Insulin uptake by rat liver endothelium studied in fractionated liver cell suspensions

Cellular distribution of insulin receptors was studied in fractionated rat liver cell suspensions using 125I-insulin and a visual probe consisting of latex beads covalently linked to insulin (minibeads). Fractionation was done on metrizamide gradients which yielded two cellular fractions. The large...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular and cellular biochemistry 1985-01, Vol.65 (2), p.117-123
Main Authors: SODA, R, TAVASSOLI, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Transport, Active
Cell receptors
Cell structures and functions
Endothelium - metabolism
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
In Vitro Techniques
Insulin - metabolism
Liver - cytology
Liver - metabolism
Male
Molecular and cellular biology
Rats
Rats, Inbred Strains
Receptor, Insulin - metabolism
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Cellular distribution of insulin receptors was studied in fractionated rat liver cell suspensions using 125I-insulin and a visual probe consisting of latex beads covalently linked to insulin (minibeads). Fractionation was done on metrizamide gradients which yielded two cellular fractions. The large cell fraction consisted mostly of hepatocytes and the small cell fraction consisted of 37% endothelial cells as well as Kupffer cells. The magnitude of insulin uptake by the endothelium-rich small cell fraction was at least double that of the uptake by the hepatocyte-rich fraction. The minibead technique demonstrated that in the small cell fraction only endothelial cells, and not Kupffer cells, were responsible for the insulin uptake. Our findings suggest that liver endothelium may be responsible for the uptake of circulating insulin and its transport to hepatocyte. This emphasizes the presence of a tissue-blood barrier in the liver.
ISSN:0300-8177
1573-4919
DOI:10.1007/BF00221094