Abstract
It has been demonstrated 1 that polymorphonuclear leucocoytes neither activate nor contribute to the proteolytic power of pepsin when added in quantities (100,000 to 500,000 per cc.) commonly occurring in the gastric juice of dogs. It has now been found that lymphocytes behave in a similar manner, (see Tables I and II). Lymphocytes (lymphocytes 93 per cent, monocytes 4 per cent, polymorphs. 3 per cent) from the dog's thoracic duct lymph, were, after repeated washings in saline, suspended in distilled water and immediately added either to dog's gastric juice or to known dilutions of Merck's pepsin and the whole adjusted to constant volume and acidity. The ferment activity was estimated by Mett's method.
These results do not lend support to the theory 2 , 3 that the lymphocytes play a role in the peptic digestion of gastric juice.
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