Myofibrillar organization and desmin in rat heart myocytes.
The distribution of desmin, and alpha-actinin was studied in vivo growing rat heart myocytes and in vitro cultured heart myocytes using double indirect immunofluorescence labelling. Myocytes growing in vivo exhibited a superimposable pattern of alpha-actinin and desmin at the level of the Z discs and intercalated discs. Cultured neonate rat heart myocytes concurrently exhibited changes in shape and a loss of myofibrillar register. Whereas alpha-actinin staining remained unchanged, that of desmin disappeared from the Z discs but persisted as cables and randomly oriented foci throughout the sarcoplasm. We conclude that desmin binding to the Z discs is correlated with the in register organization of myofibrils.
D000185:Actinin / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000032:analysis; D003893:Desmin / Q000032:analysis*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology*; D009210:Myofibrils / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats
D003893:Desmin; D000185:Actinin