Rapid Intracellular Transport of Fucose‐containing Glycoproteins in Retinal Ganglion Cells

Abstract [3H]Fucose was incorporated into glycoproteins in the rabbit retinal ganglion cells and subsequently transported at a rapid rate along the optic pathway to the nerve terminals of the lateral geniculate body and the superior colliculus. Radioautographic results indicated a preferential labelling of the terminal part of the axon. Cell fractionation showed that the major part of the transported fucose‐containing glycoproteins were associated with membranes. Sodium dodecy 1 sulphate electrophoresis of rapidly transported glycoproteins showed that most of the polypeptides had a mol. wt. of more than 40,000.