title: Fluorescence histochemical double staining for the localization of intracellular hydrolases and tubercle bacilli.
abstract: Fluorescence histochemical techniques are described to localize intracellular enzyme and tubercle bacilli in alveolar macrophages obtained from infected guinea pigs. The study demonstrated a double-staining technique using 4-methylumbelliferyl substrates for enzyme localization followed by auramine-O staining for intracellular tubercle bacilli. Upon enzyme substrate reaction, released 4-MU remains retained inside the cell and gives a green fluorescence, whereas tubercle bacilli give a yellow fluorescence of auramine staining. The technique is useful where a correlation of enzyme activity vs a presence of bacilli in vivo is required at the single cell level.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006867:Hydrolases