Abstract
The plasma membranes of epithelial cells are divided into apical and basolateral domains. These two surfaces are characterized by markedly different protein compositions, reflecting the ability of the cell to target newly synthesized membrane proteins to specific regions of the cell surface1,2. This targeting capability is also apparent in the polarized release of secretory products. Recent studies using canine renal tubule (MDCK) cells have suggested that distinct sets of secretory proteins are released from their apical and basolateral poles3–6. We report experiments designed to examine secretory protein sorting by MDCK cells. We have shown that secretion of basement membrane components (laminin and heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HSPG)) takes place from the basolateral cell surface and that this polarized release results from active sorting. The sorting process which mediates this polarized secretion requires an acidic intracellular compartment. MDCK cells treated with NH4Cl to raise the pH of their intracellular compartments7–9, secrete laminin and HSPG by a default pathway which leads to their release in roughly equal quantities into the medium of both the apical and basolateral compartments.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Simons, K. & Fuller, S. D. A. Rev. Cell Biol. 1, 243–288 (1985).
Matlin, K. J. Cell Biol. 103, 2565–2568 (1986).
Kondor-Koch, C., Bravo, R., Fuller, S. D., Cutler, D. & Garoff, H. Cell 43, 297–306 (1985).
Gottlieb, T. A. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 2100–2104 (1986).
Gonzalez, A. et al. Proc. naln. Acad. U.S.A. 84, 3738–3742 (1987).
Roth, M. G., Gundersen, D., Patil, N. & Rodriguez-Boulan, E. J. Cell Biol 104, 769–782 (1987).
Maxfield, F. R. J. Cell Biol. 95, 676–681 (1982).
Dean, R. T., Jessup, W. & Roberts, C. R. Biochem. J. 218, 27–40 (1984).
Poole, B. & Ohkuma, S. J. Cell Biol. 90, 665–669 (1981).
Brown, W. J., Constantinescu, E. & Farquhar, M. G. J. Cell Biol. 99, 320–326 (1984).
Creek, K. E. & Sly, W. S. In Lysosomes in Biology and Pathology (eds Dingle, J. T., Dean, R. T. & Sly, W. S.) 63–82 (Elsevier, New York, 1984).
Brown, W. J., Goodhouse, J. & Farquhar, M. G. J. Cell Biol. 103, 1235–1247 (1986).
Gonzalez-Noriega, A., Grube, J. H., Talkad, J. & Sly, W. S. J. Cell Biol. 85, 839–852 (1980).
Richardson, J. C. W. & Simmons, N. L. FEBS Lett. 105, 201–204 (1979).
Caplan, M. J., Anderson, H. C., Palade, G. E. & Jamieson, J. D. Cell 46, 623–631 (1986).
Huang, J. S., Huang, S. S. & Tang, J. T. J. biol. Chem. 254, 11405–11417 (1979).
Hayman, E. G., Oldberg, A., Martin, G. R. & Ruoslahti, E. J. Cell Biol. 94, 28–35 (1982).
Hay, E. D. in Cell Biology of Extracellular Matrix (ed. Hay, E. D.) 379–409 (Plenum, New York, 1981).
Timpl, R. et al. J. biol. Chem. 254, 9933–9937 (1979).
Farquhar, M. G. In Cell Biology of Extracellular Matrix (ed. Hay, E. D.) 335–378 (Plenum, New York, 1983).
Madri, J. A., Roll, F. J., Furthmayr, H. & Foidart, J. M. J. Cell Biol. 86, 682–687 (1980).
Stow, J. L., Sawada, H. & Farquhar, M. G. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 3296–3300 (1983).
Peters, B. P. et al. J. biol. Chem. 260, 14732–14742 (1985).
Kelly, R. G. Science 230, 25–32 (1985).
Matlin, K. S. J. biol. Chem. 261, 15172–15178 (1986).
Laemmli, U. Nature 227, 680–685 (1970).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Caplan, M., Stow, J., Newman, A. et al. Dependence on pH of polarized sorting of secreted proteins. Nature 329, 632–635 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/329632a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/329632a0
This article is cited by
-
CD13 orients the apical-basal polarity axis necessary for lumen formation
Nature Communications (2021)
-
Access to a main alphaherpesvirus receptor, located basolaterally in the respiratory epithelium, is masked by intercellular junctions
Scientific Reports (2017)
-
Scarface, a secreted serine protease‐like protein, regulates polarized localization of laminin A at the basement membrane of the Drosophila embryo
EMBO reports (2010)
-
Rac1 orientates epithelial apical polarity through effects on basolateral laminin assembly
Nature Cell Biology (2001)
-
Properties and regulation of ion channels in MDCK cells
Kidney International (1995)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
