DISTRIBUTION OF CHOLINESTERASES IN THE MAMMALIAN PANCREAS

1. Histochemical examination of the pancreas of the dog, sheep, goat, horse, rabbit and cat revealed that only in the dog did the gland cells contain pseudo-cholinesterase. In this species the cytoplasm of both acinar and Islet cells contained the enzyme. 2. True cholinesterase was present in the nervous tissue of the glands of all species examined, as well as in some unidentified cells of the glands of the horse, goat and sheep. 3. The Pacinian corpuscles in the cat pancreas contained pseudo-cholinesterase. 4. The cholinesterase in the pancreatic juice of the dog was identified as pseudo-cholinesterase. 5. Sheep pancreatic juice differed from dog pancreatic juice in two respects: it contained no cholinesterase, and hydrolyzed olive oil at a much slower rate.