The electron microscopy of melanin granules isolated from pigmented mammalian fibres
| Autor: | J. Sikorski, H. J. Woods, G. Laxer, C. S. Whewell |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1954 |
| Předmět: |
Mammals
Melanins chemistry.chemical_classification Microscopy integumentary system Granule (cell biology) Electrons General Medicine Anatomy law.invention Melanin Microscopy Electron Thioglycollic acid Composite structure chemistry law Keratin Biophysics Animals sense organs Melanin granule Electron microscope Electron microscopic |
| Zdroj: | Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 15:174-185 |
| ISSN: | 0006-3002 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/0006-3002(54)90057-8 |
| Popis: | A new method for isolating melanin granules from pigmented keratin fibres, by treatment in a boiling mixture of phenol-hydrate and thioglycollic acid, is described. The size and shape of melanin granules isolated from various types of pigmented fibres were determined by electron microscopy and the large variations in granule size between and within preparations from various fibre types are pointed out. Some correlation was found between average granule size and the chromatic properties of alkaline digests of the isolated melanin and this, together with the results of electron microscopic examination of bleached granules, suggests that the natural melanin granule is a composite structure composed of a colourless matrix and a coloured melanin sheath. The precise disposition of melanin granules in isolated cortical cells of a pigmented wool has been determined by electron microscopy and the morphological relationship between the orientation of the granules and the surrounding fibrillar keratin of the cells is described. From the results of X-ray and electron microscopic examinations it has been concluded that the melanin granules separated from keratin fibres by the technique described above are unaltered with respect to their molecular constitution and morphological character. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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