Radioautographic comparison of the uptake of galactose-H and glucose-H3 in the golgi region of various cells secreting glycoproteins or mucopolysaccharides

Cytological events involved in glycoprotein synthesis in cellular and syncytial trophoblast of human placenta. An electron microscope autoradiographic study of [3H]galactose incorporation

Electron microscope autoradiography was used to study glycoprotein synthesis in cellular trophoblast (cytotrophoblast) and syncytial trophoblast of term human placental villi incubated in vitro with D-[1-3H]galactose ([3H]gal). Autoradiographs were analyzed using the hypothetical grain analysis of Blackett and Parry (1973. J. Cell Biol. 57:9-15). The results of this study indicated that [3H]gal incorporation into term placental villi was predominantly localized to cytotrophoblast. Utilization of [3H]gal by term syncytial trophoblast was extremely low and yielded too few grains for a quantitative grain analysis. This result is in striking contrast to that found in the preceding study of [3H]leucine incorporation (Nelson, D. M., A. C. Enders, and B. F. King. 1978). Within cytotrophoblast, the rough endoplasmic reticulum incorporated the most [3H]gal into glycoprotein. The Golgi apparatus was another site of [3H]gal incorporation. The vast majority of the [3H]gal incorporated into cytotrophoblast during the pulse incubation remained intracellular through the duration of the experiment. There was little autoradiographic evidence for secretion of tritiated macromolecules. Cytotrophoblast incubated for the longest time period studied (4 h+) showed a substantial concentration of tritiated macromolecules in the Golgi complex and in the ground plasm but not in the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Ultrastructural cytochemistry of the human adrenal medulla

A cytochemical study of the human adrenal medulla showed that it is made up of two types, the adrenaline (A-) and noradrenaline (N-) storing cells. A-and N-storing granules were argentaphobic when ultra-thin sections of Araldite-embedded medulla were stained according to the periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide silver proteinate technique of Thiery. A small amount of glycogen (which disappeared after digestion with alpha amylase) in the form of B-particles, as well as lysosomes were, however, visualized by this technique. The entire core of A granules was markedly positive after ultrathin sections of glutaraldehyde-fixed, glycol methacrylate (GMA-) embedded medullae were stained with phosphotungstic acid (PTA) at a low pH (O.3). The N granules, in contrast, were mostly unreactive. PTA stained a large part of the Golgi complex of A cells, whereas it generally had no such effect on that of the N cells. In both cell types, the cell coat, lysosomes and multivesicular bodies reacted to PTA. The periodic acid schiff (PAS) technique showed A but not N granules in semithin sections of GMA-or Araldite-embedded medullae. The PTA and PAS stains were abolished by acetylation, restored by saponification, unchanged by methylation and greatly diminished by sulfation or by digestion with beta glucuronidase after oxidation by perchloric acid. These results indicate that in man the A granules and the Golgi complex of A cells, unlike the same structures in N cells, are rich in glycoproteins.

Glycoprotein transport in the surface mucous cells of the rat stomach

The intracellular transport of glycoproteins pulse-labeled in vitro with tritiated leucine and galactose in the surface mucous lining cells (SMC) of the fundus of the rat stomach was studied by electron microscope autoradiography. The SMC survive for several hours in pieces of the fundus incubated in a bicarbonate-buffered medium. The SMC have a normal ultrastructure for at least 4 h of incubation. Kinetic activity is normal for at least 5 h, as demonstrated by the normal nuclear incorporation of tritiated thymidine; The SMC incorporate labeled leucine and galactose at normal rates up to 4 h and 6 h, respectively. In contrast to the SMC, the cells of the gastric glands show signs of degeneration within 1 h after the start of incubation. In the SMC the secretory protein forms a smaller part of the total protein synthesized than in other secretory cells studied. The intracellular tranpsort of the leucine-labeled moiety of the glycoproteins follows the normal pathway. The RER loses 35% of its transportable labeled protein within 30 min. The Golgi complex is maximally labeled at 40 min and the mucous granules after 120 min. Galactose is attached to the glycoproteins mainly in the Golgi complex. Glycoproteins are not secreted within 2 h after synthesis of their protein moiety.

