Minoru Asano

Multiplicity of monoamine oxidase in chick brain.

The substrate- and inhibitor-related characteristics of monoamine oxidase (MAO) were studied on chick brain mitochondria. It was found that neither 5-hydroxytryptamine nor β-phenylethylamine is the specific substrate for type A and type B MAO in chick brain.

Multiple Forms of Monoamine Oxidase in Developing Chick Brain

The developmental change in the multiplicity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) forms of chick brain was studied with regard to substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity. The developmental pattern of MAO activity towards beta-phenylethylamine was generally similar to that of MAO activity towards 5-hydroxytryptamine. The inhibition study showed that the ratio of type A MAO to type B MAO in chick brain increased during development. This is quite different from results obtained in mice, rats, guinea pigs, and humans, and is not consistent with the idea that in immature brain type A MAO predominates.

Quantitative estimation of heat-stable alkaline phosphatase activity in dried blood stains and its application to the forensic diagnosis of pregnancy

SummaryThe placental isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase is characterized by heat stability (56° C for 30 min). This paper describes a new technique for the forensic diagnosis of pregnancy from blood stains, based on the fact that in serum of pregnant women in the latter half of pregnancy the heat-stable alkaline phosphatase activity rises markedly. In this study the total and heat-stable alkaline phosphatase activities were quantitatively assayed in blood stains of various origins by the method of Bessey-Lowry-Brock with the use of disodium p-nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate. Our results indicate that the principle herein reported may be helpful in the diagnosis of pregnancy from blood stains.ZusammenfassungDas placentare Isoenzym der alkalischen Phosphatase ist durch Hitzebeständigkeit charakterisiert (56°C für 30 min). Es wird ein neuartiges Verfahren zur foren-sischen Schwangerschaftsbestimmung aus Blutspuren beschrieben, das auf der Tatsache beruht, daß im Serum von Schwangeren in der letzteren Hälfte der Schwangerschaft eine deutliche Erhöhung der Aktivität der hitzebeständigen alkalischen Phosphatase eintritt. In dieser Arbeit wurden die Aktivitäten der gesamten sowie der hitzebeständigen alkalischen Phosphatase in Blutspuren verschiedener Herkunft nach der Methode von Bessey-Lowrey-Brock bei Verwendung von Dinatrium-p-nitrophenylphosphat als Substrat bestimmt. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, daß das hier angegebene Prinzip zur Schwangerschaftsdiagnostik aus Blutspuren verwendbar ist.