Esterases of Postauricular and Ear Canal Skin, Compared with Cholesteatoma Epithelium

Abstract

Esterase pattern of postauricular and ear canal skin, of cholesteatoma epithelium, and of granulation tissue was studied using electrophoretic and histochemical methods. Esterase activity in the epithelium was localized in the granular cell layer. The electrophoretic pattern of tissues was clearly different from that of serum. In the epithelium the major activity was due to cholinesterase with a main fraction corresponding to the mobility of α₁-globulin, with additional fractions moving with α₂-globulins and with β₁-globulins. Acetylcholinesterase was associated with α₁- and β₁-globulin fractions. A weak α₁-arylesterase and a stronger tissue esterase with a mobility of fast γ-globulins were also demonstrated. The electrophoretic analysis proved more informative than the histochemical method.