Isolation, visualization, characterization, and osmotic reactivity of crayfish BLMV

Procedures were developed to isolate basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV) from gill, hepatopancreas, and antennal gland of intermolt freshwater crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. Individual procedures involved a discontinuous sucrose gradient (gill), a 65% sucrose cushion (hepatopancreas), or differential centrifugation (antennal gland). BLMV were visualized, characterized (37°C), and tested for osmotic reactivity with a view to using them for Ca²⁺ uptake studies. Mean diameters of BLMV were 159 nm (gill), 363 nm (hepatopancreas), and 226 nm (antennal gland). Enrichments of basolateral membranes and mitochondria in BLMV were, respectively, 18- and 1.7-fold for gill, 9- and 0.4-fold for hepatopancreas, and 10- and 1-fold for antennal gland. Apical contamination was negligible in BLMV. Percentages of resealing of vesicles as inside out, right side out, or leaky/sheets were 17:27:56% (gill), 14:26:60% (hepatopancreas), and 21:39: 40% (antennal gland). Vesicles exhibited osmotic reactivity, as indicated by a linear relationship between vesicular ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ uptake and osmolality. Nonspecific ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ binding was 20% in gill, 39% in hepatopancreas, and 31% in antennal gland. Data were compared with published values for marine crustaceans.