Variation in microsomal subfractions obtained from normal animal tissues and transformed cells following cell disruption by nitrogen cavitation.

Microsomal membranes were obtained from MPC-11 cells, L-cells, Krebs II ascites cells and various normal animal tissues following cell disruption by nitrogen cavitation. Membrane preparations were applied to discontinuous sucrose gradients designed to separate three fractions--heavy rough (HR), light rough (LR) and smooth (S) microsomes. In each of the transformed cell lines all three fractions were found whilst in the normal tissues tested the HR fraction was absent. Of the normal tissues liver and pancreas were rich in both LR and S microsomes, the presence of large amounts of LR indicating a rich protein synthesizing activity on membrane-bound polysomes. Kidney also contained appreciable LR but much less than both liver and pancreas. Both heart and lung contained virtually only S microsomal material--a reflection of low protein synthetic activity on membrane-bound polysomes. Attempts to promote the appearance of the HR fraction in liver, kidney and pancreas by incubation in tissue culture medium, or, in the case of pancreas, by cholecystokinin/pancreozymin/secretin stimulation both in vivo and in vitro were unsuccessful.