ULTRASTRUCTURAL LOCALIZATION OF CONCANAVALIN-A IN PERFUSED RAT-HEART

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 35  (2) , 103-110
Abstract
Staining of the surface coat of heart capillaries and aorta was achieved by perfusing concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin coupled to horseradish peroxidase through the rat heart. The binding of these lectins provides evidence for the presence of glycoproteins containing mannose, glucose and N-acetylgalactosamine residues in the endothelial surface coat of rat aorta and heart capillaries. The binding of concanavalin A to capillary endothelium was further followed with radioautography of 125I-labeled concanavalin A in the in vitro perfused rat heart. Following the shorter time intervals of perfusion more than 80% of labeled concanavalin A was releasable by .alpha.-methyl-D-mannoside and the radioautographic reaction was confined to the endothelial cell surface. Following 60 min of perfusion with concanavalin A there was translocation of part of the lectin to the extravacular space and evidence of endothelial cell swelling. A tentative estimate of the concanavalin A binding sites in capillary endothelium was determined to be .apprx. 5000/.mu.m2.

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