Abstract
Summary
We demonstrated for the first time the 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase histochemically by using 2,2′-diphenyl-5,5′-di-(m-nitrophenyl)-3,3′-(4,4′-biphenylene) ditetrazolium chloride. Two 17β-hydroxysteroids were used as substrates, i.e., estradiol and testosterone. The optimum pH of the reaction was 8.8 and steroid concentration was determined. There was no apparent difference in activity between the 2 substrates. Controls with estrone in which the 17 group is incapable of dehydrogenation were entirely negative. The liver and small intestine were positive for 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. This differs from histochemical results recently reported for steroid 3-β-ol dehydrogenase in that here the organs showing a positive reaction were liver, testes, ovaries and adrenal.
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