PROPERTIES AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SOLUBLE ESTERASES OF HUMAN BRAIN

Abstract

Water-soluble proteins and enzymes of human brain were separated by vertical zone electrophoresis in starch gel. Fifteen bands of esterase activity were detected in brain. Various substrates and inhibitors were used in efforts to identify enzymes in addition to a comparison of the esterase pattern with patterns obtained from other human tissues. One zone, composed of four bands of acetylesterase activity, was found to be common to all the tissues investigated with the exception of serum. Two bands of cholinesterase and two bands of A-esterase activity were identified. The remaining bands, which were aliesterases possessing broad overlapping substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity, were electrophoretically different from those of other tissues. Observations on alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase were recorded for comparison with the data on esterases.