Exosomes: Ultrastructural evidence in epithelial cells of Malpighian tubules

Anita Giglio; Ida Daniela Perrotta; Pietro Brandmayr

doi:10.1016/j.micron.2017.04.008

Exosomes: Ultrastructural evidence in epithelial cells of Malpighian tubules

Micron. 2017 Sep:100:34-37. doi: 10.1016/j.micron.2017.04.008. Epub 2017 Apr 29.

Authors

Anita Giglio¹, Ida Daniela Perrotta², Pietro Brandmayr³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy. Electronic address: anita.giglio@unical.it.
² Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science-Microscopy and Microanalysis Centre (CM2,) Laboratory of Transmission Electron Microscopy-University of Calabria, Rende, Italy.
³ Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy.

PMID: 28482176
DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2017.04.008

Abstract

Exosomes in Malpighian tubules of Calathus fuscipes (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were investigated under transmission electron microscopy. Ultrastructural analyses showed a wide number of multivesicular bodies localized in the apical portion of epithelial cells. Each multivesicular body encloses from 15 to 80 intraluminal vesicles (about 50nm in diameter), originating through inward budding of late endosomes that package molecules into luminal membrane-bound structures. Subsequently they are released as exosomes through exocytosis of multivesicular bodies into the extracellular space after fusion with plasma membrane. Our results are the base for further investigation on the role of exosomes in functional polarization of tubule cells and on cell-to-cell communication in insects.

Keywords: Carabid beetles; Endosomes; Exosomes; Multivesicular bodies.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Membrane / ultrastructure
Coleoptera / cytology*
Epithelial Cells / ultrastructure*
Exocytosis / physiology
Exosomes / ultrastructure*
Malpighian Tubules / cytology*
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission