Histochemical demonstration of enzymes in the uropygial gland of the fowl

From the distribution of enzymes, the alveoli of a uropygial gland may be divided into inner and outer zones ; the former being the region near the cavity, and the latter the peripheral region of the gland.

In the inner zone, there appeared strong activities of 17β‐hydroxy‐steroid dehydrogenase (17β‐OH‐SDH), 30α‐OH‐SDH, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G‐6‐PDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), NAD‐dependent malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and acid phosphatase (Acid Pase) weak activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SuDH), NADP‐dependent MDH, monoamine oxidase (MAO) and non‐specific esterase (Etase), but no activity of β‐hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (β‐HbDH).

In the outer zone, there appeared strong activities of LDH and MDH (NAD), moderate activities of 17β‐OH‐SDH, 3α‐OH‐SDH, G‐6‐PDH and β‐HbDH, weak activities of SuDH, MDH (NADP) and MAO, but no activities of Etase and Acid Pase.

The results were negative concerning ?⁵‐3β‐OH‐SDH, glutamate dehydrogenase, a‐glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, phosphorylase and alkaline phosphatase in both zones. From these results, it was concluded that there must be functional differences between the zones, and that only a part of the metabolic pathways of steroids is being performed.