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KMID : 0381919950250020053
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Korean Journal of Microscopy
1995 Volume.25 No. 2 p.53 ~ p.64
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Some Observations on the Intercellular Junctions between the Hepatocytes in Fasting States as Revealed by Freeze Fracture Replica
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Ahn Tae-Soon
Shin Young-Chul
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Abstract
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This study was designed to investigate the morphological alterations of zonula occludens, macula adherences and gap junctions between the hepatocytes in the fasting conditions. Animals (Sprague Dawley, $250{\sim}280g$) were divided into two groups: normal and fasting. The latter were fasted for eight days prior to sampling. Liver tissues were sectioned and replicated after freeze fracturing for the transmission electron microscopy. In the normal rat liver, the interhepatocellular space at the area of some zonula occludens appeared to be widened in thin sections. On the freeze fracture replicas., the zonula occludens appeared as an anastomosing network of $2{\sim}4$ strands or grooves on P or E faces. Free ends and fragments of the strands were observed. In the rat fasted for eight days, the hepatocytes were diminished in size and the organelles were decreased in number and size. The intercellular space was wide at many areas of zonula occludens in thin section. On the freeze fracture replicas, the zonula occludens showed diminution or disappearence of anastomosing network of strands or grooves. Free ends and small fragments of the strands or grooves were frequently encountered. The macula adherens was markedly increased in number in thin sections, although they could not be found on the freeze fracture replicas. The gap junctions were increased in number in thin sections. Small aggregations of the intramembranous particles appeared with larger ones on the freeze fracture replica. The evidences may suggest the followings: (1) The disassembly of zonula occludens in the fasting states is led from the diminished mechanical stress on the luminal surface of bile canaliculus with the impaired secretion of bile components from the hepatocytes. (2) The increase of macula adherens is necessary to maintain the liver parenchyma integrity in the fasting state which leads the hepatocyte to be diminished and finally the intercellular space to be separated. (3) The rise in both number and size of gap junctions is owing to the need of increasing intercellular communication between the hepatocytes during the fasting. (4) The alteration of zonula occludens is easily led by the physiological condition of hepatocytes even in the normal ones.
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KEYWORD
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Hepatocyte, Intercellular junctions, Fasting state
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