Inhibition of Trypsin-Like Enzymes on Cells with Rhodamine-Aprotinin

Abstract

Aprotinin, a polypeptide inhibitor of trypsin-like enzymes, has been labelled with rhodamine. Rhodamine-aprotinin inhibits trypsin in free solution in an identical manner to aprotinin. Rhodamine-aprotinin binds to trypsin-like enzymes on cells in formaldehyde fixed wax embedded sections. This technique has been used to locate cells possessing trypsin-like enzymes by means of fluorescent microscopy. In the present study we have used this technique to locate tumour cells.

Key Words: :

• Aprotinin
• trypsin-like enzymes
• cell surfaces
• fluorescent location
• inhibition