Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in Normal Rodent Brain and Experimentally Induced Cerebral Swelling

Abstract

1. The distribution of the alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity in the normal brain of Wistar strain albino rats and the changes of ALPase activity in the experimentally induced cerebral swelling in the cats were studied. The cerebral swelling was obtained by the balloon method, and the GOMORI's calcium-cobalt sulfide method was used for the demonstration of ALPase activity.
2. In the normal brain, ALPase activity was positive in the nerve cells (cell membranes and the canalicular structures of the GOLGI complex), the pia mater, the choroid plexus and whole capillary system at pH 9.5. At pH 9.0, however, only the capillary system, the pia mater and the choroid plexus were positive. In the experimentally induced cerebral swelling the capillary ALPase activity revealed a prominent decrease as judged by the color intensity at pH 9.0. Although the decrease in ALPase activity in the capillary system is thought to have some connection with the increased permeability in the cerebral swelling, the detailed mechanism of its relationship is still obscure.