HISTOCHEMICAL ENZYME TECHNICS 

 APPLIED TO STARCH GEL ELECTROPHORESIS 



P. J. MELNICK and S. H. LAWRENCE 



From the Clinical Laboratory Service and Biochemistry Research Laboratory, 



Vétérans Administration Hospital, San Fernando, Califomia, U.S.A.; 



and the Departments of Pathology and Infections Diseases, University 



of Califomia, Los Angeles, Califomia, U.S.A. 



l. Adaptation of histocheraical technics for use in starch gel electro- 

 phoresis are reported for 11 enzymes: aminopeptidase, beta-glucuronidase, 

 cytochrome oxidase, cholinesterase, esterase, acid and alkaline phospha- 

 tases, and succinic, lactic, beta-hydroxybutyric and glutamic dehydro- 

 genases. 



2. The 11 enzymes were studied in this médium in human sérum, the 

 sérum of 6 other mammalian species (monkey, dog, rabbit, guinea-pig, rat 

 and mouse), 6 normal human tissues (heart, liver, kidney, spleen, adrenal 

 and brain), and several human nialignant tumors (5 cases of carcinoma of 

 the breast, and 1 each of carcinoma of the prostate, parotid mixed tumor, 

 and reticulum cell sarcoma). ■ 



3. Représentative enzyme pattems in the above material are illustrated 

 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). The significance of some of the enzyme pattems is 

 discussed, especially their relation to enzyme inhibitors, and to hormone 

 dependence and metabolic cycles of tumors. 



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