Skip to main content
PMC home page
The American Journal of Pathology logoLink to The American Journal of Pathology
. 1978 Dec;93(3):745–752.

Ultrastructural localization of phospholipases in the Clara cell of the rat bronchiole.

K Yoneda
PMCID: PMC2018363  PMID: 581434

Abstract

The Clara cell of the bronchiole is unique to the lung; the cell's function is not clear. The localization of the lipid-hydrolase enzymes phospholipase, lysophospholipase, and lipase was examined ultrastructurally in the Clara cell of the rat bronchiole. The secretory granules of the Clara cell showed a strong reaction of lysophospholipase and a weak reaction of lipase. Phospholipase activity was not detected intracellularly. These findings suggest that the Clara cell secretes lipase-phospholipase into the bronchiolar lumen, thus catabolizing the pulmonary surfactant phospholipids.

Full text

PDF
745

Images in this article

751Figure 1
on p.751
751Figure 2
on p.751
752Figure 3
on p.752
752Figure 4
on p.752

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Azzopardi A., Thurlbeck W. M. The histochemistry of the nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial cell. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1969 Apr;99(4):516–525. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1969.99.4P1.516. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Caulet T., Adnet J. J., Hopfner C. Etude histo-chimique d'un type de cellules alveolaires du poumon: les cellules à inclusions lipidiques complexes. Histochemie. 1968;15(1):21–37. doi: 10.1007/BF00304571. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chevalier G., Collet A. J. In vivo incorporation of choline- 3 H, leucine- 3 H and galactose- 3 H in alveolar type II pneumocytes in relation to surfactant synthesis. A quantitative radoautographic study in mouse by electron microscopy. Anat Rec. 1972 Nov;174(3):289–310. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091740303. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cutz E., Conen P. E. Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of Clara cells. Am J Pathol. 1971 Jan;62(1):127–141. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Etherton J. E., Conning D. M., Corrin B. Autoradiographical and morphological evidence for apocrine secretion of dipalmitoyl lecithin in the terminal bronchiole of mouse lung. Am J Anat. 1973 Sep;138(1):11–35. doi: 10.1002/aja.1001380103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Franson R. C., Waite M. Lysosomal phospholipase A 1 and A 2 of normal and bacillus calmette guerin-induced alveolar macrophages. J Cell Biol. 1973 Mar;56(3):621–627. doi: 10.1083/jcb.56.3.621. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. GOLDFISCHER S., ESSNER E., NOVIKOFF A. B. THE LOCALIZATION OF PHOSPHATASE ACTIVITIES AT THE LEVEL OF ULTRASTRUCTURE. J Histochem Cytochem. 1964 Feb;12:72–95. doi: 10.1177/12.2.72. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Garcia A., Newkirk J. D., Mavis R. D. Lung surfactant synthesis: a Ca++-dependent microsomal phospholipase A2 in the lung. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1975 May 5;64(1):128–135. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(75)90228-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Garcia A., Sener S. F., Mavis R. D. Lung lamellar bodies lack certain key enzymes of phospholipid metabolism. Lipids. 1976 Feb;11(2):109–112. doi: 10.1007/BF02532659. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KARRER H. E. Electron microscopic study of bronchiolar epithelium of normal mouse lung; preliminary report. Exp Cell Res. 1956 Feb;10(1):237–241. doi: 10.1016/0014-4827(56)90093-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kikkawa Y., Yoneda K., Smith F., Packard B., Suzuki K. The type II epithelial cells of the lung. II. Chemical composition and phospholipid synthesis. Lab Invest. 1975 Mar;32(3):295–302. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kuhn C., 3rd, Callaway L. A., Askin F. B. The formation of granules in the bronchiolar Clara cells of the rat. 1. Electron microscopy,. J Ultrastruct Res. 1974 Dec;49(3):387–400. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(74)90052-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kuhn C., 3rd, Callaway L. A. The formation of granules in the bronchiolar Clara cells of the rat. II. Enzyme cytochemistry. J Ultrastruct Res. 1975 Oct;53(1):66–76. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(75)80086-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Montero C., Erlandsen S. L. Immunocytochemical and histochemical studies on intestinal epithelial cells producing both lysozyme and mucosubstance. Anat Rec. 1978 Jan;190(1):127–141. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091900111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Murata F., Yokota S., Nagata T. Electron microscopic demonstration of lipase in the pancreatic acinar cells of mice. Histochemie. 1968 May 7;13(3):215–222. doi: 10.1007/BF00303755. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. NOVIKOFF A. B., ESSNER E. Pathological changes in cytoplasmic organelles. Fed Proc. 1962 Nov-Dec;21:1130–1142. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Niden A. H. Bronchiolar and large alveolar cell in pulmonary phospholipid metabolism. Science. 1967 Dec 8;158(3806):1323–1324. doi: 10.1126/science.158.3806.1323. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Rouser G. Quantitative liquid column and thin layer chromatography of lipids and other water insoluble substances, elution selectivity principles, and a graphic method for pattern analysis of chromatographic data. J Chromatogr Sci. 1973 Feb;11(2):60–76. doi: 10.1093/chromsci/11.2.60. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Sahu S., Lynn W. S. Characterization of phospholipase A from pulmonary secretions of patients with alveolar proteinosis. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1977 Nov 24;489(2):307–317. doi: 10.1016/0005-2760(77)90150-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Scarpelli E. M., Condorelli S., Colacicco G., Cosmi E. V. Lamb fetal pulmonary fluid. II. Fate of phosphatidylcholine. Pediatr Res. 1975 Apr;9(4):195–201. doi: 10.1203/00006450-197504000-00011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Smith P., Heath D., Moosavi H. The Clara cell. Thorax. 1974 Mar;29(2):147–163. doi: 10.1136/thx.29.2.147. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Spitzer H. L., Rice J. M., MacDonald P. C., Johnston J. M. Phospholipid biosynthesis in lung lamellar bodies. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1975 Sep 2;66(1):17–23. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(75)80288-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Yoneda K. Pilocarpine stimulation of the bronchiolar Clara cell secretion. Lab Invest. 1977 Nov;37(5):447–452. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The American Journal of Pathology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Investigative Pathology

RESOURCES