Cellulose in algal cell wall: an "in situ" localization

In order to ascertain the presence and the in muro localization of cellulose, the enzyme-gold affinity test was applied to algal cell walls. The high specificity of affinity cytochemistry allowed us, by using the enzyme cellulase, to confirm the available biochemical data and to give a map of the cellulose localization in different algal groups. Taking into account the complex skeletal polysaccharide structure and composition of the algal cell walls, this method proved to be a reliable tool in this field.