title: Comparison of L-serine uptake by human placental microvillous membrane vesicles and placental villous fragments.
abstract: Both syncytiotrophoblast microvillous plasma membrane vesicles (MVM) and placental villous fragments are used to characterize the placental uptake of maternal substrate and to investigate changes in uptake associated with pathological conditions. However, the two techniques have not been directly compared. In this study uptake of (14)C-L-serine was compared in placental villous fragments and in MVM prepared from the same placentas. (14)C-L-serine uptake into MVM vesicles was mediated by System L and System A and smaller unidentified Na(+)-dependent and Na(+)-independent components. In villous fragments an unidentified Na(+)-dependent component mediated the majority of (14)C-L-serine uptake followed by System A and System L. The unidentified Na(+)-independent component of L-serine uptake was not detected in villous fragments. The ratio of System A activity to System L activity was similar in villous fragments and MVM vesicles. However, the unidentified Na(+)-dependent component in villous fragments was significantly higher than that in MVM vesicles. This indicates that the main differences in serine uptake mechanisms identified using the two techniques were not due to differences in System A and System L activity but to differences in the unidentified Na(+)-dependent component. This study suggests that uptake of L-serine into MVM vesicles and villous fragments via Systems A and L is comparable, but that this is not true for all components of L-serine uptake.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, School of Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Glazier
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sibley
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D026924:Amino Acid Transport System A / Q000378:metabolism; D027062:Amino Acid Transport System L / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000378:metabolism*; D022162:Cytoplasmic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008871:Microvilli / Q000378:metabolism*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism*; D022161:Transport Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D026924:Amino Acid Transport System A; D027062:Amino Acid Transport System L; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D012694:Serine