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ENZYMES. 43
have been called catalases. Also reduction processes will be mentioned
which seem to be brought about by enzymes.
Besides these processes just mentioned the following processes,
namely, autolysis and putrefaction, are to be considered as due to enzyme
action entirely or in part.
If an animal organ is kept in water at 37° C. under conditions so
that no micro-organisms are active then the organ gradually dissolves
in great part under the influence of the contained enzymes. This
process is called autodigestion or aidohjsis. The action of micro-
organisms can be prevented either by removing the organ under strictly
aseptic conditions or by allowing the digestion to take place in the
presence of antiseptic substances (toluene, chloroform, etc.). As the
animal organs consist chiefly of protein substances the autolysis con-
sists chiefly in the action of enzymes which dissolve proteins. Autol-
ysis was first observed and studied by Salkowski and his pupils
with liver, muscle and supra-renal capsule.1
Jacoby then showed
that the enzymes active in autolysis do not orginate in the digest-
ive tract and are not identical with trypsin or pepsin.2
Biondi found
that hydrochloric acid had a favorable influence upon the autolysis
of the liver while Hedin and Rowland 3
observed that the organic
acids accelerate the autolysis of nearly all organs. This has been sub-
stantiated by several authors (Wiener, Arinkin4
). The findings of
Lane-Claypton and Schryver 5
that the autolysis of the liver and
kidneys begins only after a latent period of from two to four hours
when the post mortem formation of acid is at its height, substantiates
the influence of the acid reaction.
The autolysis is retarded to a great extent by an alkaline reaction.
This is shown by the experiments of Schwienig with the liver as well
as those of Hedin and Rowland with several other organs. Hedin
has also shown by experiments with various organs that a preliminary
treatment with acetic acid markedly helps the autolysis in alkaline reac-
tion, which for the spleen at least is explained by a destruction through
the treatment of acetic acid of a substance which has an inhibiting action
in. alkaline solution. Such an inhibiting substance destroved by acetic
^eitschr. f. klin. Med., 1890, Suppl., Schwiening, Yirchow’s Arch., 136, 444 (1894),
Biondi, ibid, 144, 373 (1896).
2
A complete summary of the literature of intracellular enzymes and autolysis may
be found in Jacoby, Ueber die Bedeutung der intrazellularen Fermente, etc., Ergeb-
nisse der Physiologie, Jahrg. 1, Abt. 1, 1902.
3
Zeitschr. f. physiol. chem., 32, 341, 531 (1901).
4
Wiener, Centralbl. f. Physiol., 19, 349 (1905); Arinkin, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem.,
53, 192 (1907).
6
Journ. of Physiol., 31, 169 (1904).
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