[Albumin receptors on isolated human hepatocytes. Studies by phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy]

In the present work a minibead method has been employed to study human hepatocyte receptors for albumin-coupled latex particles. The cell-latex reaction was observed in both phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy. It has been demonstrated that human hepatocytes exhibit bindings sites for different forms of glutaraldehyde-treated albumin, and the ligand has proved to be species-nonspecific. The albumin binding activity is temperature-dependent and can be only partially blocked by preincubation with free, glutaraldehyde-treated protein, unless hepatocytes are pretreated with vinblastine sulfate. The possible biological role of these receptors as regards the infection due to the hepatitis B virus (that shares common, but not identical binding sites) is also discussed.