Surface specializations of planarian gastrodermal cells as revealed by staining with ruthenium red

Regional differences of the surface of planarian gastrodermal cells are emphasized by staining with ruthenium red (RR). It is proposed that such differences reflect functional diversity of the luminal, lateral, and basal surfaces of the cells. The luminal surface is coated with a uniform layer of the RR-positive substance, which penetrates into the intercellular space at the intermediate junction. The septate junction situated just beneath the intermediate junction shows a permeability barrier to the RR tracer. At the basolateral surface, however, RR stains the septate junction in which the electron density of individual septa is enhanced remarkably. The gastrodermal cells are delineated entirely with RR-positive substance passing freely through the gap junction fuses into the outer leaflets of adjacent plasma membranes. The irregularly dilated intercellular space at nonjunctional appositions includes a slight deposit of RR-positive substance which attaches to the plasma membrane. The basal surface is underlined by the continuous basal lamina, which consists of the lamina lucida and the lamina densa. The lamina densa has a conspicuous affinity for RR. The lamina lucida is characterized by irregular deposits of RR-positive substance, some of which concentrates on the hemidesmosomal portions. Treatment with the enzyme hyaluronidase prior to staining with RR abolishes the staining of the basal lamina. As a result, the material of the lamina densa appears flocculent.