Abstract
Summary
A study of certain variables involved in measuring elastase-inhibitor activity of animal and human serum is presented, with particular emphasis upon time of incubation of the system. The inhibitor is shown to reside at the alpha1-globulin/albumin junction of electrophoretically fractionated serum, but is not itself directly proportional to absolute values of either of these fractions. Inhibitor level in humans is probably independent of age. Mean value for males is about 56.6% under the experimental conditions outlined in this report. Value for females is somewhat higher. Representative levels for sera of chicken, rabbit, guinea-pig, rat, mouse, sheep, dog, and monkey are given. Inhibitor is greatly elevated in sera of human females during the third trimester of pregnancy. In a number of selected disease states the inhibitor was found usually to be moderately elevated, although no consistent pattern was noted. The inhibitor was not diminished in sera of patients with arteriosclerosis.
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