Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Alpha smooth muscle actin distribution in cytoplasm and nuclear invaginations of connective tissue fibroblasts

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Histochemistry and Cell Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was recently shown to be present in mouse subcutaneous tissue fibroblasts in the absence of tissue injury. In this study, we used a combination of immunohistochemistry and correlative confocal scanning laser and electron microscopy to investigate the structural organization of α-SMA in relation to the nucleus. Furthermore, we explored colocalization analysis as a method for quantifying the amount of α-SMA in close approximation to the nucleic acid marker, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenyl-indole, dihydrochloride. Our findings indicate the presence of α-SMA within nuclear invaginations in close proximity to the nuclear membrane, but not in the nucleoplasm. Although the function of these α-SMA-rich nuclear invaginations is at present unknown, the morphology of these structures suggests their possible involvement in cellular and nuclear mechanotransduction as well as nuclear transport.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arya H, Kaul Z, Wadhwa R, Taira K, Hirano T, Kaul SC (2005) Quantum dots in bio-imaging: revolution by the small. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 329:1173–1177

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bourgeois CA, Hemon D, Bouteille M (1979) Structural relationship between the nucleolus and the nuclear envelope. J Ultrastruct Res 68:328–340

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Costes SV, Daelemans D, Cho EH, Dobbin Z, Pavlakis G, Lockett S (2004) Automatic and quantitative measurement of protein–protein colocalization in live cells. Biophys J 86:3993–4003

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crisp M, Liu Q, Roux K, Rattner JB, Shanahan C, Burke B, Stahl PD, Hodzic D (2006) Coupling of the nucleus and cytoplasm: role of the LINC complex. J Cell Biol 172:41–53

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dupuy-Coin AM, Moens P, Bouteille M (1986) Three-dimensional analysis of given cell structures: nucleolus, nucleoskeleton and nuclear inclusions. Methods Achiev Exp Pathol 12:1–25

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fricker M, Hollinshead M, White N, Vaux D (1997) Interphase nuclei of many mammalian cell types contain deep, dynamic, tubular membrane-bound invaginations of the nuclear envelope. J Cell Biol 136:531–544

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giepmans BN, Deerinck TJ, Smarr BL, Jones YZ, Ellisman MH (2005) Correlated light and electron microscopic imaging of multiple endogenous proteins using quantum dots. Nat Methods 2:743–749

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giepmans BN, Adams SR, Ellisman MH, Tsien RY (2006) The fluorescent toolbox for assessing protein location and function. Science 312:217–224

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu S, Chen J, Butler JP, Wang N (2005) Prestress mediates force propagation into the nucleus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 329:423–428

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ingber DE (2006) Cellular mechanotransduction: putting all the pieces together again. FASEB J 20:811–827

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson N, Krebs M, Boudreau R, Giorgi G, LeGros M, Larabell C (2003) Actin-filled nuclear invaginations indicate degree of cell de-differentiation. Differentiation 71:414–424

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kellenberger E, Durrenberger M, Villiger W, Carlemalm E, Wurtz M (1987) The efficiency of immunolabel on Lowicryl sections compared to theoretical predictions. J Histochem Cytochem 35:959–969

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Landmann L, Marbet P (2004) Colocalization analysis yields superior results after image restoration. Microsc Res Tech 64:103–112

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Langevin HM, Storch KN, Cipolla MJ, White SL, Buttolph TR, Taatjes DJ (2006) Fibroblast spreading induced by connective tissue stretch involves intracellular redistribution of alpha- and beta-actin. Histochem Cell Biol 125:487–495

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lui PP, Kong SK, Kwok TT, Lee CY (1998) The nucleus of HeLa cell contains tubular structures for Ca2+ signalling. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 247:88–93

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manders EMM, Verbeek FJ, Aten JA (1993) Measurement of colocalization of objects in dual-color confocal images. J Microsc 169:375–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell CA, Hendzel MJ (2001) The integration of tissue structure and nuclear function. Biochem Cell Biol 79:267–274

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nisman R, Dellaire G, Ren Y, Li R, Bazett-Jones DP (2004) Application of quantum dots as probes for correlative fluorescence, conventional, and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy. J Histochem Cytochem 52:13–18

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas CH, Collier JH, Sfeir CS, Healy KE (2002) Engineering gene expression and protein synthesis by modulation of nuclear shape. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99:1972–1977

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr Michael J. Hendzel and Alan K. Howe for helpful discussions. This work was funded by the NIH Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Research Grant RO1-AT01121 and by NIH Grant P20 RR16435 from the COBRE Program of the National Center for Research Resources. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Kirsten N. Storch, Nicole A. Bouffard & Helene M. Langevin

  2. Department of Pathology, Microscopy Imaging Center, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Douglas J. Taatjes & Nicole M. Bishop

  3. Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Neuroscience COBRE Imaging and Physiology Core Facility, University of Vermont College of Medicine, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA

    Sarah Locknar

Authors
  1. Kirsten N. Storch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Douglas J. Taatjes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nicole A. Bouffard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sarah Locknar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Nicole M. Bishop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Helene M. Langevin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Helene M. Langevin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Storch, K.N., Taatjes, D.J., Bouffard, N.A. et al. Alpha smooth muscle actin distribution in cytoplasm and nuclear invaginations of connective tissue fibroblasts. Histochem Cell Biol 127, 523–530 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-007-0275-9

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-007-0275-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation