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Ex vivo Method for High Resolution Imaging of Cilia Motility in Rodent Airway Epithelia
Published on: August 8, 2013
AN EFFECT OF ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE ON THE LIGHT SCATTERED BY SUSPENSIONS OF CILIA
1The Biological Laboratories, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Journal of Cell Biology
|October 30, 2009
Summary
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) interacts with specific proteins in cilia, causing a hydration change and reduced turbidity. This finding links ATP interaction to the mechanisms driving ciliary motility.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Cilia are essential for cellular motility and transport.
- Understanding the molecular mechanisms of ciliary function is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) on cilia structure and function.
- To identify the specific components within cilia responsible for ATP-induced changes.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of cilia from Tetrahymena pyriformis using an ethanol-calcium method.
- Turbidity measurements of intact and fractionated cilia upon addition of ATP.
- Analysis of axonemal components, including outer fibers and 30S dynein.
Main Results:
- ATP addition decreased cilia turbidity by approximately 20%.
- This effect required the presence of both outer fibers and 30S dynein.
- Turbidity changes correlated with increased hydration and nucleotide specificity.
Conclusions:
- ATP interacts specifically with outer fibers and 30S dynein, increasing hydration.
- This hydration change is linked to the molecular basis of ciliary motility.
- Ionic strength influences both outer fiber swelling and dynein binding.
