X-Ray Microanalysis of Epithelial and Secretory Cells in Culture

Authors

Anne von Euler, Uppsala University
Eva Pålsgård, Uppsala University
Christina Vult von Steyern, Uppsala University
Godfried M. Roomans, Uppsala University

Abstract

Cell cultures can be used to study ion transport processes. X-ray microanalysis of cell cultures at the cellular level gives interesting information that can complement electrophysiological and tracer studies. In this paper, methods for culturing and preparing a variety of epithelial and secretory cells (fibroblasts, insulinoma cells, bovine mammary epithelial cells, colon cancer cells) for X-ray microanalysis are presented. Results show that sometimes cell cultures are not homogeneous with respect to ion content or reaction to physiological stimuli. In colon cancer cell cultures, a "high K" and a "low K" cell subpopulation was found; these subpopulations also differed with respect to other elements. As examples of biological applications, chloride efflux was studied in fibroblasts and colon cancer cells, and strontium uptake in insulinoma cells. Chloride efflux from colon cancer cells is stimulated by cyclic AMP and vaso-active intestinal peptide (VIP), and can be inhibited by pretreatment of the cells with phorbol myristate acetate, which downregulates the cAMP-regulated chloride efflux mechanism.

Recommended Citation

von Euler, Anne; Pålsgård, Eva; Vult von Steyern, Christina; and Roomans, Godfried M. (1992) "X-Ray Microanalysis of Epithelial and Secretory Cells in Culture," Scanning Microscopy: Vol. 7: No. 1, Article 20.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/microscopy/vol7/iss1/20