By means of the indirect immunofluorescent technique with anti-a-fetoprotein antiserum, a-fetoprotein (APP) was detected in the tumor cells from 9 of 10 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Even the patient with such a slight amount of serum APP that it was undetectable by single radial immunodiffusion and Ouchterlony technique had APP in the tumor cells. AFP of tumor cells was localized in the following three areas: (a) cytoplasm, (b) cytoplasmic membrane, and (c) perinuclear zone.

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... he distribution of the tumor cells containing AFP varied with the case and the specimen, and the number of these staining cells was one-fifth or less of the total. AFP was sometimes found in the cytoplasm of Kupffer cells but was absent in connective tissues, bile ducts, and normal hepatic cells. of Medicine, unpublished data. A single peak appeared in the a, -globulin region when the purified AFP was separated by polyacryl amide gel electrophoresis.