Ultrastructural localization of WGA, RCA I, LFA and SBA binding sites in the seven-day-old mouse embryo.

In the present investigation we localized binding sites for the lectins WGA (wheat germ agglutinin), RCA I (Ricinus communis agglutinin), LFA (Limax flavus agglutinin) and SBA (soya bean agglutinin) in the 7-day-old mouse embryo at the ultrastructural level. Lectin binding sites were localized on formaldehyde fixed embryos, embedded in LR-Gold, using gold-labelled lectins. Binding sites for WGA and RCA I were observed at the surface of the embryonic ectoderm oriented towards the proamnion cavity and the outer surface of the extraembryonic and the embryonic endoderm. Staining for SBA and LFA binding sites was seen in the basement membrane of the ectoderm. Moreover, binding sites for LFA were observed in the nucleoli of cells of the ectodermal, the mesodermal and the endodermal layer and in free ribosomes located in the cytoplasm of these cells.