Enzyme Histochemical Studies on the Conducting System of the Human Heart

Overview

Journal Histochem J

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 1980 Sep 1

PMID 7440254

Citations 6

Authors

E A Elias

G P De Vries

R A ELIAS

A J Tigges

A E Meijer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In this communication, the results of applying various histochemical techniques for the localization of oxidoreductases, transferases, hydrolases and isomerases in the human heart are presented. The Purkinje fibres of the atrioventricular conducting system of the human heart differ from the myocardium proper in containing a slightly higher activity of most of the glycolytic and gluconeogenetic enzymes investigated. The relatively higher activity of 6-phosphofructokinase, the key enzyme in anaerobic carbohydrate metabolism, is especially noteworthy. On the other hand, the activities of some of the enzymes that play a part in the aerobic energy metabolism is slightly less than those in the myocardium fibres. As for the activity of the NADPH regenerating enzymes, the activity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase (oxaloacetate-decarboxylating) is somewhat higher, and the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase similar, in the Purkinje fibres compared to that in the myocardial fibres. The activity of myosin ATPase is similar for both types of fibre. Likewise, the fibres of the conducting system and of the myocardium show a similar activity of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase, non-specific naphthylesterase and peroxidase. The neurogenic function of the conducting system of the human heart was demonstrated by the high activity of acetylcholinesterase in the Purkinje fibres and in the atrioventricular node. All these histochemical findings in Purkinje fibres are similar at widely differing levels of the conducting system.

Citing Articles

Congenital "histiocytoid" cardiomyopathy: evidence suggesting a developmental disorder of the Purkinje cell system of the heart.

Zimmermann A, Diem P, COTTIER H Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histol. 1982; 396(2):187-95.

PMID: 7123849 DOI: 10.1007/BF00431240.

Early and late changes in the metabolic pattern of the working myocardial fibres and Purkinje fibres of the human heart under ischaemic and inflammatory conditions: an enzyme histochemical study.

Elias E, ELIAS R, De Vries G, Meijer A Histochem J. 1982; 14(3):445-59.

PMID: 7118569 DOI: 10.1007/BF01011856.

The demonstration of close nerve-Purkinje fibre contacts in false tendons of sheep heart.

Canale E, Fujiwara T, Campbell G Cell Tissue Res. 1983; 230(1):105-11.

PMID: 6850758 DOI: 10.1007/BF00216031.

Differentiation of the atrioventricular node, the atrioventricular bundle and the bundle branches in the bovine heart: an immunohistochemical and enzyme histochemical study.

Forsgren S, Strehler E, Thornell L Histochem J. 1983; 15(11):1099-111.

PMID: 6360962 DOI: 10.1007/BF01003973.

Myocardial cell heterogeneity in the human heart with respect to myosin ATPase activity.

Thornell L, Forsgren S Histochem J. 1982; 14(3):479-90.

PMID: 6214528 DOI: 10.1007/BF01011858.

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