ENZYME CONTENT OF HEPATOCELLULAR LYSOSOMES IN THE TUMOR-BEARING RAT

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 60  (5) , 513-517
Abstract
An increase in the number of hepatocellular lysosomes is detectable with the EM in rats bearing a carcinogen-induced sarcoma but not in rats bearing a transplanted Walker tumor. Biochemical studies show an increase in lysosomal enzymes in the liver of both groups of rats but the increase in the rats bearing a carcinogen-induced sarcoma was greater than in rats bearing a Walker tumor. This difference is explained by the fact that only gross increases in lysosomal population are likely to be detected in the small samples examined with the EM, but by biochemical methods whereby many grams of tissue are analyzed, finer changes may be detected. The collective data to date indicate that an increase in hepatocellular lysosomes and/or lysosomal enzymes occurs in rats and man bearing a variety of tumors and to this there is, as yet, no known exception.