Purification of placental alkaline phosphatase by immunoadsorption

Modern laser scanning microscopy in biology, biotechnology and medicine

Laser microscopic techniques currently used in morphology and cell biology represent highly sensitive tools for detecting biomolecules within their natural environment. Use of the fluorescence-, reflectance- and transmission modes of confocal laser scanning microscopes (CLSM) equipped with He-Ne- and Ar+-ion lasers for CeIV and DAB based detection of endogenous or immunobound enzymatic activities in tissue sections (vibratome, cryostat, paraffin and semithin plastic sections) opens a wide range of interesting new possibilities in cellular and molecular biology. Increased resolution power, blur-free confocal imaging, higher sensitivity, optical sectioning capability and 3D-image analysis provide a large quantity of valuable information about biological objects specimens. The new infrared multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (NIR-LSM) is increasingly becoming the optical tool of choice for (a) fluorescence imaging of cellular and subcellular components with high spatial and temporal resolution, (b) fluorescence resonance energy transfer between physiologically relevant molecular species involving protein-protein interactions, (c) nanoprocessing within living cells and tissues, with varied applications in (d) photochemistry and (e) medical diagnostics as well. Both, CLSM and NIR-LSM as modern microscopical strategies are indispensable in basic research and will prove to be invaluable for clinical diagnostic studies and therapy in the near future.

Method for continuous purification of biological material using immunosorbent

A mechanical device for the continuous purification of biological material using immunosorbent was developed. The system consists of heat-sealed nylon pouches containing agarose-bound antibody, attached to an endless 35 mm wide Mylar belt that passes through four chambers sequentially. The biological material is bound and dissociated, and the immobilized antibody is regenerated for repeated isolation and purification of antigen. The belt design incorporates features to minimize carry-over between chambers and prevent damage to the agarose-bound antibody in repeated passes through the system. An existing batch method for the purification of human placental alkaline phosphatase using immobilized rabbit antisera was adapted to continuous purification in the device. The belt contained a low affinity immunosorbent and made five complete passes through the system. A decrease in antigen binding capacity between free immunosorbent suspensions and belt immunosorbent in pouches was observed. This was shown to be the result of the diffusion resistance offered by the pouch and the short exposure times of each pouch in the chambers. A decrease in antigen binding capacity between successive belt passes was also observed, and resulted from the inability of the agarose in the pouches to resuspend completely after each pass. The low efficiency of the agitation method and the roller device used to squeeze the pouches were the reasons for this deficiency.