An immunological characterization of five common antigens of chromaffin granules and of large dense-cored vesicles of sympathetic nerve.

Bovine chromaffin granules and large dense-cored vesicles of bovine splenic nerve were compared by one- and two-dimensional immunoblotting. Both types of vesicles contain chromogranin A, B and C. However, the proteolytic processing of these chromogranins within these vesicles is apparently different. Chromogranin B in chromaffin granules is processed by more than 80% whereas in nerve vesicles only 15% has been broken down to smaller proteins. In addition both types of vesicles contain dopamine beta-hydroxylase and cytochrome b-561.