Lysosomal Enzymes of Rat Intestinal Mucosa

Six intracellular hydrolases known to be associated with lysosomes in rat liver were found in rat intestinal mucosa. The extent to which they were particulate-bound and the degree of enzyme release when the particulate fractions were suspended in hypotonic media followed the same pattern in both mucosa and liver. The specific activities of the mucosa enzymes were either comparable to or slightly smaller than those of the liver enzymes. These results suggest that the mucosa hydrolases belong to lysosome-like particles. However, differential fractionation of the mucosa indicated that the particles from the mucosa sediment at lower centrifugal forces than do those from the liver and are more heterogeneous in size, bearing a closer resemblance to kidney lysosomes. Possible physiological functions of particulate-bound digestive enzymes in intestinal mucosa are discussed.