title: Prenatal exposure to ethanol alters lateral plasma membranes and gap junctions of newborn rat hepatocytes as revealed by freeze-fracture.
abstract: The effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol on the lateral (contiguous) plasma membrane of newborn rat hepatocytes was investigated using qualitative and quantitative freeze-fracture. The number of free intramembranous particles decreased by 11% and 17% in P- and E-faces, respectively. Alcohol also induced the appearance of particle-free areas within the gap junctions, in addition to a three-fold increase in the mean area and an increment in the percent of plasma membrane occupied by these elements. However, no differences in either the size of gap junction particles or in the mean interparticle distance were found between control and alcohol-treated animals. On the other hand, prenatal exposure to ethanol did not alter the structure of tight junctions.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol