MDCK cells have been treated with a mixed surfactant at low concentrat
ions to study the induced morphological changes. The most significant
change at the light microscope level was the appearance of multiple la
rge vesicles, which increased in size with time, up to approximate to
40 mu m in diameter. Vesicle formation was shown to be linked with the
uptake of the fluid medium, as judged by the presence of FITC-dextran
within the vesicles, but was not a result of pinocytosis because cyto
chalasin D treatment had no effect on their formation. Furthermore, ni
le red staining demonstrated that the vesicles did not represent fusio
n of pre-existing lipid droplets. Transmission electron microscopy (TE
M) analysis indicated that the vesicles lacked any obvious structure.
It is hypothesised that the vesicles are large mixed structures synthe
sised as a result of interactions between cell membranes and detergent
components after saturation with the surfactants. This effect is cont
rasted with the diffuse uptake of dyes and fluorescently labelled prot
eins following simple anionic or ionic detergent treatment. The effect
of vesicle formation was reversible if the cells were placed in fresh
medium lacking detergent. Other effects of mixed detergent included t
he loss of rounded compact colonies, an increase in mean cell diameter
and the almost complete loss of surface microvilli as seen with scann
ing electron microscopy (SEM). In the TEM the cell ultrastructure was
seen to have changed markedly following detergent treatment, with a lo
ss of rough endoplasmic reticulum and an apparent clumping of the cyto
plasmic constituents. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.