Synthesis of glycoproteins in the Golgi complex of the mouse gallbladder epithelium during fasting, refeeding, and gallstone formation. A light microscopic autoradiographic and quantitative electron microscopic study

The mouse gallbladder epithelium was studied with light microscopic autoradiography and quantitative electron microscopy during fasting, refeeding and experimental gallstone formation. To determine the intracellular pathway of glycoproteins, H3-galactose was injected at different time intervals into the mice. At 10, 25 and 40 min after an intraperitoneal injection the gallbladders were fixed and prepared for light microscopy. As early as 10 min after injection, label was observed in supranuclear cytoplasmic regions and at 25 min, an increased radioactivity was present throughout the apical cytoplasm. At 40 min, silver grains were mainly present at the cell surface. Autoradiographs processed 25 min after an intraperitoneal H3-galactose injection after fasting for 48 h showed decreased supranuclear and apical radioactivity. After refeeding (12 h) there was an enhanced activity in both these regions. Animals fed a lithogenic diet for one month showed a marked increase of radioactive label mainly in cells of crypts and invaginations of the mouse gallbaldder mucosa. Morphometric measurements of the Golgi apparatus revealed that deprivation of food significantly dimished the volume density of the Golgi apparatus. Refeeding the amimals restored the volume density values to normal levels, In the course of gallstone formation there was a further significant increase in the volume density of the Golgi complexes as compared to controls.

Electron microscopic autoradiographic analysis of the uptake and intracellular transport of H3-leucine by the rat submandibular gland acinar cells in tissue slices

Uptake of H3-leucine into secretory product and its subsequent intracellular transport was analyzed by electron microscopic autoradiographic techniques in the rat submandibular gland acinar cells in vitro. The route and kinetic timetable of intracellular transport was established for the acinar cell secretory product by calculating the present of silver grains and relative grain density associated with the various organelles on a time sequence basis. Radioactivity was first associated with the rough endoplasmic reticulum; then the convex surface of the Golgi apparatus; the concave surface of the Golgi apparatus; and finetics of intracellular transport in the rat submandibular gland acinar cell with other established systems revealed only a difference in the exit of radioactivity from the concave surface of the Golgi apparatus.

An autoradiographic study of macromolecular syntheses in the epithelium of the ductus epididymidis in the mouse. II. Incorporation of L-fucose-1-3H

Glycoprotein dynamism in the mouse epididymis was studied by means ofhistoautoradiography after injection of L-fucose-1-3H. The label was detected, at thirty minutes p.i., in the area occupied by Golgi apparatus in the epithelial cells. At 4 h p.i. the label was already present inthe lumen of ductus epididymidis. At this time interval, the luminal labelling was highest in the initial segment of the epididymis and decreased against the more distal segments considerably. At ten days p.i. very high labelling was detected in the luminal contents in the terminal segment of the ductus epididymidis and in ductus deferens, the labelling in the proximal segments of the epididymis being much lower. These observations suggested a wave of labelled glycoprotein in epididymal plasma passing through the epididymis after a fucose pulse. Higher labelling was detected in so-called "clrial was seen in epididymal and uterine spermatozoa, mostly in sperm tail region.

Sites of sulfatation in the chondrocytes of the articular cartilage of the rabbit. A study by quantitative radioautography of high resolution

