An electron microscopic study of absorption of peroxidase-conjugated immunoglobulin G by guinea pig visceral yolk sac in vitro.

In the guinea pig and some other animals, passive immunity is conferred on the developing fetus by passage of immunoglobulin from mother to fetus across the yolk sac. In order to examine the cytological pathway involved in immunoglobulin transport, guinea pig visceral yolk sacs from late in gestation were exposed in vitro to peroxidase-conjugated guinea pig immunoglobulin G (IgG-HRP). Tissue was then fixed, incubated to show the site of localization of peroxidase reaction product and prepared for electron microscopy. The results suggested that the first step in the uptake of IgG-HRP by yolk sac is attachment of the protein to the surface coats of endocytic invaginations at the apical surfaces of the endodermal cells. The endocytic vesicles then appear to pinch off from the surface and move deeper into the cytoplasm. Some of the small endocytic vesicles fuse with large apical vacuoles, which often contain large amounts of reaction product. Other small endocytic vesicles pinch off from the surface, move deeper into the cytoplasm and fuse with the lateral plasmalemma; their protein content is emptied into the intercellular space by exocytosis. From the intercellular spaces the protein presumably diffuses across the basement membrane and connective tissue spaces and enters the vitelline capillary bed. It is postulated that the latter cellular pathway, involving small vesicles and the intercellular spaces, is utilized by those immunoglobulins which are transferred intact across the yolk sac endoderm.     

The fate of homologous 125I-labelled immunoglobulin G within rat visceral yolk sacs incubated in vitro.

When 125I-labelled rat IgG (immunoglobulin G) is incubated in vitro with visceral yolk sacs from 17.5-day-pregnant rats, the protein is readily degraded. The major radioactive digestion product that accumulates in the medium is [125I]iodo-L-tyrosine. When rotenone (10 microM) is also present in the incubation medium, the rate of digestion of IgG is inhibited to the same extent as the rate of pinocytosis of 125I-labelled polyvinylpyrrolidone. Proteolysis is likewise inhibited when either NH4Cl (30 mM) or leupeptin (30 micrograms/ml) is present in the medium. The above findings strongly suggest that the observed proteolysis occurs within lysosomes. Normally, yolk sacs that have been exposed in vitro to radiolabelled substrates release radioactivity slowly when the tissue is re-incubated, unless the substrate can be degraded within lysosomes and released in the form of low-molecular-weight hydrolysis products. However, in such experiments 125I-labelled rat IgG shows quite exceptional behaviour in being rapidly released in an apparently intact form (as well as being degraded). If an agent that inhibits pinocytosis (e.g. rotenone or 2,4-dinitrophenol) is present in the incubation medium during exposure of the tissue to 125I-labelled rat IgG, it abolishes release of macromolecular radioactivity on re-incubation of the tissue. Enhanced tissue accumulation of 125I-labelled rat IgG, induced by the presence of leupeptin in the medium during the uptake phase, resulted in no concomitant increase in the amount of 125I-labelled IgG released in macromolecular form on re-incubation of the tissue. These findings indicate that the observed rapid release of 125I-labelled IgG is unlikely to represent release from lysosomes and is more compatible with release from a separate class of vesicle that does not fuse with lysosomes.     

The pinocytosis of 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone), [14C]sucrose and colloidal [198Au]gold by rat yolk sac cultured in vitro.

The rates of uptake of 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone), [14C]sucrose and colloidal [198Au]gold by 17.5-day rat yolk sac cultured in vitro were studied. Over a 6.5h period each substrate was accumulated at a constant and reproducible rate of approx. 2microliter/h per mg of protein. After accumulation in vitro, the three substances were released from the tissue into substrate-free medium at low rates. Sucrose present in the medium at concentrations up to 10 mg/ml was without effect on the accumulation of either [14C]sucrose or 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone), but at higher concentrations inhibited the uptake of both substrates. Some batches of colloidal [198Au]gold had a significantly higher Endocytic Index (up to 5 microliter/h per mg of protein). The Endocytic Index of such a batch decreased with increasing substrate concentration, but colloidal gold did not decrease the Endocytic Index of 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone). It is concluded that the three substrates enter the yolk sac by pinocytosis in the liquid phase. Those batches of colloidal [198Au]gold with higher Endocytic Indices are considered to enter also by adsorption on membrane binding-sites.     

