Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Carbonic anhydrase is present in human oesophageal epithelium and submucosal glands

  • Papers
  • Published:
The Histochemical Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Carbonic anhydrase (EC 4.2.1.1) activity was investigated in normal human oesophageal mucosa using the Hansson and Ridderstråle catalytic cobalt methods. The enzyme was detected in the cell membranes and nuclei and, to a lesser extent, in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells of the mucosa giving a ‘chicken wire’ appearance. Activity decreased towards the lumen. Other stratified squamous epithelia - buccal mucosa, ectocervix and skin - gave a similar pattern. Acinar cells of oesophageal submucosal glands also exhibited activity for the enzyme, but the ducts did not. The formation of reaction product was prevented by acetazolamide and ethoxzolamide and by the omission of bicarbonate from the substrate medium. Carbonic anhydrase in oesophageal squamous epithelium may be involved in the control of intra- and extracellular pH, while that in the glands is more likely to be concerned with bicarbonate secretion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • brown,c. m.,snowdon,c. f.,slee,b.,sandle,l. n. &rees,w. d. W. (1993) Measurement of bicarbonate output from the intact human oesophagus.Gut 34, 872–81.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • carter,n. d.,fryer,a.,grant,a. g.,hume,r.,strange,r. g. &wistrand,p. j. (1990) Membrane specific carbonic anhydrase (CAIV) expression in human tissues.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1026, 113–6.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • christie, k. n., thomson, c., ogden, g. r. &hopwood, d. (1995) A histochemical study of carbonic anhydrase in the plasma membranes of human oral epithelial cells.Arch. Oral Biol. (in press).

  • dodgson,s. J.,quistorff,b. &ridderstråle,y. (1993) Carbonic anhydrases in cytosol, nucleus and membranes of rat liver.Am. J. Physiol. 75, 1186–93.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • hamilton,b. h. &orlando,r. h. (1989) In vivo alkaline secretion by mammalian esophagus.Gastroenterology 97, 640–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • hansson,h. P. J. (1969) Histochemical demonstration of carbonic anhydrase activity.Histochemie 11, 112–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • hopwood,d.,coghill,g. &sander,d. S. A. (1986) Human oesophageal submucous glands: their detection, mucin, enzyme and secretory protein content.Histochemistry 86, 107–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • jungkunz,w.,eichorn,m.,worl,w. c. &holzmann,h. (1992) Carbonic anhydrase — a marker for fenestrated capillaries in psoriasis.Arch. Derm. Res. 284, 146–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • lönnerholm,g. (1977) Carbonic anhydrase in the intestinal tract of the guinea pig.Acta Physiol. Scand. 99, 53–61.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • lönnerholm,g.,selking,o. &wistrand,p. j. (1985) Amount and distribution of carbonic anhydrases CAI and CAII in the gastrointestinal tract.Gastroenterology 88, 1151–61.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • lütjen-drecoll,e.,eichorn,m. &barany,e. h. (1985) Carbonic anhydrase in epithelia and fenestrated juxtaepithelial capillaries ofMacaca fasicularis.Acta Physiol. Scand. 124, 295–307.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • maren,t. h. (1980) Kinetics, equilibrium and inhibition in the Hansson histochemical procedure for carbonic anhydrase: a validation of the method.Histochem. J. 12, 183–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • parkkila,s.,parkkila,a-k.,juvonen,t. &rajaniemi,h. (1994) Distribution of the carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes, I, II and VI, in the human alimentary tract.Gut 35, 646–50.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • ridderstråle,y. (1976) Intracellular localization of carbonic anhydrase in the frog nephron.Acta Physiol. Scand. 98, 465–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • ridderstråle,y. (1991) Localization of carbonic anhydrase by chemical reactions. InThe Carbonic Anhydrases: Cellular Physiology, and Molecular Genetics (edited bydodgson,s. j. et al.), pp. 133–44. London: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • sarosiek,j. (1993) EGF in esophageal secretions.Am. J. Gastroenterol. 88, 1081–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • tashian,r. e. (1989) The carbonic anhydrases: widening perspectives on their evolution expression and function.BioEssays 10, 186–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • tobey,n. a.,reddy,s. p.,keku,t. o.,cragoe,e. j. &orlando,r. C. (1992) Studies of pH in rabbit esophageal basal and squamous epithelial cells in culture.Gastroenterology 103, 830–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • wertz,p. w. &squier,c. a. (1991) Cellular and molecular basis of barrier function in oral epithelium.Crit. Rev. Therap. Drug Carrier Sys. 8, 237–69.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN, Dundee, Scotland

    K. N. Christie & C. Thomson

  2. Department of Dermatology, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN, Dundee, Scotland

    S. Morley

  3. Department of Therapeutics, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN, Dundee, Scotland

    J. Anderson

  4. Department of Pathology, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN, Dundee, Scotland

    D. Hopwood

Authors
  1. K. N. Christie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Thomson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Morley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Anderson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. D. Hopwood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Christie, K.N., Thomson, C., Morley, S. et al. Carbonic anhydrase is present in human oesophageal epithelium and submucosal glands. Histochem J 27, 587–590 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02388456

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02388456

Keywords

Search

Navigation