Alkaline and Acid Phosphatase Activity of the Embryonic Chick Retina

Abstract

The study was designed to determine whether any relationship exists between the stages of differentiation and the phosphatase activity of the embryonic chick retina. The alkaline phosphatase activity increases slowly from the 12th to the 16th day of incubation and then more rapidly up to 19 days when it reaches a maximum. After the 20th day it decreases and establishes a constant level about 3 days after hatching. The acid phosphatase also increases over this period but to a far lesser extent and reaches a constant level at the same stage of development. Since the rise in both the alkaline and acid phosphatase corresponds closely to the period of cellular maturation of the chick retina this study seems to give additional support to the concept that these enzymes may be associated with the histo-chemistry of differentiation.