1. Electrophysiological evidence for low-resistance intercellular junctions in the early chick embryo.
- Author
-
Sheridan JD
- Subjects
- Animals, Cell Communication, Chick Embryo, Electrophysiology methods, Intercellular Junctions physiology, Lens, Crystalline cytology, Lens, Crystalline ultrastructure, Time Factors, Intercellular Junctions ultrastructure, Organizers, Embryonic ultrastructure
- Abstract
Electrophysiological evidence is presented for the exchange of small ions directly between cells interiors, i.e. "electrical coupling," in the early chick embryo. Experiments with intracellular marking show that coupling is widespread, occurring between cells in the same tissue, e.g. ectoderm, notochord, neural plate, mesoderm, and Hensen's node, and between cells in different tissues, e.g. notochord to neural plate, notochord to neural tube, notochord to mesoderm. The coupling demonstrates the presence of specialized low-resistance intercellular junctions as found in other embryos and numerous adult tissues. The results are discussed in relation to recent electron microscopical studies of intercellular junctions in the early chick embryo. The function of the electrical coupling in embryogenesis remains unknown, but some possibilities are considered.
- Published
- 1968
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