A rapid method for preparation of sarcolemma from frog skeletal muscle

Abstract

A rapid method for the preparation of sarcolema from frog skeletal muscle has been described. The purified cell segments were transparent and devoid of contractile material. The Na⁺, K⁺ -ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase activities in sarcolemma purified by this method were comparable to those reported for sarcolemmal preparations purified by density gradient centrifugation. The preparation also possessed acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase and K⁺ -activated, ouabain-sensitive p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activities. The cholesterol to phospholipid ratio of the sarcolemma was 0.33, indicating its high purity; further, the preparation was free from mitochondria and contractile proteins.