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Caesium Chloride in the Preparation of Membrane Fractions from Human Cerebral Tissue

Nature volume 215, pages 168–169 (1967)Cite this article

Abstract

THE standard procedure for the isolation of myelin and other membrane fractions involves differential and density gradient centrifugation in sucrose solutions. Two bands of myelin, light and heavy1 or small and large2, and many bands of microsomes3 have been obtained by these techniques when applied to cerebral tissues, and a similar multiplicity of bands has been noted with the use of ‘Ficol’ gradients4. One explanation may be that the membranes exist as vesicles, which are impermeable to sucrose, and thus are separated by buoyant density rather than matrix density5. The two bands of myelin obtained show an almost identical lipid composition6.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Pathology, Institute of Neurology, The National Hospital, Queen Square, London, W.C.1

    E. J. THOMPSON, H. GOODWIN & J. N. CUMINGS

Authors
  1. E. J. THOMPSON
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  2. H. GOODWIN
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  3. J. N. CUMINGS
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THOMPSON, E., GOODWIN, H. & CUMINGS, J. Caesium Chloride in the Preparation of Membrane Fractions from Human Cerebral Tissue. Nature 215, 168–169 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/215168a0

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