Carbonic anhydrase in turtle bladder mitochondrial-rich luminal and subluminal cells

Abstract

Bladders from March-April turtles were processed for carbonic anhydrase (CA) cytochemically using the method of D.A. Riley, S. Ellis, and J. Bain (Neuroscience 13: 189, 1984). CA-positive cells comprised 11.1 +/- 0.7% of mucosal epithelial cells. Microplicated (MP) cells comprised 47.2 +/- 1.8% of CA-positive cells and displayed at least two distinct staining patterns: the first was characterized by reaction product that filled the luminal one-third, including the terminal web and microplicae. These cells possessed extensive microplicae, a morphological feature of ongoing H+ secretion. The second was characterized by reaction product distributed throughout cells, excluding the terminal web and microplicae, with greatest intensity in the luminal one-third below the terminal web. These cells possessed flattened microplicae, a morphological feature of diminished H+ secretion. Microvillated (MV) cells comprised 6.0 +/- 1.0% of CA-reactive cells. The basal layer was occupied by 46.8 +/- 1.7% of CA-positive cells, which were termed subluminal (SL) cells. SL cells were mitochondrial rich and did not contact the lumen. Extracellular CA staining was common between the lateral margins of contiguous mitochondrial-rich or non-mitochondrial-rich cells.