35S sulfate uptake by the articular cartilage chondrocytes, from biopsies of rabbit, have been studied by high resolution autoradiography. The Golgi apparatus, rough endoplasmic reticulum, cytosol, cytoplasmic membrane and extracellular space were considered as cell compartments in the quantitative analysis of the autoradiograms. The results obtained show: 1) a high activity of radiosotope incorporation in the Golgi apparatus; 2) a fast rhythm of transfer of the substances labelled in the Golgi apparatus to the cell membrane; 3) significant labelling of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, throughout the experiment. It is concluded: 1) The grains observed in the rough endoplasmic reticulum show a significant radioisotope uptake on this level, and this evidence some sulfotransferase activity. 2) The high 35S sulfate uptake level which is observed in the Golgi apparatus demonstrates that the highest sulfotransferase enzyme activity is located in this cell area, thus showing that the "early" sulfation that began in the rough endoplasmic reticulum was completed by a "late" sulfation in the Golgi apparatus. It is here that complete chondromucoprotein building takes place before being excreted. 3) The high transfer level of the labelled substances from the Golgi apparatus shows that the sulfated product secretion for building the cartilage matrix takes place rapidly since a great label increase can be already observed at the beginning of the chase period in the outer surrounding area of the chondrocyte membrane.

Incorporation of inorganic sulfate in rat-liver Golgi

Partial subcellular distribution and specifically the incorporation of 35SO4 in the Golgi apparatus of rat liver was studied. The isolated Golgi fraction was placed on a further sucrose gradient for subfraction and in all samples the total incorporated label, the trichloroacetic-acid-soluble and insoluble, and chloroform/methanol-soluble and insoluble amounts of label were measured. Approximately 2.3% of the total injected 35S was found in the liver, of which 2% was localized in the isolated Golgi fraction. Further subfractionation of the Golgi has shown that the majority of the 35S is localized at densities 1.12-1.13 g/cm3 in the gradient. In the isolated Golgi fraction 85% of the label was present in the trichloroacetic-acid-soluble and 15% in the insoluble part. Approximately 1% of the label in the Golgi fraction was soluble in chloroform/methanol. On the bases of radioactivity per weight of protein and total radioactivity, the Golgi fractions had the highest activity, except the first supernatant which had higher radioactivity. Briefly, a significant amount of the 35SO4 can be found in the isolated rat liver Golgi 15 min after the injection of the label, and the majority of this label is localized in the material sedimenting at density 1.12-1.13 g/cm3 after subfractionation of the Golgi apparatus.

Application of alcian blue in the electron microscopic study of mouse and human cerebral cortex nerve cells

Alcian blue is a cationic dye which has been used in the histochemical field for the demonstration of polyanions especially carboxylated and sulphated. The results obtained in neurons when this dye was applied to human and mouse cerebral cortex and studied with the electron microscope are the object of the present report. The CNS of normal adult mice was fixed by vascular perfusion with 2% glutaraldehyde-0.1 M sodium cacodylate-0.1 M sucrose at pH = 6.8 followed by the same fixative with the addition of 0.5% alcian blue. After perfusion, brain cortex was taken out, sectioned into small blocks and immersed in a fresh similar mixture and subsequently in OSO4. Blocks were dehydrated and embedded in araldite. Ultrathin sections were doubly stained with uranyl and lead salts. Human brain cortex taken from patients with cerebral edema was fixed by immersion with 6.5% glutaraldehyde-0.1 M sodium phosphate, pH = 7.4 followed by embedding in warm agar and sectioning in slices of 30 mum thickness which were impregnated by immersion in a mixture of 1% alcian blue-acetate buffer-3% glutaraldehyde at pH = 3.5 for 9 to 15 h at 4 degrees C and subsequently immersed in 1% buffered OSO4-0.1 M sucrose, pH = 7.4 for 2 h at 4 degrees S. Sections were dehydrated and embedded in araldite. Ultrathin sections were doubly stained by uranyl and lead salts. We have denominated the complete procedure in both instances GABOUL technique. The submicroscopic study of both tissues, at nerve cells, revealed the presence of an electron dense homogeneous substance thoroughly dispersed at the hyaloplasmic matrix of perikarya, processes and even synaptic endings. This substance was more evident around free and attached ribosomes, GOLGI apparatus, complex vesicles, dense bodies, microtubules, subsurface cisternae and synaptic vesicles. Canaliculi of endoplasmic reticulum and even the perinuclear cistern also showed a moderate content. It is suggested that this electron dense substance, being alcianophilic, has a polyanionic character and thus may partially correspond to acid polysaccharides since these compounds have already been previously confirmed in such neurons by biochemical and light microscope histochemical techniques.

