Foot structure and foot protein in the cross striated muscle of a pecten

The foot-like structure of pecten (mollusk) cross striated muscle cells was studied from structural and biochemical standpoints, and compared with foot structures of vertebrate skeletal muscle cells. In vertebrate muscles, foot structures have been observed at the interspace between T-tubules and sarcoplasmic reticula (SR). In pecten muscles, T-tubules were not observed, but SR were found situated in the outer portions of the cell contacting the cell membrane, and foot-like structures were recognized at the interspace between the SR and cell membrane. We could isolate the SR fraction from these muscles in which vesicles of SR/cell membranes were included. In the SR fraction, foot-like structures were observed ultrastructurally by thin sectioning. The size and shape of the foot-like structure, whether observed in intact cells or SR fractions, appear smaller than foot structures of vertebrates. However, when calculated by SDS-PAGE, the molecular weight of the structure is similar to that of vertebrates. These findings are discussed and compared to characteristics of foot structures and foot proteins of vertebrate skeletal muscles reported in previous studies.