title: Surface coat of sheep pulmonary intravascular macrophages: reconstitution, and implication of a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol anchor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) of sheep have a globular surface coat that facilitates endocytosis of tracer particles and Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, and is disrupted by the heparin and Brefeldin A treatments. The present study investigated the in vivo dynamics of the coat globules following heparin-mediated removal, and the mechanism of globule organization on the plasma membrane of PIMs in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sheep were administered heparin at a dose of 50 IU/kg body weight IV, and euthanised at 30 min, 3, 6, 12, 48, and 120 hr (n = 2 for each treatment) after the treatment. Control sheep (n = 2) were injected with normal saline solution. The tissues were processed for an ultrastructural examination and acid phosphatase (ACPase) cytochemistry. Heparin-treated lungs were subjected to morphometric analysis of the coat globules. Lung tissues from normal sheep (n = 2) were incubated with phosphatidylinositol-specific-phospholipase C (PIPLC; 2 IU/ml PBS) in vitro for 30 and 75 min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heparin study: The ultrastructural and morphometric data showed that the coat globules were removed at 30 min and reconstituted within 48 hr of the treatment. The PIMs showed prominent Golgi complexes associated with secretory vesicles, microtubules, and centriole between 3-12 hr of heparin treatment. Acid phosphatase cytochemistry also demonstrated secretory activity in the Golgi complexes of PIMs during the coat reconstitution. PIPLC study: The coat globules of PIMs were removed in a time-dependent mode by the PIPLC treatment without damage to other cell organelles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates a time-dependent reconstitution of the coat of PIMs in conjunction with secretory activity following heparin-mediated removal, probably through sequestration of the globules from blood. This ability is of functional significance as the coat mediates particle endocytosis by the PIMs. The results also suggest the presence of a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor in tethering of globules on the plasma membrane of PIMs to offer a structural basis for their integrity in pulmonary vascular flow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Ireland
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Minhas
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Atwal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000166:cytology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012756:Sheep; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017261:Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; D006493:Heparin