Abstract
The activity of thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase) in the normal rat intestines (jejumun, ileum and colon) was studied. The TPPase activity was strongly positive in the Golgi complex (lamellated cisternae, vesicles and vacuoles) in both the absorptive cells and the goblet cells. Among colonic goblet cells, the Golgi complex of the young maturing goblet cells revealed higher enzymatic activity than that of the well-matured goblet cells containing numerous mucigen droplets. The probable participaton of TPPase with the mechanism of the cyclic secretion of goblet cells through the Golgi complex was postulated.
The enzymatic activity was also observed in the plasm membranes covering microvilli, interspaces between lateral cell surfaces forming plications, the nuclear envelope, the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and occasionally lysosomes in the absorptive cells. The pinocytotic vesicles seen in the vascular endothelium and the smooth muscle cell and the axon-Schwann interfaces revealed the positive enzymatic activity also.
