Association of cytoskeletons with the Golgi apparatus: three-dimensional observation and computer-graphic reconstruction.

The association of cytoskeletons with the Golgi apparatus (GA) in cultured 3Y1 cells was investigated by stereo electron microscopy of thick sections and computer-graphic reconstruction of serial thin sections. The 3-dimensional analysis has demonstrated that: 1) both microtubules (MT) and vimentin intermediate filaments (IF) were abundantly present in close vicinity to GA, and some of them were closely associated with GA; and 2) such GA-associated cytoskeletons were attached to GA either at their termini or at their lateral side. The present observations suggest that both MT and vimentin IF are responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of GA.