Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Autolytic Enzymes

The tissue proteinases were classified as consisting of cathepsin, carboxypolypeptidase, aminopolypeptidase and dipeptidase. Cathepsin was believed to be a single proteinase, acting best at pH 4, activated by -SH and similar reducing agents and initiating cleavage of the native proteins of the tissue. The remaining peptidases were believed to act specifically on the polypeptide fragments of primary cleavage, and on dipeptides, with the production of amino acids. The reaction curves of the members of this group overlap sufficiently so that they could conceivably function together in the complete conversion of tissue proteins to their final cleavage units.

Based upon separations and studies of specific behavior with synthetic substrates, there are many more enzymes in tissues than those, and that they will eventually be susceptible to an entirely different classification based upon more fundamental characteristics.

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