Cells are not just bags of water: a personal appreciation of the work of Dr. Brij L. Gupta and his contribution to biological X-ray microanalysis.

ABSTRACT

This paper surveys the contribution made by the work of Dr. B. L. Gupta to the science of biological X-ray microanalysis. A brief biographical sketch of Brij's early years is given, this is followed by considerations about the models for water transport across epithelia. The ultrastructural and histochemical studies carried out by Brij Gupta and colleagues are reviewed to introduce the historical need for the use of EPXMA for the study of ion and water transport in epithelia. The outstanding contribution made by Brij Gupta's work in this field is outlined, and his understanding of the subcellular distribution ions in other cell types and in the pericellular environment is acknowledged.