Adsorptive pinocytosis of 125I-labelled lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes H4 and M4 by rat yolk sacs incubated in vitro.

The pinocytic uptake of 125I-labelled porcine lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes H4 and M4 by 17.5-day rat visceral yolk sac incubated in vitro was saturable and binding obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The uptake characteristics of the two isoenzymes were very similar. For the H4 and the M4 isoenzymes, the dissociation constants of the protein-plasma-membrane complex were 0.62 microM and 0.84 microM respectively, and the maximum rates of uptake 0.13 and 0.26 nmol/mg of yolk-sac protein per h respectively. These findings contrast with those from studies in vivo, which show the M4 form is taken up by rat liver sinusoidal cells at a much higher rate than the H4 form, and point to different recognition systems for the adsorptive pinocytosis of simple non-conjugate proteins in yolk-sac epithelial cells and liver sinusoidal cells. Competition experiments indicate that binding of the H4 isoenzyme to the yolk-sac cells is restricted to hydrophobic interactions, whereas the binding of the M4 isoenzyme involves hydrophobic as well as positively charged sites on the protein molecules.     

Uptake and subcellular processing of 59Fe-125I-labelled transferrin by rat liver.

The uptake of transferrin and iron by the rat liver was studied after intravenous injection or perfusion in vitro with diferric rat transferrin labelled with 125I and 59Fe. It was shown by subcellular fractionation on sucrose density gradients that 125I-transferrin was predominantly associated with a low-density membrane fraction, of similar density to the Golgi-membrane marker galactosyltransferase. Electron-microscope autoradiography demonstrated that most of the 125I-transferrin was located in hepatocytes. The 59Fe had a bimodal distribution, with a larger peak at a similar low density to that of labelled transferrin and a smaller peak at higher density coincident with the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase. Approx. 50% of the 59Fe in the low-density peak was precipitated with anti-(rat ferritin) serum. Uptake of transferrin into the low-density fraction was rapid, reaching a maximal level after 5-10 min. When livers were perfused with various concentrations of transferrin the total uptakes of both iron and transferrin and incorporation into their subcellular fractions were curvilinear, increasing with transferrin concentrations up to at least 10 microM. Analysis of the transferrin-uptake data indicated the presence of specific transferrin receptors with an association constant of approx. 5 X 10(6) M-1, with some non-specific binding. Neither rat nor bovine serum albumin was taken up into the low-density fractions of the liver. Chase experiments with the perfused liver showed that most of the 125I-transferrin was rapidly released from the liver, predominantly in an undegraded form, as indicated by precipitation with trichloroacetic acid. Approx. 40% of the 59Fe was also released. It is concluded that the uptake of transferrin-bound iron by the liver of the rat results from endocytosis by hepatocytes of the iron-transferrin complex into low-density vesicles followed by release of iron from the transferrin and recycling of the transferrin to the extracellular medium. The iron is rapidly incorporated into mitochondria and cytosolic ferritin.     

Development and morphology of the inverted yolk sac in the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

Although the guinea pig is an important animal model for human placentation, aspects of fetal nutrition are not fully understood, especially in regard to the yolk sac that is regarded to be essential for early development of the embryo. We investigated differentiation by means of histology, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. Data suggest that the guinea pig's yolk sac was not sufficiently developed to facilitate substantial fetal nutrition in early pregnancy. On Day 12, it was a flat, inverted, but avascular structure. This was followed by differentiation to form the typical, highly villous and vascularized condition of advanced gestation. Finally, the yolk sac degenerated toward term. We suggest that the guinea pig and other caviomorphs rely predominantly on hemotrophic nutrition via the placenta even in very early pregnancy. In contrast to the general pattern of mammals, histiotrophic nutrition via yolk sac routes seems to be most essential during mid-gestation.     

Quantitative studies of pinocytosis. I. Kinetics of uptake of (125I)polyvinylpyrrolidone by rat yolk sac cultured in vitro

A method is described for the in vitro culture of 17.5-day rat visceral yolk sac. Tissue survival was good as judged by light and electron microscopy. The rate of pinocytic uptake of 125I-labeled polyvinylpyrrolidone by the tissue was constant both within and between experiments. Within the concentration range 0.15-24 mug/ml, the 125I- labeled polyvinylpyrrolidone neither stimulated nor inhibited pinocytosis. The system offers many advantages in the quantitative study of the physical basis of pinocytosis.     

