Intercellular connectivity in the eight-cell Xenopus embryomcorrelation of electrical and morphological investigations

R. A. Dicaprio, A. S. French, E. J. Sanders

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Resumen

The distribution of individual intercellular electrical junctions has been examined in eight-cell Xenopus embryos using linear systems analysis. Morphological evidence for corresponding intercellular contacts has been sought by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The electrical investigation indicated that each cell is directly coupled to each of the other seven cells by identical resistive junctions. Scanning electron microscopy of the cell surfaces of cleaved embryos revealed protrusions from the surfaces of the cells which could mediate such intercellular connections. Light microscopy of serial sections through the embryos also showed fine processes of the cell surfaces which come into contact with several other cells. The complete intercellular connectivity suggested by these results appears to be an extension of similarly close connectivity in the two- and four-cell embryos. The possible significance of this high connectivity to morphogenesis is discussed.

Idioma originalEnglish
Páginas (desde-hasta)373-389
Número de páginas17
PublicaciónBiophysical Journal
Volumen15
N.º4
DOI
EstadoPublished - 1975

Nota bibliográfica

Funding Information:
Support for this work was provided by the Medical Research Council of Canada through operating grants to A. S. French and E. J. Sanders and through the provision of a studentship to R. A. DiCaprio.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Biophysics

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