Estandarización de un método citoquímico con microscopía electrónica para detectar actividad enzimática en células completas

Abstract

Caz+-ATPase activity in human erythrocyte membranes was localized by ultrastructural cytochemistry. Normal and Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes were studied. The method basically consisted of local precipitation of heavy metal ions such as PbZ+and Ce3+ by the phosphate resulting from ATP hydrolysis. Thickfixed samples were incubated in a medium containing the necessary elements for the desired enzyme reaction. Caz+- ATPase and calmodulin inhibitors were used to improve definition of the specificity of the enzyme activity under study.