Histochemical localization of acid mannose 6-phosphatase activity in the newborn rat hepatocytes.

The localization of acid mannose 6-phosphatase activity in newborn rat hepatocytes was demonstrated at the electron microscopic level by using a histochemical method based on the work of Robinson and Karnovsky. Reaction product was virtually restricted to the lysosomes. Most of them exhibited various grades of reactivity. Some were devoid of activity. Our observations suggested that this histochemical method could be used to differentiate distinct subpopulations of lysosomes on the basis of their acid mannose 6-phosphatase activity.