Cellular membrane contrast and contrast differentiation with osmium triazole and tetrazole complexes

An improved procedure for the X-ray microanalysis of acid phosphatase activity in lysosomes

The useful detection of acid phosphatase activity with cerium as a capturing agent is confirmed. By introducing a freeze step in combination with a preincubation, reliably localized, lysosomal precipitates are obtained and aspecific ones prevented. Short (t less than 1 h) postfixation with either OsO4 plus K4Fe (CN)6 or OsO4 plus aminotriazole, added to lysosomal cerium localization a high membrane contrast. The detection of cerium by X-ray microanalysis is improved by a better spectral separation of the osmium (M alpha) and cerium (L alpha) peaks.

Pt-staining of peroxidatic reaction products at the ultrastructural level

The use of H2PtCl6 is proposed for the selective visualization of the poly-DAB reaction product created, in aldehyde-fixed tissue, with the cytochemical reaction according to Graham and Karnovsky (1966) or to Hoefsmit (1975). At sites known to contain peroxidatic activity, at the ultrastructural level, an electron-dense reaction product is acquired in otherwise unstained ultrathin sections. The presence of the element platinum in these sites has been demonstrated by X-ray microanalysis, for both the endogenous peroxidase and peroxidase conjugated to antibodies. The absolute platinum concentration has been established in erythrocytes and the granules in eosinophils and monocytes by co-embedded, Pt-containing Chelex ion-exchange beads next to the cells. By the application of the method of integrated morphometrical and chemical analysis (de Bruijn and Zeelen 1984; de Bruijn 1985; de Bruijn and Cleton 1985), both the elemental concentration and the area occupied have been calculated for eosinophil granules. The mean Pt net-intensity values of the cytoplasmic areas, known not to contain the enzyme peroxidase has been measured, and compared to the mean net-intensity Pt values of the granules. It was noted that the cytoplasmic Pt net-intensity values were not zero. The two sets of values are expressed as a mean Pt granule/cytoplasm ratio, this ratio creates a value for the "selectivity" of the reaction. The application of a postfixation reaction with OsO4- containing media, at pH 7.4, in addition to the H2PtCl6 reaction, resulted in a contrasted poly-DAB reaction product at all sites known to contain peroxidatic activity. However, X-ray microanalysis revealed that in addition to platinum, osmium was present.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chemical aspects of glycogen contrast-staining by potassium osmate

To obtain contrast-staining of glycogen in electron microscopy, various contrast-enhancing additives can be used in combination with potassium osmate. Examples are potassium ferrocyanide and certain nitrogen heterocyclic compounds, such as triazoles. In the reaction sequence leading to contrast-stained glycogen, a primary reaction is the formation of glycogen osmate. This reaction was studied with isolated glycogen. On the basis of the stoichiometric findings, a molecular structure of the reaction product is proposed; apparently, osmate is bound by glycogen because of the presence of suitably located hydroxyl groups. The resulting compound is not itself sufficiently electron dense, but it binds 1,2,4-triazole as an additional ligand. Secondary reactions can result in additional osmium binding, and finally to osmium (IV) deposits, leading to contrast.

Development of the granule population in neutrophil granulocytes from human bone marrow

Bone marrow from hematologically healthy adults was exposed to a number of fixation procedures for investigation of the heterogeneity of the granule population in neutrophil granulocytes at the ultrastructural level. Four main cell stages were distinguished: early promyelocyte, late promyelocyte, myelocyte, and mature neutrophil granulocyte and described separately; metamyelocytes and band-form or stab cells are described together. The characteristic changes in the cytoplasm during myelopoiesis were analysed quantitatively. Special attention was given to the development of the granule population. Three types of granule arise in successive cell stages: granules which develop a sub-structure in the matrix (nucleated granules) are formed in early promyelocytes, granules with a homogeneous electron-dense matrix (azurophil granules) in late promyelocytes, and granules with a less electron-dense matrix (specific granules) in myelocytes. The three types of granule remain present during myelopoiesis. The best results in distinguishing the granule types were obtained by prefixation either in 0.1% glutaraldehyde or in 1.5% glutaraldehyde followed by washing in phosphate-buffered Ringer solution to which aminotriazole had been added. Granule counts revealed for the mature neutrophil a total number of granules of about 220 per ultrathin section. This population of granules is composed of about 12% nucleated, 11% azurophil, and 77% specific granules. When our previous findings are taken into account, the existence of three successively formed and morphologically distinguishable types of granule in heterophil (neutrophil) granulocytes has been demonstrated for three mammalian species: the guinea pig, the rat, and man. A separate term for the early promyelocyte stage is proposed: eomyelocyte.