Synopsis
The purpose of this investigation was to demonstrate the localization of free cholesterol in atheromatous aorta with the electron microscope. This was accomplished by utilizing the property of digitonin to form insoluble complexes with free cholesterol. Atheromatous aorta were fixed with Flickinger's fixative containing tritiated digitonin and then dehydrated routinely in ethanol and embedded in Epon. Thin sections were prepared for routine and autoradiographic observations with the electron microscope. The sections were developed within two to three weeks and photographed. The cholesterol digitonide complexes could be readily seen in intimal cells, smooth muscle and fibroblasts as well as in extracellular spaces. These complexes appeared in the form of membranous spicules and whorls. In the autoradiographs the silver grains were closely associated with the membranous spicules and whorls.
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Albert, E.N., Rucker, R.D. Electron microscopic demonstration of cholesterol in otheromatous aortae. Histochem J 7, 517–527 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003790
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003790