Tetrazolium Salts a New Tool in General and Experimental Pathology

Abstract

Tetrazolium salts in their oxidized state are water-soluble and colorless, and upon interaction with viable tissue slices are reduced to water-insoluble, pigmented formazans which are deposited within the cell cytoplasm. The reduction is enzymatic and involves participation of dehydrogenase activity. Such dehydrogenase activity may be measured quantitatively and visualized histo-chemically. In addition, the effects of selected substrates and enzyme inhibitors may be evaluated. The usage of tetrazolium salts in the study of the in vitro metabolism of homogenates and tissue slices as well as in vivo tissue metabolism is descr. These methods were shown to be of unique value in cancer research, hypertension and functional changes in tissues such as the adrenal glands.