Ultrastructural localization in the mouse lung of venom from the western diamondback (Crotalus atrox) rattlesnake

Procedures which make immune complexes between venom antigens and their complementary antibodies visible have been applied to detect the site of deposition of rattlesnake venom in the lung tissue of mice after in vivo envenomation. Lung tissue, from mice envenomated with reconstituted but otherwise unmodified Crotalus atrox venom, was incubated in commercially available polyvalent antiserum (against North American crotalid snakes) which had been conjugated to the enzyme horseradish peroxidase. The enzyme reaction was developed for visualization by transmission electron microscopy. The enzyme reaction products were located along alveolar surfaces and were associated with multilamellar bodies in cytosomes of type II pulmonary epithelial cells. It was concluded that the venom has a specific affinity towards the extracellular surfactant in the lung and towards intracellular sites of surfactant synthesis.