Intestinal Disaccharidase and Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in the Dog.

Abstract

Summary 1. Lactase and alkaline phosphatase activity in the small intestine of the dog sacrificed soon after birth was higher than that in adult animals. The activity of these 2 enzymes during the first few weeks after birth decreased and reached their lowest levels in the adult animals. Sucrase and maltase activity, on the other hand, were low in the young dogs and highest in the adult dogs. 2. The activity of all the enzymes measured, lactase, sucrase, maltase and alkaline phosphatase was highest in the proximal and middle sections of the adult dog small intestine and decreased strikingly toward the distal portions.