title: Immunolabelling of prolactin at ultrastructural level using the protein A-gold technique on Epon-embedded tissue.
abstract: The use of the colloidal-gold technique in electron microscopy immunocytochemistry has provided important information on the in situ localisation of intracellular antigens. We have developed a post-embedding technique for prolactin localisation on resin-embedded human pituitary tissue sections by the use of the protein-A gold conjugate. Human pituitary tissue obtained at autopsy was processed for electron microscopical study without post-osmication and then embedded in Epon. The indirect immunoperoxidase method was used for light microscopical targetting of lactotroph cells for subsequent electron microscopical antigen localisation. Ultra-thin sections were labelled with human anti-human prolactin followed by protein-A gold conjugate. Specific labelling was observed over secretory granules with a density of 15-30 particles per granule, as determined by the Quantimet 570 image analysis system. This technique provides a means of studying the pathophysiology of hormonal secretion at ultrastructural level and can be a useful tool in diagnostic and research investigations.
authors: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: K H
authors: KH
authors: Ng
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Tan
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Gan
authors: L M
authors: LM
authors: Looi
mesh_terms: D004853:Epoxy Resins; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011388:Prolactin / Q000032:analysis*; D016610:Tissue Embedding / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004853:Epoxy Resins; C004875:EPON; D011388:Prolactin