The fine structure of the epidermis of two species of salmonid fish, the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). and the brown trout (Salmo trutta L.)

The fine structure of epidermal mucous cells of two species of salmonid fish has been described. Mucous cells are, next to filament-containing cells, the most commonly encountered cells in fish epidermis. The development of the cells as they progress to the periphery has been characterised. They are initially difficult to distinguish from filament-containing cells: later, they can be recognised by the presence of much smooth-surfaced E.R. The mucigenesis and the subsequent secretion of mucus has been observed and it is essentially comparable to that which occurs in the mucous cells of the mammalian intestine. The mucous layer of the epidermal surface seems to mainly comprise of the products of these mucous cells and the "cuticle" seen in other species has not yet been observed in the salmonid species investigated here.

The effect of prolonged prednisone treatment on human costal cartilage

Costal cartilage (biopsy) from a 13-year-old boy receiving prolonged prednisone treatment (discontinuously from 2 6/12 to 13 11/12 years) for hepatosplenomegaly and lymphadenopathy has been studied and compared with costal cartilage from untreated individuals. Optical and electron microscopic studies including histochemistry have been employed. Chondrocyte degeneration characterized by lipidic material and glycogen in cells is enhanced following prednisone treatment. Acid proteoglycans are reduced in comparison to those in the untreated controls. Amianthoid (asbestoid) collagen fibers, derived from electron-dense bodies which represent remnants of degenerating chondrocytes, occur in all cartilages. A type of collagen similar to fibrous long-spacing collagen has been observed and is prominent in cartilage from the prednisone-treated individual. Evidence suggests that this type of collagen is cellular in origin and represents a transitional form of native collagen. Morphologic changes suggestive of aging are present following prolonged prednisone treatment.

In vitro incorporation of (3H)threonine and (3H)glucose by the mucous and serous cells of the human bronchial submucosal gland. A quantitative electron microscope study

Incorporation of [3H]threonine and [3H]glucose by the mucous and serous cells of the human bronchial submucosal gland has been studied over 8 h using, for the first time in vitro pulse labeling and electron microscope autoradiography. In assessing the autoradiographs, two methods were compared, the circle analysis and the recently described hypothetical grain analysis. Preliminary studies showed formaldehyde to be the most suitable fixative. Chemical analysis of tissue revealed that [3H]threonine was incorporated into the polypeptide moiety of the bronchial gland product and that metabolites of [3H]-glucose were incorporated into the carbohydrate. Tritiated threonine was first localized in the endoplasmic reticulum of both mucous and serous cells and later migrated to the Golgi apparatus, while metabolites of [3H]glucose localized first mainly in the Golgi apparatus. From here, both radioactive precursors were next identified in vacuoles and, finally, in secretory granules. The mucous cell incorporated strikingly more of both radioactive precursors than the serous cell. Thus, it seems that oligosaccharides of mucous and serous cell glycoproteins are synthesized mainly in the Golgi apparatus and added there to the polypeptide core which is synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum. The relationship of the mucous cell to the serous cell is discussed. It seems that under "normal" conditions each cell represents a different line but that injury may transform a serous cell into a mucous cell.

Involvement of the Golgi Apparatus in the Synthesis and Secretion of Hydroxyproline-rich Cell Wall Glycoproteins

