HISTOCHEMICAL-STUDIES ON GENETIC-CONTROL OF HORMONAL ENZYME INDUCIBILITY IN THE MOUSE .3. BETA-GLUCURONIDASE DISTRIBUTION PATTERN OF EPIDIDYMIS IN DIFFERENT GENOTYPES

This article reports the application of Hayashi's histochemical technique for β-glucoronidase to mouse epididymis. A methodological study. which established optimal conditions for demonstrating the enzyme in this organ, is reported. The distribution pattern of β-glucuronidase is described and correlated with previous data for α-naphtyl acetate esterase. Differences between sites of granular and diffuse reaction product for these two enzymes are recorded. Possible interpretations of these findings in terms of intracellular localization of enzymes are discussed. Studies on different strains reveal regular differences in histochemical organization between mice of various genotypes. Histochemical data which imply androgen inducibility of β-glucuronidase in mouse epididymis are preliminarily noted. © 1979 Chapman and Hall Ltd.