Pyridine as an unmasking reagent for lipoprotein complexes in the nervous system of protein deficient squirrel monkeys.

Acid hematin test with pyridine and Sudan black B controls was employed on selected areas of the brains of 115, 140 days fetuses, neonates and adult squirrel monkeys maintained on low and high protein diet. Our histochemical findings indicate that the reduction of phospholipids in the low protein fetuses and neonates is related to myelination, wereas in the adults, most of the lipids are bound to proteins and/or cerebrosides to form complexes, as revealed by the unmasking action of pyridine.