Anti-A agglutinin from Helix pomatia as a marker for L cells

By means of fluorescein-labeled anti-AHP agglutinin isolated from the albumen gland of thesnail Helix pomatia L. L cells were detected in air dried and fixed monolayer preparations, smear preparations or cryostat sections of tumours induced in two different host systems. The tumours consisting of L cells could be clearly distinguished from the surrounding normal host tissues, and also single tumour cells lying separately in the host tissue were identified in the same unequivocal manner. The cells were marked by characteristic granular fluorescence caused by specific agglutinin binding within the cell membrane. With these results the previously expressed thesis that anti-AHP agglutinin might be used as a marker for L cells is confirmed for L cells grown in suitable host systems, too.