Peculiar distribution of fodrin in fat-storing cells

Fat-storing cells (FSCs) show unique morphology containing many lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. In this study, we found that a membrane skeletal protein, fodrin, shows peculiar distribution in FSCs of rat liver. By immunofluorescence microscopy of FSCs in culture, intense labeling for fodrin was seen as coarse filaments in the cytoplasm. Especially in FSCs isolated from vitamin A-treated rats, the labeling was often seen as many small rings in the cytoplasm. In contrast, labeling for fodrin in human fibroblasts or rat adipocytes in culture was seen diffusely in the cell cortex. Distribution of actin, tubulin, vimentin, and desmin in FSCs was also examined, but none of them appeared correlated with fodrin. By immunoelectron microscopy using nanogold labeling with silver enhancement, positive labeling for fodrin was seen around some lipid droplets in FSCs in vivo. We assume that the peculiar distribution of fodrin may be related to the morphological characteristics of FSCs. (C) 1997 Academic Press.