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Ultrastructural localization of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-receptor transcripts in the cell nucleus using pre-embedding in situ hybridization in combination with ultra-small gold probes and silver enhancement

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Abstract

A high-resolution in situ hybridization method is described for localizing epidermal growth factor (EGF)-receptor transcripts in nuclei of A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells. The method is based upon the use of ultra-small gold particles in combination with silver enhancement. The RNA of the EGF-receptor was detected mainly around the nucleoli. After removal of the DNA using nucleases and high salt extraction, the RNA of the EGF-receptor appears to be associated with the nuclear matrix. The RNA of the EGF-receptor was observed in close contact with the SC-35 splicing protein, but no exact colocalization was observed. These results demonstrate that high resolution pre-embedding in situ hybridization in combination with immunocytochemistry, both using ultra-small gold as a detection method, provides a powerful tool to unravel the organization of nuclear processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Cell Biology, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    O. C. M. Sibon, B. M. Humbel, A. De Graaf, A. J. Verkleij & F. F. M. Cremers

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  1. O. C. M. Sibon
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  2. B. M. Humbel
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  3. A. De Graaf
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  4. A. J. Verkleij
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  5. F. F. M. Cremers
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Sibon, O.C.M., Humbel, B.M., De Graaf, A. et al. Ultrastructural localization of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-receptor transcripts in the cell nucleus using pre-embedding in situ hybridization in combination with ultra-small gold probes and silver enhancement. Histochemistry 101, 223–232 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00269548

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