Biogenesis of the Rat Hepatocyte Plasma Membrane

This chapter discusses that the hepatocytes, the plasma membrane proteins–apical and basolateral alike–are first shipped to the basolateral plasma membrane. Then the apical proteins are sorted from the basolateral ones and delivered to the apical plasma membrane. The approach utilized to elucidate the pathway of plasma membrane protein sorting in rat hepatocytes employed a combination of pulse-chase radiolabeling and subcellular fractionation techniques. The procedures are described in conjunction with a number of accessory techniques that may prove useful in studies of plasma membrane protein sorting in rat hepatocytes in situ. In vivo studies of plasma membrane protein sorting, whether in liver or in other organs and tissues, will undoubtedly continue to utilize combinations of metabolic radiolabeling (pulse-chase) and subcellular fractionation. This chapter anticipates that most of these methods will prove adaptable in future studies of hepatocytes plasma membrane biogenesis both in vivo in pathological situations and in the isolated perfused rat liver.