1995 Volume 28 Issue 2 Pages 119-127
The Golgi apparatus of Xenopus embryonic epidermal cells was examined by an inhibition experiment using brefeldin A (BFA), to know its target Golgi components since BFA caused rapid reorganization of the Golgi apparatus. Three different probes were used to identify the Golgi and Golgirelated components by fluorescence or electron microscopy: firstly anti-clathrin antibody for distinction of non-clathrin- and clathrincoated vesicles, secondly C5-DMB-Ceramide as a trans-Golgi membrane marker, and thirdly anti-chondroitin 6-sulfate for identification of immature secretory granules. BFA caused rapid disorganization of the Golgi apparatus to form small vesicle clusters. Immature secretory granules did not contribute to the formation of the Golgi-derived vesicle clusters. The vesiculation of the stacked structures of the Golgi cisternae by BFA preceded the BFA-inhibition of non-clathrinand clathrin-coated vesicle formation. Thus, the results raise a question as to whether the BFA inhibition of coated vesicle formation and the vesiculation of the Golgi cisternae by BFA are different events.
