title: Fluorescence demonstration of cathepsin B activity in fractionated alveolar macrophages.
abstract: Histochemical localization of cathepsin B in alveolar macrophages (AM) that separated into four different density fractions (I, II, III and IV) by discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation was demonstrated in fluorescence microscope using CBZ-Arg-Arg-4-methoxy-2- naphthylamide as a substrate and 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde as a coupling reagent. The least dense AM (fraction I) was found numerous bright yellow fluorescing particles with high intensity in small granules distributed throughout the cytoplasm when compared to the most dense cells (fraction IV). The different localization of cathepsin B activity in the fractionated cells suggested differentiation of lysosomal system and existence of maturational (or aging) sequence in rat AM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nii
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kishino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000032:analysis*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D002401:Cathepsin B