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Corrosion of intracellular granules and cell death

1988; Royal Society; Volume: 234; Issue: 1277 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1098/rspb.1988.0059

2053-9193

Marina G. Taylor, Kenneth Simkiss, G. N. Greaves, J. E. Harries,

Mercury impact and mitigation studies

The snail Helix aspersa has large numbers of calcium cells in its hepatopancreas which contain membrane-bound intracellular granules of CaMgP 2 O 7 . These inorganic deposits are the sites of accumulation of a wide variety of cations and act as a detoxification mechanism that traps a number of dietary metals once they have entered the animal. This study concentrates on the mechanism of incorporation of manganese ions into these deposits by using electron microscopy, ultra-low-angle X-ray scattering and extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results show that manganese ions cause a localized corrosion of these intracellular granules with a consequent release of calcium ions. This release appears to overwhelm the calcium-regulatory mechanisms of these cells and leads to their death and subsequent shedding into the lumen of the alimentary tract. The concept of intracellular corrosion is a novel interpretation of a previously unsuspected biochemical lesion.