Mucin granules are in close contact with tubular elements of the endoplasmic reticulum.
Live cell imaging methods were used to characterize goblet cells expressing a MUC5AC domain fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein that labels the granule lumen. Golgi complex and endosome/lysosome elements largely resided in the periphery of the granular mass. On the contrary, a tubular meshwork of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was in close contact with the mucin granules. This meshwork could be identified in fixed native human bronchial goblet cells labeled with an anti-calreticulin antibody. The potential biological significance of this ER network for mucin secretion is discussed.
Perez-Vilar
Juan
J
Cystic Fibrosis/Pulmonary Research and Treatment Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599-7248, USA. juan_vilar@med.unc.edu
Ribeiro
Carla M Pedrosa
CM
Salmon
Wendy C
WC
Mabolo
Raean
R
Boucher
Richard C
RC
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009077:Mucins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009077:Mucins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins