Binding of glycosomes to endoplasmic reticulum and to intermediate filaments in cardiac conduction fibers.

Canine cardiac conduction fibers were fixed with glutaraldehyde, postfixed with OsO4 and treated en bloc with uranyl acetate. Ultrathin sections were stained sequentially by periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate, for glycogen, and by uranyl acetate and lead citrate, for protein. Glycosomes (organelles composed of cardiac conduction fibers were fixed with glutaraldehyde, postfixed with OsO4 and treated en bloc with uranyl acetate. Ultrathin sections were stained sequentially by periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate, for glycogen, and by uranyl acetate and lead citrate, for protein. Glycosomes (organelles composed of cardiac conduction fibers were fixed with glutaraldehyde, postfixed with OsO4 and treated en bloc with uranyl acetate. Ultrathin sections were stained sequentially by periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate, for glycogen, and by uranyl acetate and lead citrate, for protein. Glycosomes (organelles composed of glycogen and protein) were found attached to membranes of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and to intermediate filaments (IF). The bound glycosomes retained their integrity after treatment of tissue en block with uranyl acetate, a procedure that destroyed free glycosomes in the same cell. the coincident distributions of ER and IF and their association with glycosomes suggests a functional relation between there three components.