Relative Distribution Patterns of Three Brain Enzymes, Carbonic Anhydrase, Choline Esterase and Acetyl Phosphatase

Abstract

The relative distr. of carbonic anhydrase, choline esterase and acetyl phosphatase were studied in the central nervous system of the dog, cat and the rabbit. Patterns of distr., which were well-defined but dissimilar, were found for each enzyme. The patterns assumed the same contours in the 3 spp. Aside from the finding that pure white matter was less active than grey, the distr. of acetyl phosphatase was uniform, which was assumed to be an indication that acetyl phosphatase is involved in the basic metabolism of the central nervous system. Choline esterase and carbonic anhydrase, on the other hand, showed great quantitative variation. It was postulated that these enzymes were involved in functional metabolism. The high content of choline esterase in the caudate nucleus with a low content in the cerebral cortex was contrasted with the high content of carbonic anhydrase in the cerebrum and cerebellum and the significance of these differences in distr. was discussed from a functional standpoint.