IMMUNOGOLD LABELING OF FATTY ACYL CHAINS

For the first time, antibodies against a hydrophobic hapten have been used for immunogold labelling of a lipid antigen (BSA-C18:1 conjugate) coated on polystyrene. The labelling was visualised either directly i n transmission electron microscopy or in light microscopy after silver enhancement. Good recognition of the fatty acyl chain was obtained ev en after treatment of the antigen coat with various cross-linking fixa tives used for electron microscopy, i.e. formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide.