Binding and internalization of 125I-LDL in normal and mutant human fibroblasts. A quantitative autoradiographic study.

Using a quantitative EM autoradiographic technique, we have visualized the membrane binding and receptor-mediated uptake of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in human fibroblasts. The initial binding was restricted to the plasma membrane (2 h of incubation at 4 °C) and approx. 62% of the grains could be localized to coated pits in the plasma membrane. When the incubations were carried out at 37 °C, ¹²⁵I radioactivity was found both on the membrane and within the cell and predominantly localized on or within lysosomes. In cells from the patient J. D., a familial hypercholesterolemic homozygote with an internalization defect, initial binding of ¹²⁵I-LDL was restricted to the plasma membrane but not preferentially localized to coated segments of the plasma membrane. After incubation for 30 min at 37 °C, the membrane bound ¹²⁵I-LDL in J. D. cells was not internalized. These data confirm results obtained with ferritin-labeled LDL and illustrate the complementary application of two different morphologic probes, each of which offers special advantages for special problems.