[Fluorescence microscopy demonstration of mitochondria in tissue culture cells using berberine]

The possibility of fluorescence microscopical examination of mitochondria in living animal cells using fluorochrome berberine sulphate is shown. At concentrations of 30--50 g per ml the chemical is accumulated selectively in mitochondria of living cells. The specificity of berberine sulphate accumulation in mitochondria was shown by comparative phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy. The advantages of the method is its high sensitivity and simplicity, especially when mitochondria can not be examined by the phase contrast microscopy.