title: Exfoliation of membrane ecto-enzymes in the form of micro-vesicles.
abstract: Cultures from various normal and neoplastic cell lines exfoliated vesicles with 5'-nucleotidase activity which reflected the ecto-enzyme activity of the parent monolayer culture. The ratio of 5'-nucleotidase to ATPase activity in the microvesicles indicated that cellular ecto-ATPase was conserved in the exfoliative process. Phospholipids of the microvesicles contained significantly increased amounts of sphingomyelin and total polyunsaturated fatty acids. It was concluded that the shedded vesicles constituted a select portion of the plasma membrane. Examination by electron microscopy showed the vesicles had an average diameter of 500 to 1000 nm and often contained a second population of vesicles about 40 nm in diameter. As much as 70% of the plasma membrane ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity of a culture was released into the medium over a 24-h period. Phosphoesterhydrolases from C-6 glioma or N-18 neuroblastoma microvesicles dephosphorylated cell surface constituents when in contact with monolayer cultures. Exfoliated membrane vesicles may serve a physiologic function; it is proposed that they be referred to as exosomes.
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology*; D005089:Exocytosis; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000378:metabolism; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology; D009708:Nucleotidases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D009708:Nucleotidases; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases