Summary
In this study a new electron microscopic method for the demonstration of liver glycogen phosphorylase activity has been presented.
Prior to incubation the liver samples were shortly fixed in cold paraformaldehyde. Inorganic phosphate, liberated in the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme, were precipitated with iron (Fe++) present in the incubating medium. Postfixation was performed in glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide.
The ferrous phosphate precipitate was detected electron microscopically in unstained sections.
The precipitate was mainly localized to endoplasmic membranes but also in glycogen particles. The method is imperfect in demonstrating phosphorylase activity bound to glycogen particles because of poor preservation of glycogen during treatment.
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Lindberg, L.A., Palkama, A. Electron microscopic demonstration of rat liver glycogen phosphorylase activity with iron (Fe++). Histochemistry 38, 285–296 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00496717
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00496717