ESTERASES OF TESTIS AND OTHER TISSUES

Abstract

The tissues most effective in the enzymatic hydrolysis of acyl esters of p-nitrophenol by tissue extracts of the rat and dog were the liver, lung, pancreas, renal cortex, and testis; in the dog tracheal and vesical mucosae were also esterase-rich and the lens had appreciable activity. Esterase was at low concentration in the tissues of the rat for 4 and 5 days after birth, but an increase to adult levels soon took place except in the testis where the rise was delayed until puberty. The esterase values of the blood of newborn children were also low.