The surface characteristics of the plasma membrane of the exocrine pancreas

Regional differentiation of the plasma membrane and related structures of the exocrine pancreas has been studied ultrastructurally and cytochemically. Fixation with an osmium tetroxide-silver acetate solution produced abundant fine precipitates on the luminal and basal surface of the centroacinar but not the acinar cells. Staining with dialyzed iron (DI) revealed the heaviest concentration of anionic sites on the luminal plasma membrane of the acinar cells, including the surface of both the intercellular canaliculi and the main lumen. The reactive sites on the apical acinar plasmalemma appeared to consist of discrete globules. DI-reactivity of the lateral basal membranes was most prominent in the centroacinar cells and essentially absent in the acinar cells but was weak relative to that of the acinar-cell apical plasmalemma. The lamina lucida of the basement membrane of the duct stained with DI, but that of basement membrane under acinar cells did not. Sialidase digestion prior to DI staining abolished the staining of plasma membranes. These results indicate that duct epithelial cells, including most prominently the centroacinar cells, are chiefly responsible for electrolyte and fluid transport.