Fig. 6. Immunofluorescence micrographs showing the expression of connexin 32 and Ins(1,4,5)P₃R2 in the rat parotid gland. (A) Connexin 32. (B) Ins(1,4,5)P₃R2. (C) Merged image. (D) Schematic representation. The ductal (d) area is devoid of connexin 32 immunofluorescence. The distal end of the intercalated ducts (i) exhibits a few immunofluorescence spots. The expression of Ins(1,4,5)P₃R2 in the ducts is strong in the apical cytoplasm of some cells (arrows), but weak or negligible in other cells (arrowheads). In the schematic representation, Ins(1,4,5)P₃R2 in the duct cells is localised in the apical vesicles based on the immunoelectron microscopic observation (Yamamoto-Hino et al., 1998). `Through-focus' images reconstructed from nine serial confocal sections taken at a distance of 1.5 µm. Bar, 50 µm.

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