Study of surface polysaccharides in non-enzymatically isolated cells.

The avoid the effect of enzymes on the cell surface during the isolation procedure, in the present work isolation of cells from solid tissues by means of a chelating agent was attempted. Cell coat of hepatocytes and thymocytes was stained with ruthenium red and examined with the electron microscope. Adequacy of the isolation methods employed for studies of cell surface glycoproteins was tested by treating with trypsin. Reaggregation of isolated hepatocytes was performed too. The above results allow the suggestion that the use of EDTA for isolation of liver cells is suitable for the study of surface material of cells.