Induction of microvillous fusion and pinching-off by concanavalin A

Concanavalin A (Con A) caused dramatic changes in the structure and function of rat colonic epithelium. The morphological effect was a pronounced, permanent alteration of the microvilli, including fusion and blebbing. The functional change involved an increased permeability to passively transported hydrophilic marker compounds. The functional change was transient in nature. Since coadministration of glucose or mannose inhibited the effect of Con A, the mechanistic effect of Con A probably involves binding to saccharide components of the membrane surface.