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Histochemical properties of spermatozoa and somatic cells. I. Relations between the Feulgen hydrolysis pattern and the composition of the nucleoproteins

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In the study presented a comparison was made between the DNA hydrolysis patterns ini.o m and 0.3m HCl of several types of cells differing widely in the biochemical composition of their chromatin. It was found that three main types of hydrolysis pattern could be distinguished, represented by salmon spermatozoa, ascites tumour cells and bull spermatozoa.

  1. (1)

    The salmon spermatozoa type is characterized by rapid depurination and rapid depolymerization.

  2. (2)

    The ascites tumour cell type is characterized by slow depurination and a moderate rate of depolymerization.

  3. (3)

    The bull spermatozoa type is characterized by slow depurination and slow depolymerization.

Examples of mixed hydrolysis patterns are given and discussed. It is suggested that the natural occurrence of disulphide bridges, the introduction of formalin as a fixative, or a reduction in the acid concentration, stabilizes the chromatin towards hydrolysis. This is due to stabilization of the protein matrix that normally hinders extraction of the DNA fragments produced during hydrolysis.

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  1. Institute of Zoophysiology, University of Lund, Sweden

    P. T. T. Kjellstrand & G. K. A. Andersson

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  1. P. T. T. Kjellstrand
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  2. G. K. A. Andersson
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Kjellstrand, P.T.T., Andersson, G.K.A. Histochemical properties of spermatozoa and somatic cells. I. Relations between the Feulgen hydrolysis pattern and the composition of the nucleoproteins. Histochem J 7, 563–573 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01003794

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