| Abstract: | 1. The biochemical development and histochemical localisation of phosphomonoesterases in the testes of prepuberal chicks have been studied. 2. Maximum acid phosphatase activity was observed at 12 weeks with a decrease in enzyme activity after this age, whereas alkaline phosphatase activity fluctuated with age. 3. Acid phosphatase activity in chicks was similar to that of the cockerel in being tartarate-insensitive. 4. There was a low level of significant correlation between acid phosphatase activity and testes weight. 5. Both alkaline and acid phosphatase activities were observed in the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubules, and acid phosphatase activity also in the various spermatogenic elements. 6. The results suggest that acid phosphatase is more involved in spermatogenesis, and more widely distributed than alkaline phosphatase in testicular tissue during testicular development. |
