LIPASE 79 



gestion, polyuria and other conditions. Lorenzini,-'''^ however, re- 

 ports that in albuniinnria tlie lipase content of the urine is reduced, 

 in common with other enzj-mes, there being a simultaneous accumula- 

 tion of enzymes in the blood. 



Fiessinger and ]\Iarie -* contend that the lymphocytes of exudates 

 are the chief source of lipase, and sug:gest that this may be of effect 

 in defense against the fatty tubercle bacilli. Toxines were found by 

 Pesci -^ to increase the butyrase but not the other lipases of liver 

 tissue. In syphilis the lipolytic activity of the serum is increased,^" 

 which may be related to Bergell's^^ observation on the origin of 

 lipase in lymphocytes (corroborating Fiessinger and ^Marie). Jobling 

 and Bull ^- state that a specific serum lipase increase occurs in animals 

 immunized to red corpuscles, and that this lipase has to do with 

 hemolysis ; but ^Mendel ^^ found no evidence that hemoh^sis by ricin is 

 related to lipase. Abderhalden and Rona ^* found that excess feeding 

 of fats leads to an increase in the lipase of the blood. 



The part played by lipase in fatty degeneration must be of great 

 importance, but as yet it has been little considered, except that Loeven- 

 hart. and Duccheschi and Almagia '"' found no appreciable difference 

 in the lipase content of nonnal and phosphorus-poisoned livers, but 

 in chloroform poisoning Quinan ^^'^ found a decrease in the butyrase 

 of the liver, although it was increased in the kidneys and muscles. 

 This question will be considered more fully in discussing fatty meta- 

 morphosis. 



An improved method of testing for lipase action has been devised 

 by Rona and Michaelis,^® by measuring the change in surface tension 

 caused by hydrolysis of a soluble ester, usually tributyrin. Using this, 

 Bauer found that every human serum contains fat-splitting enzymes, 

 which are greatly decreased in carcinoma and advanced phthisis, some- 

 what decreased in syphilis and exophthalmic goitre, and increased in 

 early pulmonary tuberculosis. Caro ^'^^ found a decrease in all cases 

 of cachexia, but there was no relation between the lipolytic enzyme 

 and the blood picture. The blood contains no thermostable antilipase 

 analogous to the antitrypsin. Red corpuscles are said to contain an 

 enz\'me splitting cholesterol esters, " cholesterase." ^'^ 



27a Policlinico, 1015 (22), 35S. 



2sCompt. Rend. Soc. Biol., 1909 (67), 177. See also Eesch. Dent. Arch. klin. 

 Med., 1915 (118), 179. 



29 Pathologrica. 1912 (.3), 207. 



30 Citron and Reieher, Berl. klin. Woch., 1908 (45), 1.39S. 



31 Miinch. med. Woch., 1909 (56), 64. 



32 .Jour. Exp. Med.. 1912 (16), 48.3. 



33 Arch. Fisiol., 1909 (7). 168. 

 34Zeit. phvsiol. Chem.. 1911 (75). 30. 



35 Arch. Ital. Biol., 1903 (39). 29. 

 35a .Jour. :\Ied. Res., 1915 (32), 73. 



36 See Bauer, Wien. klin. Woch.. 1912 (25), 1376 (bibliography). 

 3Ga Zeit. klin. Med., 1913 (781,286. 



37 See Cytronberg, Biochem. Zeit., 1912 (45), 281. 



