In 1946 Hale (1) described a histochemical method for the detection of acid polysaccharides in animal tissues, based on the ability of these compounds to bind ferric ions, which were subsequently detected as Prussian blue. It has been possible to adapt this histochemical method to the quantitative determination of acid mucopolysaccharides on a macro or micro scale. The major modification of the...

In 1946 Hale (1) described a histochemical method for the detection of acid polysaccharides in animal tissues, based on the ability of these compounds to bind ferric ions, which were subsequently detected as Prussian blue. It has been possible to adapt this histochemical method to the quantitative determination of acid mucopolysaccharides on a macro or micro scale. The major modification of the...

A procedure has been developed for the rapid, quantitative determination of urinary porphobilinogen. Interfering substances are removed by selectively adsorbing the porphobilinogen with an ion-exchange resin using a batch method. After acid elution of the porphobilinogen, Ehrlich’s reagent is added to produce the chromophore, which is then measured spectrophotometrically. Obtaining absorption a...

ECENT YEARS have brought increased appreciation of the importance of the role of fibrinolysis in the regulation of normal hemostasis and in the production of abnormal bleeding. The mechanisms by which active fibrinolysis is induced are far from clear, but it does seem likely that it can be brought about by shock,1 severe emotional stress,2 injection of adrenalin,2 anoxia3 and liberation of acti...

An easy and fast gel diffusion assay for detecting and monitoring lipase activity by quantification of fluorescein is described. By measuring the intensity of fluorescein, it is possible to obtain a calibration curve with a regression coefficient better than by using the radius of fluorescent haloes. Through the quantification of fluorescence intensity of fluorescein released after the hydrolys...

The nuclear run-off transcription assay is currently the most sensitive technique to measure the in situ transcription of specific genes. It provides information on the synthesis of a specific gene that occurs as a function of cell state and is unaffected by potentially confounding posttranscriptional events such as RNA processing, transport, editing, and mRNA degradation (2). Briefly, this ass...

A rapid, continuous, and convenient three-enzyme coupled UV absorption assay was developed to quantitate the glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine transferase activities of hyaluronan synthase from Pasteurella multocida (PmHAS). Activity was measured by coupling the UDP produced from the PmHAS-catalyzed transfer of UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-GlcUA to a hyaluronic acid tetrasaccharide primer with the ...