An in vitro morphological study of the mouse visceral yolk sac and possible yolk sac immunocyte precursors

Summary Mouse visceral yolk sac has been organ cultured from 9 days of gestation, a time prior to the thymus being lymphoid, until 12 days of gestation, a time after which the thymus is lymphoid. During the culture period the endodermal epithelial cells survived well, erythropoiesis diminished, endothelial-lined cavities formed in the mesodermal mass, and cells developed which have been classified as large, medium and small immunocyte precursors. The cytoplasm of the immunocyte precursors contains polysomes, spherical mitochondria, a few profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum, occasional granules and a large Golgi complex. This study offers morphological support for the yolk sac origin of immunocyte precursors in the mouse which may seed the thymus and liver.Supported by NIH Grant AI 13486-01     

Binding of 125I-labelled FSH in the mouse testis in vitro.

In-vivo testicular binding of highly purified pituitary FSH, labelled by a method which did not significantly affect biological potency, was hormone-specific, tissue-specific and dose-dependent. Hypophysectomy of mice was followed by a progressive increase in the amount of 125I-labelled FSH per unit weight of testis but not in the total amount of hormone taken up by the testis. Maximum binding occurred at 4 h in a membrane-containing fraction prepared by high-speed ultracentrifugation of testicular homogenate. This is considerably later than has been reported for testicular tissue incubated in vitro at 37 degrees C.     

Hydrolysis of an exogenous 125I-labelled protein by rat yolk sacs. Evidence for intracellular degradation within lysosomes.

When added to the serum-free medium in which 17.5-day rat yolk sacs were incubated, formaldehyde-denatured 125I-labelled bovine serum albumin was rapidly degraded. More than 80% of the radiolabelled digestion products appearing in the incubation medium consisted of [125I]iodo-L-tyrosine; larger digestion products were found only in association with the yolk-sac tissue. In the early stages of an incubation, low-molecular-weight digestion products began to appear in the incubation medium only after they could be detected within the tissue, and progressive association of trichloroacetic acid-insoluble radioactivity with the tissue preceded both these events. None of the observed proteolysis could be attributed to proteinases released into the incubation medium. Tissue-associated acid-insoluble radioactivity showed a lysosomal distribution on sub-cellular fractionation, and cell-free homogenates of yolk sacs degraded albumin only at acid pH values. Progressively decreasing the rat of pinosome formation (either by progressively lowering the incubation temperature or by the use of increasing concentrations of the metabolic inhibitor rotenone) caused a corresponding decrease in the rate of degradation of albumin. These findings indicate that, in vitro, formaldehyde-denatured 125I-labelled bovine serum albumin is digested by rat yolk sacs exclusively intracellularly, within lysosomes.     

Binding of immunoglobulin G from patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases to solubilized guinea pig fat cell membranes crosslinked with 125I-TSH

Binding of immunoglobulin G (IgG) to Triton-solubilized fat cell membranes crosslinked with 125I-TSH was studied by an indirect immunoprecipitation method. Guinea pig fat cell membranes (FCM) containing TSH receptors with an association constant of 1.92 X 10(9) M-1 were first reacted with 125I-TSH, then treated with a crosslinker, dissuccinimidyl suberate. The dissociation of 125I-TSH from the crosslinked 125I-TSH-FCM complexes due to the addition of 100 mU/ml unlabeled TSH was 9.0%, while it was 33% without the treatment. To the Triton-solubilized FCM crosslinked with 125I-TSH, 50 micrograms each of IgG from 20 normal controls, 20 patients with Graves' disease and 20 with Hashimoto's disease was added and precipitation was effected by adding anti-human IgG. In patients with Graves' disease, 125I-TSH-FCM complexes immunoprecipitated ranged from 1.10 to 4.18% with an average of 2.4 +/- 0.99 (S. D.) % which was significantly higher than those in normal controls (1.6 +/- 0.29%). The values in the patients with Hashimoto's disease averaged 1.7 +/- 0.53 (S. D.) which did not differ significantly from those of controls. The value did not correlate with either TSH-binding inhibiting activities or titers of anti-microsomal antibodies. These data suggest the presence of TSH-receptor antibodies which react with antigens other than TSH-binding sites in the patients with Graves' disease.     

