Asialoprotein uptake by liver cells: immunofluorescence microscopy

Uptake of asialoproteins by hepatocytes causes a change in the intracellular pattern of immunofluorescence. Control cells display a peripheral fluorescence which probably represents nascent proteins. Dark nonfluorescent areas, that presumably contain glycogen, are located around the nucleus. In contrast, liver cells from rats injected with asialoproteins display a pancytoplasmic fluorescence due to an influx of endocytotic vesicles.