Characterization of Catecholamine‐Storage Organelles in Transplantable Phaeochromocytoma and Adrenal Glands of Rats

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Abstract
The properties of the catecholamine-storing organelles from transplantable rat pheochromocytoma and rat adrenal glands were compared by density gradient centrifugation. Tumor granules are more heterogeneous and less dense than adrenal granules. Both granule preparations can take up catecholamines and nucleotides by a process driven by an electrochemical proton gradient. Dopamine .beta.-hydroxylase and glycoprotein III were analyzed by immunological techniques. Glycoprotein III was a specific component of chromaffin granules. Tumor tissue (average wt 700 mg) contains amounts of these antigens comparable to those in 210 adrenals. The biosynthesis of granules in the tumor apparently occurs at a low rate, making turnover studies difficult. The transplantable rat pheochromocytoma is very useful for studies on the uptake properties and the immunological characteristics of rat catecholamine storage granules becasue 1 tumor provides an amount of material that could otherwise be obtained only from a large number of adrenal glands.