Plasma cell endocytosis: is it related to immunoglobulin secretion?

Mouse plasma cells have been exposed to a wide range of soluble and adsorptive macromolecular tracers for 10 min to 4 h to explore the possibility of membrane recycling related to the high secretory rate of these nonregulated secretory cells. Electron microscopic examination showed in all cases labeling of multivesicular and multilamellar bodies and a lesser labeling of smooth-surfaced vesicles. Using cationized ferritin as tracer, an additional very restricted labeling of Golgi cisternae was observed. Comparable labeling patterns were observed when immunoglobulin (Ig) secretion was blocked with the Golgi-specific pertrurbant, monensin, and in the case of poorly differentiated B immunoblasts which secrete little or no Ig. Our observations therefore emphasize that available approaches cannot yet determine whether a mandatory circuit of vesicular traffic couples Ig exocytosis to endocytosis.