Erythrocyte of Barbatia (S) virescens and quartz particle as standard particle for measurement of electrophoretic mobility of marine molluscan cell

On the cell electrophoresis, standard particle is used as a calibration or check particle. However, no standard particle usable in the hyperosmotic and electrophoretic medium for marine molluscan cell is known. So as to elucidate such a standard particle, it was examined whether the erythrocyte of ark shell Barbatia (S) virescens (1-14.2g in weight) collected intertidally and the quartz particle (Zeiss) were suitable as the standard particle or not. The erythrocyte in the hemolymph obtained from the sinus of the adductor muscle of the ark shell possessed a characteristic electrophoretic mobility (EPM) which showed only small scatter. EPM of the erythrocyte was not affected by the difference of body weight, sex or seasons, but always showed constant mean values. Although EPM of the quartz particle showed relatively broad scatter in comparison with that of the erythrocyte, average EPM of the quartz particle showed relatively approximate values at each measurement, too. It was considered that both the erythrocyte and the quartz particle could be used as standard particle. But the erythrocyte was a better standard particle than the quartz particle. Because the EPM of the former showed better reappearance than that of the latter. The electrophoretic medium prepared for marine molluscan cell was a mixture of 5 per cent M/7 sodium barbiturate, 5 per cent M/7 sodium acetate, 5.5 per cent N/10 hydrochloric acid, 5 per cent Cameron's BSS and 79.5 per cent distilled water containing 15.4g dextrose (ionic strength: 0.0547, pH: 7.2). In this medium, the erythrocyte and the quartz particle had the average EPM of -0.874 and -1.545μm/s/V/cm, respectively. When the electrophoretic medium mentioned above is used on the cell electrophoresis of marine molluscan cell, these values can be used as standard values.