The Use of Radioautography in Investigating Protein Synthesis

It is a sign of the times that of the thirty-one participants at the three-day symposium on protein metabolism reported in this volume only two described themselves as biochemists, while the others were cytologists, histologists, or pathologists. The common denominator of the participants was their interest in the tracing of labeled proteins with the help of photographic emulsion, that is, by the technique called radioautography or autoradiography. This technique enables us to locate proteins at the site of their synthesis and also to follow their subsequent migration through the cell, thus providing a novel insight into secretion and other processes. Indeed the continuous synthesis of proteins in all cells throughout the body suggests that protein turnover is a basic feature of life. It is hoped that the reader of these proceedings may share some of the excitement that was felt during the entire symposium.