Variations in the Serum Esterases of Humans, Apes and Monkeys

Abstract

Variations in serum esterases have been studied in 90 monozygotlc twin pairs, humans with bisalbuminemia and in apes and monkeys. No strict polymorphism was found although there are indications that the variations in strength of some enzyme components are under genetic control. There are qualitative differences between the sera of different primates. Individuals with bisalbuminemia show a doubling of the albumin-associated serum esterase. The possible occurrence of isoenzyme artefacts due to the binding of enzymes to polymorphic serum proteins is discussed.