[Tetrazolium methods for the histochemical investigation of hydrolases (author's transl)]

Using freeze-dried or sections from fresh-frozen or aldehyde-fixed material nitro BT (NBT), tetranito BT (TNBT), distyryl nitro BT (DS-NBT), thiocarbamyl nitro BT (TC-NBT) or benzothiazolylstyrylphthalhydrazidyl tetrazolium chloride (BSPT) were tested as auxiliary reagents for the localization of glycosidases, phosphatases and non-specific esterases with indoxyl substrates in rat tissues. By means of NBT or TNBT as a tetrazolium salt acid beta-D-galactosidase, beta-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase, acid phosphatase, neuraminidase and non-specific esterase can only be localized at the cellular level; a more precise localization is possible for lactase-beta-D-glucosidase in the intestinal brush border, and the best results are obtained in the demonstration of alkaline phosphatase; among all methods described previously the tetrazolium procedure with TNBT is the method of choice for the light microscopic localization of this enzyme. Reverse data are observed with BSPT as a tetrazolium salt; then, all acid and neutral hydrolases can be exactly localized in lysosomes, secretion granules, cytoplasm and/or microvilli of many cells and tissues provided BSPT-formazan is stabilized by osmification. Furthermore, this procedure enables the reliable ultracytochemical demonstration of these enzymes. However, in the case of alkaline phosphatase only sites with high enzyme activity reveal a positive reaction. -DS- and TC-NBT are inferior to NBT, TNBT or BSPT.