Vol. 45 (2003), N 7, p. 714-721
LOCALIZATION OF ACID ORGANELLES IN FROG SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS

S. A. Krolenko,* S. Ya. Adamyan, T. N. Belyaeva, T. P. Mozhenok

Institute of Cytology RAS, St. Petersburg;
* e-mail: krolenko@mail.cytspb.rssi.ru

By means of fluorescent and phase-contrast microscopy the distribution of acid membrane organelles in normal and vacuolated frog skeletal muscle fibers has been studied. The vacuolation of the T-system was produced by loading and subsequent removal of glycerol (80-110 mM), or it appeared as a result of Zenker's necrosis. Acridine orange (인) was used as a marker for acid intracellular compartments. 인 accumulated in granules localized near the nuclear poles (more seldon around the nucleus) and in the intermyofibrillar spaces. Typically the 인 granules make up short longitudinal chains or regular pairs, where the distances between neighboring granules are short-dated to sarcomere lengths. Almost all granules emit in red, but about one third of them simultaneously emit in green, which is characteristic of 인 monomers. In the vicinity of necrotic boundary or under the influence of brefeldin A, a green component of fluorescence appears in most granules. Treatment with monensin leads to granule disappearance. Vacuoles accompanying the glycerol treatment or developing of necrosis do not accumulate 인 and exert no effect on the localization of 인-granules. The nature of cellular organelles accumulating 인 in skeletal muscle fibers is discussed.

Key words:  skeletal muscle, fluorescent microscopy, acridine orange, vacuoles, T-system, necrosis, acid organelles


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