title: Ultracytochemistry of the surface coat/pellicle complex in Trypanosoma brucei.
abstract: Ultracytochemistry of polysaccharides and specific sugar residues reveals differences in the surface staining pattern between developmental forms of Trypanosoma brucei. The techniques used were the PA (periodic acid)-TCH (thiocarbohydrazide)-silver albumose reaction for the polysaccharides, and the Concanavalin A (Con A)-perioxdase-DAB coupling method for specific sugar residues. Blood and metacyclic forms, both possessing a surface coat, stain distinctly for carbohydrates at the level of the pellicular membrane. The external portion of the bloodform coat lacks any positive staining. Pellicles of non-coated culture and vector forms react only faintly for polysaccharides, whereas heavy staining of oxidized peroxidase/DAB reaction product, indicative of sugar bound Con A, occurs. It is suggested that the sugar moieties of the coat glycoproteins are located close to the membrane-coat junction.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood / Q000469:parasitology; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003470:Culture Media; D004199:Disease Vectors / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008566:Membranes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014350:Trypanosoma lewisi / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D003470:Culture Media; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011134:Polysaccharides