Distribution of Acid Protease Activity in the Squid Nervous System |
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| Authors: | Paul E Gallant Harish C Pant Harold Gainer |
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| Institution: | Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts;Laboratory of Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland;Laboratory of Preclinical Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, Maryland;Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute of Child Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | Abstract: Acid protease activity was measured in homogenized stellate ganglion, axoplasm extruded from the squid giant axon, homogenized fin nerves, and in lysed synaptosomes prepared from the optic lobe of the squid. At least two different acid protease classes were distinguished on the bases of their inhibitor profiles. Acid protease activity was present in each of the above tissues except extruded axoplasm. This result suggests that the acid protease activity found in our homogenized finnerves might be located not within the axons but rather in glial cells or extracellular tissue. The absence of acid protease activity in extruded axoplasm indicates that acid proteases are unlikely to play a significant role in the catabolism of intracellular proteins along the length of the axon. |
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| Keywords: | Acid protease Cathepsins Axoplasm Squid |
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