THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNIQUE AND HORMONES ON HISTOCHEMICAL DEMONSTRATION OF ENZYMES IN INTESTINAL EPITHELIUM

The influence of technical variations and of hypophysectomy and adrenalectomy on the demonstration of enzymes in the jejunal epithelium was studied. The application to fresh frozen sections of procedures for cytochrome c oxidase, succinic dehydrogenase, diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase and lactic dehydrogenase failed to reveal a precise mitochondrial localization, basing the conclusion on comparison with mitochondria as demonstrated by staining of Regaud-fixed mucosa with the Altmann-Masson procedure. Fixation in cold formalin prior to freezing and sectioning permitted a more satisfactory localization of succinic dehydrogenase in mitochondria. Hypophysectomy or adrenalectomy resulted in a reduction in number, size, staining and orderly arrangement of mitochondria in the villous epithelium as revealed in cytological preparations and those fixed and stained for succinic dehydrogenase. Alkaline phosphatase activity was also depressed. The intensification of cytoplasmic staining for lactic dehydrogenase, diphosphopyridine nucleotide diaphorase and succinic dehydrogenase in fresh frozen tissue probably represents concentration of formazan by reduction in cell volume and not increased enzyme activities.