Reliability and specificity of membrane adenosine triphosphatase localizations.

The main development in ATPase cytochemistry in recent years is the development of three methodologically independent approaches to the localization of Na+, K+-ATPase. These methods in general support one another well and have led to significant insights into the mechanisms of bulk cation transport at several important sites. The area most in need of development is now the problem of specific localization of divalent ion-dependent ATPases at the plasma membrane. The value of the traditional Wachstein-Meisel methods appears to be very limited, and progress will depend on the introduction of more specific techniques.