Summary
Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA),Ricinis communis agglutinin (RCA) andLens culinaris (LC) lectins have been used to characterize carbohydrates of neuronal membrane systems in rat and chick cerebellum. WGA and RCA both label Golgi membrane cisternae on the side of the membrane facing the cisternal space but they do not label other elements of the granular and agranular endoplasmic reticulum (ER). WGA labels the plasma membrane generally and WGA binding sites are concentrated within the synaptic cleft and at specialized sites along the axolemma at the node of Ranvier. RCA labelling of plasma membranes is sparse. Neuraminidase treatment of tissue slices prior to lectin cytochemistry does not alter the Golgi membrane distribution of WGA and RCA binding sites and other ER membranes remain unlabelled. The plasma membrane staining with WGA is decreased and that with RCA is increased after neuraminidase pretreatment. The pattern of lectin labelling with LC resembles that seen with concanavalin A (con A) in that all elements of the ER within cell bodies label on the side of the membrane facing the cisternal space. A major difference when compared to con A labelling is that the hypolemmal cisternae lying adjacent to the plasma membrane of Purkinje cell axons and dendrites do not label with LC. Collectively, these results suggest that elements of the ER of Purkinje cells are heterogeneous with respect to their lectin binding properties in a manner which is consistent with the formation of more complex oligosaccharides on membranes of the cell periphery.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Avrameas, S. &Ternyck, T. (1971) Peroxidase labeled antibody and Fab conjugates with enhanced intracellular penetration.Immunochemistry 8, 1175–9.
Bhavanandan, V. P., &Katlic, A. W. (1979) The interaction of wheat germ agglutinin within sialoglycoproteins.Journal of Biological Chemistry 254, 4000–8.
Droz, B., Koenig, H. L. &Degiamberardino, L. (1973) Axonal migration of protein and glycoprotein to nerve endings. I. Radioactive analysis of the renewal of protein in nerve ending of chicken ciliary ganglion after intracerebral injection of [3H]lysine.Brain Research 60, 93–127.
Droz, B., Rambourg, A. &Koenig, H. L. (1975) The smooth endoplasmic reticulum, structure and role in the renewal of axonal membrane and synaptic vesicles by fast axonal transport.Brain Research 93, 1–13.
Holtzman, E. (1977) The origin and fate of secretory packages, especially synaptic vesicles.Neuroscience 2, 327–55.
Gurd, J. W. (1977) Synaptic plasma membrane glycoproteins: Molecular identification of lectin receptors.Biochemistry 16, 369–74.
Gurd, J. W. &Mahler, H. R. (1974) Fractionation of synaptic plasma membrane glycoproteins by lectin affinity chromatography.Biochemistry 13, 5193–8.
Kelly, P., Cotman, C. W., Gentry, C. &Nicolson, G. L. (1976) Distribution and mobility of lectin receptors on synaptic membranes of identified neurons in the central nervous system.Journal of Cell Biology 71, 487–96.
Lis, H. &Sharon, N. (1973) The biochemistry of plant lectins (phytohemagglutinins).Annals of Developmental Biochemistry 42, 541–74.
Mclaughlin, B. J., Wood, J. G. &Gurd, J. W. (1980) The localization of lectin binding sites during photoreceptor synaptogenesis in the chick retina.Brain Research (in press).
Millonig, G. (1961) Advantages of a phosphate buffer of OsO4 solutions in fixation.Journal of Applied Physics 32, 1637 (abstract).
Nicolson, G. L., Lacorbiere, M. &Eckhart, W. (1975) Qualitative and quantitative interactions of lectins with untreated and neuraminidase-treated normal, wild-type and temperature-sensitive polyoma-transformed fibroblasts.Biochemistry 14, 172–9.
Palay, S. L. &Chan-Palay, V. (1974)Cerebellar Cortex, p. 28. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Rosen, S. W. &Hughes, R. C. (1977) Effects of neuraminidase on lectin binding by wild type and ricin resistant strains of hamster fibroblasts.Biochemistry 16, 4908–915.
Schachter, H., Narasimhan, S. &Wilson, J. R. (1979) The control of glycoprotein synthesis. InGlycoconjugate Research, Vol. II (edited byGregory, J. D. andJeanloz, R. W.), pp. 575–96. New York: Academic Press.
Stein, M. D., Howard, I. K. &Sage, H. J. (1971) Studies on a phytohemagglutinin from the lentil. IV. Direct binding studies ofLen culinaris hemagglutinin with simple saccharides.Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 146, 353–5.
Wood, J. G., Jean, D. H., Whitaker, J. N., Mclaughlin, B. J. &Albers, R. W. (1977a) Immunocytochemical localization of the sodium, potassium activated ATPase in knifefish brain.Journal of Neurocytology 6, 571–81.
Wood, J. G., Mclaughlin, B. J. &Gurd, J. W. (1977b) Cytochemical studies of carbohydrates on cell membranes of rat cerebellar neurons.Journal of Cell Biology 75, 117a.
Wood, J. G., Mclaughlin B. J. (1976) Cytochemical studies of lectin binding sites in smooth membrane cisternae of rat brain.Brain Research 118, 15–26.
Wood, J. G., Mclaughlin, B. J. &Barber, R. P. (1974) The visualization of concanavalin A binding sites in Purkinje cell somata and dendrites of rat cerebellum.Journal of Cell Biology 63, 541–9.
Wood, J. G., Mclaughlin, B. J. &Vaughn, J. E. (1976) Immunocytochemical localization of GAD in electron microscopic preparations of rodent CNS. InGABA in Nervous System Function (edited byRoberts, E., Chase, T. &Tower, O.). pp. 133–149. New York: Raven Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wood, J.G., Byrd, F.I. & Gurd, J.W. Lectin cytochemistry of carbohydrates on cell membranes of rat cerebellum. J Neurocytol 10, 149–159 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01181750
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01181750