Summary
C cells in the mammalian thyroid contain acid cytoplasmic proteins. A suitable method for their cytochemical demonstration is the metachromatic staining reaction with toluidine blue at pH 5.0–5.7 after acid hydrolysis. In C cell cytochemistry species differences can be shown to exist. The acid cytoplasmic groups in C cells are related to the synthesis and storage of calcitonin. This hormon can be demonstrated cytochemically after performic acid-oxydation of its disulfide linkage by different basic dyes. Metachromatic staining by pseudoisocyanine makes it possible to estimate the calcitonin content of C cells quantitatively.
Zusammenfassung
Die C-Zellen in der Schilddrüse von Säugetieren enthalten saure Cytoplasmaproteine in granulärer Form, die eine sichere histochemische Differenzierung von Follikelepithelzellen erlauben. Dabei bestehen speciesbedingte Unterschiede in der Morphologie und im cytochemischen Verhalten. Die sicherste Methode zum Nachweis dieser Substanzen ist die metachromatische Färbung mit Toluidinblau bei pH 5,0–5,7 nach Salzsäure-Hydrolyse. Die sauren Proteine sind offenbar mit Bildung und Stapelung des Calcitonins eng verknüpft. Dieses Polypeptid kann auf Grund seiner zyklischen Disulfid-Brücke nach Oxydation als Dicysteinsäurepeptid mit verschiedenen Farbstoffen cytochemisch nachgewiesen werden. Für quantitative Untersuchungen ist dabei das metachromatische Verhalten gegenüber Pseudoisocyanin auswertbar.
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Lietz, H., Zippel, H. Cytochemische Untersuchungen zur vergleichenden Morphologie der C-Zellen in der Schilddrüse. Z. Zellforsch. 102, 85–98 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336418
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336418