Mucopolysaccharides of Renal Collecting Tubule Cells in Potassium Deficient Rats.

Abstract

Summary The granules which appear in the collecting tubule cells of potassium deficient rats give a positive reaction with both the Hale iron technique and the PAS stain. The capacity for Hale staining is removed after exposure to receptor destroying enzyme or neuraminidase, but not by hyaluronidase, cathepsin, hot chloroform methanol extraction, or exposure to amylases. The Hale staining was intensified after pepsin, trypsin, or chymotrypsin treatment. It is concluded that the granules contain an acid mucopolysaccharide, which probably contains sialic acid side groups, and that the acid mucopolysaccharide may be masked by protein, which can be uncovered by the action of pepsin, trypsin, or chymotrypsin.