PEROXIDASE LOCALIZATION OF LECTIN BINDING-SITES ON PLASMA-MEMBRANE OF THE SURFACE EPIDERMIS IN THE RUSTY BLENNY, BLENNIUS-SANGUINOLENTUS (PALLAS, 1811)

Various horseradish peroxidase-conjugated lectins have been used for the ultrastructural localization of carbohydrate moieties of glycoconjugates on plasma membranes of the surface cells of Blennius sanguinolentus epidermis. Concanavalia ensiformis (Con A), Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Pisum sativum (PSA) and Ulex europaeus (UEA I) lectins bind only to the outermost plasma membranes, the glycocalyx and the intercellular spaces of the surface cells. Other lectins applied, such as Triticum vulgare (WGA), Glycine max (SBA) and Griffonia simplicifolia (GS I), presenting G]cNAc and GalNAc specificity, reacted with the plasma membranes of basolateral domains and gave an attenuated reaction with the outermost plasma membranes. The results suggest that regional differences exist in the distribution patterns of GlcNAc and GalNAc-terminating glycoconjugates. The possible implication of the polarized expression of these glycoconjugates in ion transport is discussed.