Blood esterases

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Abstract
The esterase systems present in the blood corpuscles and sera of horse, man, dog, cat and rabbit were investigated, the activities being detd. manometrically in presence of NaCl and NaHCO3 at 37[degree]. The use of specific inhibitors and of methods of partial destruction showed that the esterases present in different spp. differ greatly in their properties. In normal human serum there is no evidence for the existence of a "serum lipase," the choline esterase being almost entirely responsible for the hydrolysis of methyl butyrate and tri-butyrin. In human red blood corpuscles there are 2 distinct enzymes, a choline esterase specific for choline esters, and an "ali-esterase" which acts on simple aliphatic esters. Quinine inhibits the action of choline esterases on acetyl-choline but accelerates the hydrolysis of methyl butyrate by certain choline esterases. The hydrolysis of acetylcholine by the choline esterases of dog and cat blood corpuscles is accelerated by atoxyl.