Enzyme and Nucleic Acid Content of Thrombocytes from Normal and Thrombocytopenic Calves.

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia was induced in calves by feeding of trichloroethylene-extracted soybean oil meal. Thrombocytes from calves thus treated and from normal calves were isolated and analyzed for enzyme activity and nucleic acids. Bovine thrombocyte concentrates from treated and normal animals contained acid phosphatase, beta-D-glucuronidase, arylsulfatase, aliesterase (active with 3 fatty acid esters of carbon chain lengths: C2, C12 and C18) and acetylcholinesterase but no alkaline phosphatase. Benzoyl-choline was not hydrolyzed by thrombocytes. There was no significant quantity of deoxypentosenucleic or pentosenucleic acid in bovine thrombocyte concentrates from either normal or thrombocytopenic calves. Thrombocytes released by hypoplastic bone marrow could not be differentiated from normal thrombocytes by the tests used.