Isolation of different types of synaptic membranes from the brain cortex

E. DE ROBERTIS; M ALBERICI; G. RODRÍGUEZ DE LORES ARNAIZ; J. M. AZCURRA

LIFE SCIENCES

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 1965 vol. 5 p. 577 - 582

0024-3205

A technique based in the osmotic shock of the crude mitochondrial fraction of the rat brain cortex, followed by differential and gradient centrifugations permits the isolation of synaptic membranes. These are characterized by electron microscopy, the uptake of C14-d-tubocurarine and the presence of membrane bound enzymes i.e. acetylcholinesterase, Na+K+ activated adenosintriphosphatase, K+ activated p-nitrophenylphosphatase, glutamine synthetase and monoaminoxidase. Two main types of synaptic membranes: one cholinergic and the other non-cholinergic may be differentiated on the bases of their different specific gravity, the C14-d-tubocurarine uptake and the distribution of the various enzymes.