Pulse labeling of carrot root phloem parenchyma (Daucus carota L. cv. Nantes) tissue with (14)C-proline followed by fractionation of the cytoplasmic organelles on sucrose gradients was used to determine the identity of the membranous organelles involved in the secretion of the hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins of the cell wall. Identification of the organelles was done through electron-microscopical observations and through the localization of marker enzymes on the sucrose gradients. Enrichment of the organelles involved in secretion was determined by measuring the percentage of the incorporated radioactivity present as (14)C-hydroxyproline. The Golgi apparatus (dictyosome) was found to be a major site of glycoprotein transport. This identification was based on the observed enrichment of dictyosomes paralleling the purification of newly synthesized cell-wall glycoproteins. A marker enzyme for the Golgi apparatus, inosinediphosphatase, banded with the newly synthesized cell wall glycoproteins on sequential isopycnic and rate zonal sucrose gradients. Marker enzymes for the endoplasmic reticulum and the plasma membrane were clearly separated from the dictyosome-rich fraction. UDP-arabinose arabinosyl transferase, an enzyme involved in the glycosylation of the peptide moiety of this glycoprotein, also banded with the dictyosomes on both kinds of gradients. The results suggest an important role of the Golgi apparatus in the biosynthesis and the secretion of the cell wall glycoproteins of higher plants.

Effects of 5-fluorouracil on exocrine glands. III. Fine structure of Brunner's glands of rats

Effects of a pyrimidine analogue, 5-fluorouracil (Fur), have been studied by electron microscopy and by electron microscopic cytochemical techniques. Previous studies have demonstrated that rats show serious gastrointestinal disturbances 5 days after 3 daily injections of FUR (50 mg/kg). The present investigation demonstrates that Brunner's glands under the same conditions suffer certain cytological changes involving the Golgi apparatus, where a notable reduction in the number of Golgi stacks is observed. The vacuolar components in the Golgi complex appear empty. Cytochemical localizations of uridine diphosphatase and thiamine pyrophosphatase activities, however, are normal. The reaction products are localized in the distal two or three lamellae of the Golgi stack and within the secretory granules nearby. In addition reaction products are present along the apical plasma membrane on the luminal side, suggesting a possible movement of these membranes from the Golgi stack, via secretory granules, to the apical plasma membrane.

Functional polarity of the rat hepatocyte surface membrane. Isolation and characterization of plasma-membrane subfractions from the blood-sinusoidal, bile-Canalicular and contiguous surfaces of the hepatocyte

1. Six rat liver plasma-membrane subfractions of different density and morphological, enzymic and chemical properties were prepared from homogenates by a combination of differential, rate-zonal and density-gradient centrifugation. They consisted of three vesicular 'light' subfractions of density 1.12-1.13 and three 'heavy' subfractions of density 1.16-1.18 containing membrane strips and intercellular junctions. 2. All six subfractions contained a basal adenylate cyclase activity. One of the 'light' subfractions that showed the highest glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was identified as deriving form the blood-sinusoidal face of the hepatocyte. This subfraction, unlike the others, was contaminated by Golgi components, as indicated by its morphological properties and the presence of galactosyl- and sialyl-transferase activities. 3. All the six subfractions showed high activities of the following plasma-membrane marker enzymes: 5'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphodiesterase (nucleotide pyrophosphatase), alkaline phosphatase, leucine naphthylamidase and Mg2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase. A 'light' subfraction that showed the highest specific activities of all the above marker enzymes, but lacked a glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity, was identified as deriving from the bile-canalicular face of the hepatocyte. 4. The 'heavy' subfractions, which showed generally the lowest activities of the above plasma-membrane enzyme markers, and were characterized by the presence of desmosomes and gap junctions, were taken to originate from the contiguous faces of the hepatocyte. 5. The protein composition of the six subfractions was generally similar, as shown by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Differences in the amounts of various protein and glycoprotein bands among the subfractions correlated with their morphology, enzymic composition and sialic acid content. 6. Hormonal and histochemical evidence supporting the identification of a bile-canalicular subfraction, a blood-sinusoidal subfraction and contiguous-face subfractions is discussed.

