The isolation of retinal outer segment fragments.

Bovine retinal outer segment fragments were isolated by density gradient centrifugation in a high centrifugal field. Assays of the final preparation for enzymes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain indicated mitochondrial contamination not in excess of 1 per cent. Glucose-6-phosphatase and TPNH-cytochrome c reductase activities, presumably diagnostic for microsomes, were also absent. Electron micrographs did not disclose the presence of significant numbers of particles other than fragments of the outer segment discs. The red fragments were characterized by an ascorbate-oxidizing system and a high lipid content.