DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN CYTOPHOTOMETRIC FEULGEN VALUES AND DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID CONTENT

Abstract

Diploid nuclei of different cell types of the granulocytopoietic and erythropoietic series showed different Feulgen values. The highest values were found in the most immature nuclei, and the lowest values in the most mature cells. Extraction of acid-soluble nuclear proteins brought the different values to the same level. Examples of similar findings in other cell types, as described in the literature, are discussed. The Feulgen reaction and its colored product depend on the functional state of the chromatin in such a way that nuclei with high template activity of deoxyribonucleic acid show high Feulgen values whereas mature, dense nuclei with low template activity have lower Feulgen values, although both kinds of nuclei contain identical amounts of deoxyribonucleic acid.