A proposed pathway of plasma glycoprotein synthesis

Plasma glycoprotein synthesis in the liver occurs in a stepwise fashion. The first sugar, N-acetyl-glucosamine, is attached to the protein during the growth of the polypeptide chain on the membrane-bound ribosomes. Subsequent carbohydrates are incorporated after the completion of the protein in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. The reactions are carried out by enzymes strongly bound to the membranes. Because the glycosylation reaction occurs in the interior of the cytoplasmic tubules a permeability problem for the nucleotide sugar exists. Recent studies indicate that sugar-lipids are formed on the cytoplasmic site of the membrane and these complexes transfer the sugars across the membrane. Experimental evidence for this pathway is presented in this article.

Enzymatic organization of the subcommissural organ

In the subcommissural organ (SCO) of the guinea pig, rat, golden hamster, and mouse the activity and distribution of enzymes related to the energy-supplying metabolism and of some marker enzymes of different cell organelles have been investigated by means of mostly modified histochemical methods. The results were compared with findings in the ciliated ependyma of the ventricular wall and with those in the ependyma of the choroid plexus of the third ventricle. In the ependymal part of the SCO only a moderate activity of hexokinase is observed in its specialized columnar cells whereas a high activity is present both in the ciliated ependyma and the choroid plexus. - The staining pattern of glucose-6-phosphatase is similar to that of hexokinase but this enzyme is found is the SCO only. - Likewise hexokinase, glycogen granules and enzymes related to glycogen metabolism (phosphoglucomutase, uridine-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase, glycogen synthetase and phosphorylase) are regularly found most numerous and active in the nuclear and supra-nuclear area of the ependymal part. These enzymes are less active in both the other ependymal regions. - Uridine-diphosphoglucose dehydrogenase could not be demonstrated in the SCO. The NADP-linked enzymes of the pentose phosphate shunt, glucose-6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, show a moderate activity which decreases also from the nuclear towards the apical area of the ependymal cells of the SCO. Enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, such as glucosephosphate isomerase, fructose-6-phosphate kinase, fructose-I,6-diphosphate aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and lactate dehydrogenase, are highly active in the SCO and are located mainly in the supranuclear area, too. Fructose-1,6-diphosphatase could not be demonstrated thus indicating that in the SCO the pathway is most probably only glycolytic but not gluconeogenetic. Compared to the ependyma of the ventricular wall and of the choroid plexus, in the SCO the M type subunits of lactate dehydrogenase predominate. Glycolytic enzymes are also very active in the choroid plexus but less in the ciliated ependyma. Compared to the ciliated ependyma and especially to the ependyma of the choroid plexus, the activities of enzymes which are only present in mitochondria (NAD-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, NAD-linked malate dehydrogenase after preextraction, cytochrome oxidase, 3-hydroxybutyrate and glycerolphosphate and glutamate dehydrogenase) are relatively low. Mitochondria are accumulated near the superior pole of the nuclei as well as in the most apical part of the ependymal cells. - The staining pattern of NADP-linked isocitrate and malate dehydrogenase as well as of NADH dehydrogenase suggests that these enzymes are localized both in and out of mitochondria. The extramitochondrial activity of the first two enzymes might be localized in the cytosol. The extramitochondrial activity of NADH dehydrogenase might be localized in the endoplasmic reticulum...

Secretion granules of the rabbit parotid gland. Isolation, subfractionation, and characterization of the membrane and content subfractions