Plasma protein and apolipoprotein synthesis by human yolk sac carcinoma cells in vitro

Summary Three human yolk sac carcinoma cell lines were characterized for the expression of several markers. Each of the cell lines expressed alpha-fetoprotein, without detectable levels of chorionic gonadotropin, and the level of alpha-fetoprotein expression increased dramatically when the cultures were held without passage for extended periods. The secretion of a number of plasma proteins was documented by metabolic labeling, immunoprecipitation, and gel analysis. The major plasma proteins detected were alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-fetoprotein, transthyretin,β-2 microglobulin, and plasminogen, with lower levels of transferrin and complement C4 released. Apolipoproteins B, E, and A1 were secreted in high levels as well and were found in the form of lipoprotein particles. Time course experiments on the synthesis of apolipoproteins E and A1 indicated that, as with alpha-fetoprotein, the level of synthesis increased substantially when the cultures were held without passage. The results indicate that these yolk sac carcinoma cells display a protein expression profile similar to that observed for the human yolk sac, and the possibility that the cells may have the potential to differentiate is discussed. This investigation was supported in part by Program Project HL 28972 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD.     

Immunoassay of serum polypeptide hormones by using 125I-labelled anti(-immunoglobulin G) antibodies.

1. A technique for indirectly labelling antibodies to polypeptide hormones, by combining them with radioactively labelled anti-(immunoglobulin G) is described. (a) 125I-labelled anti-(rabbit immunoglobulin G) and anti-(guinea-pig immunoglobulin G) antibodies with high specific radioactivity were prepared after purification of the antibodies on immunoadsorbents containing the respective antigens. (b) Rabbit immunoglobulin G antibodies to human growth hormone, porcine glucagon and guinea-pig immunoglobulin G antibodies to bovine insulin and bovine parathyroid hormone were combined with immunoadsorbents containing the respective polypeptide hormone antigen. (c) The immunoglobulin G antibodies to the polypeptide hormones were reacted with 125-I-labelled anti-(immunoglobulin G) antibodies directed against the appropriate species of immunoglobulin G,and the anti-hormone antibodies were combined with the hormone-containing immunoadsorbent. (d) 125I-labelled anti-(immunoglobulin G) antibodies and anti-hormone antibodies were simultaneously eluted from the hormone-containing immunoadsorbent by dilute HCl, pH 2.0. After elution the anti-(immunoglobulin G) antibodies and antihormone antibodies were allowed to recombine at pH 8.0 and 4 degrees C. 2. The resultant immunoglobulin G-anti-immunoglobulin G complex was used in immunoradiometric (labelled antibody) and two-site assays of the respective polypeptide hormone. 3. By using these immunoassays, concentrations down to 90pg of human growth hormone/ml, 100 pg of bovine insulin/ml, 80 pg of bovine parathyroid hormone/ml and 150 pg of glucagon/ml were readily detected. Assays of human plasma for growth hormone and insulin by these methods showed good agreement with results obtained by using a directly 125I-labelled anti-hormone antibody in an immunoradiometric assay of human growth hormone or by radioimmunoassay of human insulin. 4. The method described allows immunoradiometric or two-site assays to be performed starting with as little as 450 ng of polypeptide hormone-antibody protein. An additional advantage of the method is that a single iodination of the readily available antibodies to immunoglobulin G allows the establishemnt of several polypeptide hormone assays     

Target tissues for relaxin identified in vitro with 125I-labelled porcine relaxin.

Various tissues from the mouse, rat and guinea-pig were used to examine the binding of a biologically active, esterified and 125I-labelled porcine relaxin. Binding to mouse symphysial homogenates was time- and temperature-dependent. Other peptide hormones did not complete with relaxin for binding. Mouse uterine tissue displayed similar binding characteristics. Fractionated mammary tissue from 15- and 20-day-pregnant rats exhibited significant relaxin binding activity, as did homogenates of the guinea-pig public symphysis and cervix. Under the conditions used, no relaxin receptors were noted in the liver, spleen or heart from any of the species investigated.