Specific inactivation of lysosomal glycosidases in living fibroblasts by the corresponding glycosylmethyl-p-nitrophenyltriazenes.

1. beta-D-Galactopyranosylmethyl-p-nitrophenyltriazene can specificag detectable changes in cell viability or the activities of other hydrolases. 2. beta-D-Glucopyranosylmethyl-p-nitrophenyltriazene behaves similarly towards lysosomal beta-glucosidase, but also inactivates some alpha-glucosidase. 3. Both beta-galactosidase and beta-glucosidase activities in triazene-treated confluent fibroblast cultures recover exponentially; if zero-order enzyme production is assumed, turnover times of 10 and 5 days respectively can be estimated.