title: Rapid method for identification of macrophages in suspension by acid alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase activity.
abstract: A supravital staining procedure for the identification of macrophages in cell suspension using a modification of a standard cytochemical assay for alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity is described. Macrophages are stained an intense red-brown after 5 min incubation in a buffer using ANAE as the substrate and hexazonium pararosaniline as the coupler for the azo dye. There is close agreement in the number of ANAE-positive cells found and the number of macrophages identified in smears by morphological criteria, by phagocytosis, and by the presence of Fc receptors. Therefore, this stain provides a quick, inexpensive method to estimate the number of macrophages present in suspensions of lymphocytic tissues from rats and mice.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008264:Macrophages / Q000201:enzymology*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009283:Naphthol AS D Esterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D009283:Naphthol AS D Esterase; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases