The cytoplasmic surface structures of uncoated vesicles in various tissues of rat as revealed by quick-freeze, deep-etching replicas.

We examined the cytoplasmic surface structures of the plasmalemmal vesicles in various tissues using quick-freeze, deep-etching replicas, and identified three types of cytoplasmic surface specializations. In addition to the baskets of clathrin-coated vesicles, stripe-surfaced and bumpy-surfaced vesicles could be identified. The striped patterns were clearly observed on the vesicles in endothelial cells and fibroblasts of various tissues, while in epithelial cells such as hepatocytes, renal proximal tubule cells, and superficial cells of the urinary bladder, instead of the striped patterns, rough-surfaced vesicles could be identified. These differences in 'uncoated' vesicles may suggest that there is the tissue specificity of the cytoplasmic surface structures of plasmalemmal vesicles.