from the base to the apex of the cell and encircling the nucleus and the Golgi apparatus like a large multilayered cylinder. Whereas in dark cells the Golgi apparatus contained mostly clear vesicles, it was always heavily impregnated in clear cells. Noteworthy, osmium deposits were rarely observed on the nuclear envelope of secretory cells but were always present in basal cells. After castration, secretory cells became progressively cubic and the most conspicuous cytoplasmic change was observed in association with the ER. The Golgi apparatus decreased markedly in volume and became heavily stained with metallic osmium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Vasopressin modifies osmium impregnation of the endoplasmic reticulum in cultured kidney collecting duct cells

“…A marked segmental polymorphism of the ER has been revealed. Similar studies carried out on the ultrastructure of prostatic secretory cells indicate that ER impregnation by osmium is related to cellular metabolism and can be modified by hormonal factors [2]. Similar studies carried out on the ultrastructure of prostatic secretory cells indicate that ER impregnation by osmium is related to cellular metabolism and can be modified by hormonal factors [2].…”

Organization of the internal membrane system in the principal cells of the mouse epididymis after osmium impregnation

“…The presence of these ultrastructural features suggests that in these constitutive (stimulus-independent) secretory cells, two distinct routes export a relatively different spectrum of proteins and/or glycoproteins. In prostatic cells, some secretory products of the endoplasmic reticulum also seem to be secreted directly into the lumen (Beaudry-Lonergan et al, 1985).…”

Morphogenesis of endoplasmic reticulum in Xenopus oocytes after microinjection of rat liver smooth microsomes

“…Sometimes it exists as a continuum, and sometimes it may be observed as a number of isolated components that can fuse to form a continuum (Porter, 1961). Structural modifications arising as a consequence of fusion among membranes of this system in interphase cells have been shown to correlate with changes in cellular metabolism (Farquhar and Rinehart, 1954;Larsen, 1962;Ishikawa, 1965;Higgins, 1974;Clermont et al, 1980;Jingami et al, 1987;Beaudry-Lonergan et al, 1985;Cardell et al, 1985;Pacifici and Iozzo, 19881, as well as with changes in the organization of the cellular cytoskeleton (Terasaki et al, 1986;Lee and Chen, 1988;Dabora and Sheetz, 1988;Kachar and Reese, 1988). The exact significance of these changes is not known, but changes in synthesis and secretion in at least some of these cell types are thought to be involved.…”