ENZYME-HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON HEALING PROCESS OF SPLIT SKIN GRAFTS .2. 5-NUCLEOTIDASE ADENOSINETRIPHOSPHATASE ACID AND ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE IN AUTOGRAFTS

[摘要] The activities of 5-nucleotidase, ATPase, alkaline and acid phosphatase were studied histochemically throughout the healing process of split skin autografts in pigs. A striking decline of 5-nucleotidase activity of the graft was observed during the 1st post-operative days, starting at the dermoepi-dermal junction and progressing to the deeper portions of the graft. In contrast, after the 4th post-operative day when the 1st host vessels invaded the graft 5-nucleotidase activity expanded to the superficial parts of the graft layer by layer again. Thus, 2 phases of the healing process were observed: a phase of enzymatic regression and a phase of recovery. These findings are analogous to the results obtained with aminopeptidase, disphosphopyridine-nucleotide-diaphorase and succinic dehydrogenase as reported in a previous communication ATPase and acid phosphatase also exhibited signs of these 2 phases according to the changes of epidermal activities. ATPase furthermore proved very suitable for studies of graft revascularization as newly formed vessels invading the transplant were shown by this method. The new graft vasculature consisted exclusively of ingrown vessels. Apart from the epidermal changes of acid phosphatase, this enzyme and alkaline phosphatase showed no reactions specific for graft healing in contrast to the other enzymes studied so far.