A fraction of secretion granules has been isolated from rabbit parotid by a procedure which was found to be especially effective in reducing contamination resulting from aggregation and/or cosedimentation of granules with other cell particulates. The fraction, representing 15 percent (on the average) of the total tissue amylase activity, was homogeneous as judged by electron microscopy and contaminated to exceedingly low levels by other cellular organelles as judged by marker enzymatic and chemical assays. Lysis of the granules was achieved by their gradual exposure to hypotonic NaHCO3, containing 0.5 mM EDTA. The content and the membranes separated by centrifugation of the granule lysate were characterized primarily by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis which indicated that the content was composed of a limited number of molecular weight classes of polypeptides of which three bands (having approximate mol wt 58,000, 33, 000, and 12,000) could be considered major components. The gel profile of the membrane subfraction was characterized by 20-30 Coomassie brilliant blue-staining bands of which a single species of mol wt 40,000 was the conspicuous major polypeptide. Two types of experiments employing gel electrophoretic analysis were carried out for identifying and assessing the extent of residual secretory protein adsorbed to purified granule membranes: (a) examination of staining and radioactivity profiles after mixing of radioactive secretion granule extract with nonradioactively labeled granule membranes and (b) comparison of gel profiles of secretion granule extract and granule membranes with those of unlysed secretion granules and secretory protein dischraged from lobules in vitro or collected by cannulation of parotid ducts, the last two samples being considered physiologic secretory standards. The results indicated that the membranes were contaminated to a substantial degree by residual, poorly extractable secretory protein even though assays of membrane fractions for a typical secretory enzyme activity (amylase) indicated quite through separation of membranes and content. Hence, detailed examination of membrane subfractions for residual content species by gel electrophoresis points to the general unity and sensitivity of this technique as a means for accurately detecting a defined set of polypeptides occurring as contaminants in cellular fractions or organelle subfractions.

Glycosyltransferases in the Golgi membranes of onion stem

Cell fractions consisting largely of Golgi membranes were prepared from the meristematic region of the onion. Several enzyme activities were found to be localized in these fractions: inosine diphosphatase, galactosyltransferases and glucosyltransferases. The fractions catalysed the transfer of [(14)C]galactose from UDP-galactose to endogenous and cell-sap acceptors, to N-acetylglucosamine and to ovalbumin. In the presence of bovine alpha-lactalbumin, transfer to glucose (lactose synthesis) was catalysed. [(14)C]Glucose was transferred from UDP-glucose to endogenous and cell-sap acceptors, to cellobiose and to fructose (sucrose synthesis). All these activities were latent, being potentiated by detergents (Triton X-100 or sodium deoxycholate). The characteristics of some of these enzyme activities are described and their biological significance is discussed.

Studies on the golgi apparatus. Cumulative inhibition of protein and glycoprotein secretion by D-galactosamine

1. The administration of d-galactosamine leads to inhibition of protein and glycoprotein secretion by rat liver. To test the secretory function, the secretion times for galactose-and fucose-containing glycoproteins were determined; they were lengthened from 6 to 9min and from 8 to 13min respectively. 2. The Golgi apparatus was enriched 100-120-fold relative to the homogenate. A new linked-assay system for the marker enzyme, UDP-galactose-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine galactosyltransferase, is presented. The activity of the enzyme was measured spectrophotometrically by following the formation of UDP coupled to nicotinamide nucleotide reduction. The Michaelis constants were calculated to be 0.11mm for UDP-galactose with N-acetyl-d-glucosamine as exogenous acceptor and 19mm for N-acetyl-d-glucosamine itself. 3. The physiological substrate of the galactosyltransferase, UDP-galactose, can be replaced by UDP-galactosamine, which accumulates after d-galactosamine administration. Under conditions in vitro the rate of d-galactosamine transfer to an endogenous acceptor protein of the Golgi fraction reaches 9% of that with d-galactose; this finding is noteworthy, because normally a non-acetylated amino sugar does not occur in glycoproteins. 4. The albumin content of the Golgi-rich fraction was diminished to 55% of the reference value 6h after the injection of 375mg of d-galactosamine hydrochloride/kg body wt. The transfer of d-[1-(14)C]galactose to an endogenous acceptor protein fell to 60% compared with Golgi-rich fractions from untreated animals. Analysis of the Golgi-rich fraction by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis showed a decrease or loss of several protein bands. 5. Protein synthesis can be restored by up to 80% if the UTP pool, decreased after d-galactosamine administration, is filled up by several injections of uridine. 6. From the results presented it can be concluded that the disturbed secretion of proteins and glycoproteins was due to a cumulative effect of galactosamine by: (a) inhibition of protein synthesis leading to a diminution of the endogenous acceptor pool of the galactosyltransferase; (b) inhibition of the galactosyltransferase activity by galactosamine metabolites and (c) replacement of UDP-galactose by UDP-galactosamine.