title: Freeze-fracture cytochemistry of membrane cholesterol in Blastocystis hominis.
abstract: Membrane cholesterol in Blastocystis hominis was detected by freeze-fracture methods using a polyene antibiotic, filipin. Since the intramembrane particles (IMP) were distributed heterogeneously on both plasma and vacuole membranes, many IMP-free areas were observed. Even in filipin-treated cells, filipin-cholesterol complexes were not detected in IMP-free areas on the plasma membrane, whereas on the central vacuole membrane the complexes were mainly observed in IMP-free regions. These results indicate the different organization of the membrane cholesterol between the plasma membrane and central vacuole membrane. Most of the granules in the central vacuole were densely labeled with filipin, indicating the accumulation of cholesterol in the vacuole.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Nara Women's University, Japan. sb56013@cc.nara-wu.ac.jp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D016845:Blastocystis hominis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis*; D005372:Filipin / Q000737:chemistry; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D005372:Filipin; D002784:Cholesterol