Surface charge alterations in mouse fetal astrocytes due to methyl mercury: an ultrastructural study with cationized ferritin.
A brief exposure of low dose methylmercuric chloride to monolayer cultures of mouse fetal astrocytes caused a marked shift in the distribution of anionic groups on the surface membrane as evidenced by irregular disruption of cationized ferritin. It is suggested that one of the earliest changes following methyl mercury exposure in embryonic astrocytes includes alterations in the surface charge which may in turn trigger cascading toxic actions of methyl mercury in the developing brain.
N H
NH
Peckham
B H
BH
Choi
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005293:Ferritins; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008854:Microscopy, Electron
D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D005293:Ferritins; C004925:methylmercuric chloride