Antibody to Myosin: The Specific Visualization of Myosin-Containing Filaments in Nonmuscle Cells

Abstract

Myosin in human, rat, mouse, and chicken fibroblasts was localized by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using antibodies prepared in rabbits against highly purified chicken gizzard myosin. Filaments containing myosin span the interior of the cells and are often parallel to each other. The majority of the fibers are concentrated toward the adhesive side of the cell. Most of the myosin-containing filaments show “interruptions” or “striations.” From a comparison of these fibers in fluorescence and phase microscopy and from previous results on actin-containing fibers, we conclude that at least some of the cytoplasmic myosin can be found in the actin-containing fibers, which themselves have been shown to be very similar or identical to the microfilament bundles. The occurrence of both myosin and actin in the microfilament bundles provides a basis for the motility and contractility of the cell.