Organization of intermediate filaments in ciliated cells from quail oviduct.

When ciliated cortices were isolated from oviducts of laying quail, the demembranated cortices remained associated with the cell nucleus. The organization of the material linking the nucleus to the apical cell surface has been observed by electron microscopy in ciliated cells in situ and characterized by HRP immunocytochemistry. A well developed network of prekeratin intermediate filaments attached to the desmosomes creates a basket surrounding the nucleus. Furthermore, prekeratin filaments are associated with the striated rootlets of basal bodies.