The effect of dimethylsulphoxide on the permeability of the lysosomal membrane

Abstract

The latency of acid phosphatase in sucrose homogenates of rat liver and Tetrahymena pyriformis was found to decrease progressively on exposure to concentrations of dimethylsulphoxide between 5 and 25% (v/v). A progressive decrease in latency was also found in homogenates of rat liver prepared with potassium gluconate although, in this instance, the extent of the decrease was much less than with homogenates prepared in sucrose. With homogenates of rat liver prepared in ß-glycerophosphate, dimethylsulphoxide in concentrations up to 10% had little effect on the latency of acid phosphatase, although it decreased on exposure to higher concentrations.