A SIMPLE METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF WATER CONTENT AND PROTEIN CONCENTRATION IN SUBCELLULAR ELEMENTS

Abstract

An accurate method for the determination of the average water content of subcellular particles from their suspensions is presented. The particle is freed from water by spinning it from its suspension medium into oil of high density. In the oil it is broken up, and the water is distilled off for its gravimetric determination in an absorption tube. The dry particle remnants are further centrifuged back into a watery medium in which the nitrogen content is determined A. protein content of 26.3% for the average rat liver mitochondrion is found.