The role of actin in the surface integrity of cultured rat liver parenchymal cells

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Abstract
Adult rat hepatocytes grown in a primary culture showed a homogenous actin distribution during the first 24 hr in culture as seen with anti-actin antibodies in indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. When exposed to phalloidin the cells formed rapidly numerous blebs. In these cells bright fluorescent spots were seen at the base of the blebs with anti-actin antibodies. Aggregates of fibrillar material were analogously seen in electron microscopy both at the base of the blebs and in the cytoplasm of the phalloidin-treated cells. The results indicate that phalloidin-induced aggregation of actin in hepatocytes leads to a weakening and subsequent blebbing of hepatocyte surface, suggesting that the cortical meshwork of actin-containing filaments plays an important role in the surface integrity of hepatocytes.

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