The use of collagen polypeptides in the histochemical demonstration of creatine kinase

A new mechanism of serum creatine phosphokinase elevation in strangulated small bowel obstruction: an experimental rat model

An experimental rat model was used to investigate the mechanisms of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) elevation in strangulated small bowel obstruction. Two models were used: a strangulated ileus model with the bowel lumen and blood flow obstructed simultaneously, and a control ileus model with only the bowel lumen occluded. The experiments demonstrated that CPK was released into the blood when the mesenteric blood flow was restored, and that CPK was released into the intestinal lumen in the strangulated ileus model but not the control ileus model. CPK activity in the mucosal layer of the strangulated ileus model was significantly decreased compared with that in the control ileus model. Purified CPK injected into the intestinal lumen was absorbed by the healthy intestine. These results suggest a new mechanism of serum CPK elevation in strangulated small bowel obstruction in which serum CPK is elevated with a significant decrease in mucosal CPK. Strangulated bowel content including mucosal CPK may be reabsorbed by the healthy distal intestine when bowel obstruction is incomplete.

Polyacrylamide gel technique for the histochemical demonstration of soluble enzymes

Soluble enzymes were immobilized and visualized by polyacrylamide gel slabs, impregnated with the incubation medium including auxiliary enzymes. The method has several advantages over existing techniques which make use of gel films or a semipermeable membrane. The diffusion of tissue compounds is effectively limited, while auxiliary enzymes may be operative. Moreover the viscosity of the medium is temperature-independent so that the incubation temperature can be varied. To demonstrate the suitability of the method glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, phosphoglucomutase and aldolase were visulaized in human or rat skeletal muscle. Cytosolic and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were both visualized in the absence of added NAD+ and menadione. For the visualization of ATP producint enzymes, like creatine kinase and pyruvate kinase, the method is not suitable.