Linear arrays of intramembranous particles characterize a subpopulation of epithelial cells in the rabbit caecum.
Linear arrays of particles, identical to those in the cup cells of the small intestine, characterize the brush border membrane of a subpopulation of surface epithelial cells in freeze-fracture replicas of the rabbit caecum. Although these cells lack a cup-like indentation of their brush border, we propose that all intestinal epithelial cells showing this arrangement of intramembranous particles in their apical membrane belong to a distinct subpopulation of the epithelial cells. A specific function of this cell type that is related to the linear arrays of particles remains to be determined.
Gebert
A
A
Department of Anatomy, Medical School of Hannover, Germany.
Bartels
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D011817:Rabbits