THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF THE FEMALE GENITALIA^ 



4. On the absence of certain enzymes from the 

 human chorion^ 



JACOB ROSENBLOOM 

 (Laboratory of Biochemistry, University of Pittshurgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.) 



During pregnancy the chorion frondosum unites with the de- 

 cidua serotina to form the placenta. The enzymes of the placenta^ 

 have often been studied, but I am unable to find any record of a 

 study of the enzymes of a human chorion. Through the kindness 

 of Dr. Robert T. Frank, of New York, the vvriter received a fresh 

 human chorion for such an investigation. 



The available chorion, which weighed 10 grams after it had been 

 washed free from all blood by means of a small amount of water, 

 was finely minced and two portions, 5 grams each, were taken for 

 the preparation of extracts, which were made as follows : ( i ) The 

 material was triturated with sand, 200 c.c. of water added, and 

 the mixture allowed to stand with frequent shakings for 24 hours 

 under toluene. At the end of that time, the extract was filtered 

 through muslin, and the filtrate used in the tests for various en- 

 zymes. (2) A glycerol extract was made in the same way. In 

 testing for enzymes, control portions were always taken, which 

 were boiled before their addition to the Solutions or suspensions of 

 Substrate.'' 



The accompanying table presents the data obtained in this study. 

 The data show that both glycerol and aqueous extracts of a human 



* See the first footnote of the preceding paper in this issue of the Biochem- 

 ICAL Bulletin. 



" The analytic work was done in the Biochemical Laboratory of Columbia 

 University, at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York. 



^ Frank: Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, 1912, xv, p. 561. 



' See the description of methods in the paper preceding this one. 



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