Enzyme activities in human liver biopsies: assay methods and activities of some lysosomal and membrane-bound enzymes in control tissue and serum.

1. Highly sensitive technique are described for the assay of plasma membrane (5'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphatase), microsomal (neutral alpha-glucosidase, leucyl-2-naphthylamidase) and biliary canalicular (gamma-glutamyltransferase) enzymes and for nine acid hydrolases (acid phosphatase, phosphodiesterase, beta-glucosidase, alpha-glucosidase, alpha-galactosidase, beta-galactosidase, alpha-mannosidase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase) in human liver. 2. Optimum and specific assay systems have been developed which give linear kinetics for all enzymes. 3. The range of enzyme activities in samples of human liver, obtained by closed needle biopsy, and sera have been determined.