AUTOLYSIS I\ I'ATUOLOaiCAL I'h'OCESSES 95 



toolytic on/ymes of the cells to (Ii<rt'st the coajiulated serum, forming 

 depressions in the surface (" Dellbilduiig"). This proteolytic activ- 

 ity is, of course, heterolysis rather than autolysis. ^lany modifica- 

 tions of this method have been introduced (such a-s using casein- 

 agar), but the i)rincii)le involved is the same, and they are fully ex- 

 plained and discussed in the article by AViens. Normal blood does 

 not contain enough leucocytes to cause observable digestion, but my- 

 elogenous leukemia blood causes distinct digestion while lymphatic 

 leukemia does not, showing that it is the polynuclears and myelocytes 

 that are responsible. Other observations fasten the proteolytic activ- 

 ity upon the neutrophile granules. Leucocytes of normal human 

 blood will, if concentrated enough, cause digestion of serum plates, 

 as also, of course, will pus. The leucocytes of rabbits, guinea pigs, 

 and practically all animals except man, apes and monkeys, are de- 

 void of proteolytic activity demonstrable by the plate method. Nor- 

 mal serum, both homologous and heterologous, exercises a strong in- 

 hibition on this digestion, so that it is necessary to have an excess of 

 leucocytes present to obtain the reaction. The leucocytic enzymes 

 seem to be very resistant against chemicals, especially against formal- 

 dehyde, so that museum specimens of leukemic tissues preserved in 

 formalin for years are still proteolytic. Liver tissue is but slightly 

 proteolytic by this test, spleen more so, and leucocyte-containing flu- 

 ids, such as saliva and colostrum, are quite active. Pancreas tissue 

 has, of course, strong proteolytic action, but it is shown to be distinct 

 from the leucocytic protease by being inhibited by certain sera that 

 do not inhibit the leucocytic protease. In general, tissues do not 

 cause much proteolysis of serum plates unless they are invaded 

 by many leucocytes, which applies also to tumors, including mul- 

 tiple myelomas. Besides proteases, leucocytes contain other en- 

 zj^mes.^® 



To quote the summary by ^Morris and Boggs," "it has been shown 

 that the normal and pathological neutrophile leucocytes and myelo- 

 blasts contain an oxidase and probably a lipase and an amylase; 

 myeloblasts contain an amylase. In lymphoid tissues two proteases 

 and a lipase have been shown to exist. In leukemia leukoprotease has 

 been demonstrated in the myeloid variety of the disease, while it has 

 not been found in chronic lymphoid leukemia. Lipase has been dem- 

 onstrated in two cases of myeloid leukemia, and oxidase in all myeloid 

 cases observed in which the neutrophilic cells were present in excess. ' ' 

 Jobling and Strouse,'^ confirming Opie's observation of two distinct 



"6 Accordino^ to Tschernoruzki (Zeit. physiol. Cliem., 1011 (75). 21(i) amylase, 

 diastase, catalase, peroxidase, and nuclease, but not lipase. T also found uricase 

 absent from dog leucocytes (Jour. Biol. Chem., 1909 (G), 321). Fiessin»er and 

 ]\Iarie (Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol., 1909 (67), 177) state that the lymphocytes 

 contain lipase, although myeloid cells do not. 



77 Arch. Int. Med., 1911* (S), 806. 



7s Jour. Exp. Med., 1912 (16), 269. 



