Histochemical demonstration of exopeptidases in the rat visceral yolk-sac epithelium.

The localization of exopeptidase activities was demonstrated histochemically (by simultaneous azo coupling) on the visceral endoderm of whole unfixed yolk sacs of rats (12.5-18.5 days of gestation). For comparison, the topochemistry of exopeptidases was studied by conventional section histochemistry of frozen yolk sacs. The study of unfixed visceral yolk-sac epithelium showed that different artificial peptidase substrates (Ala-, Met-, Phe-, Leu-, alpha-Asp-, alpha-Glu-, gamma-Glu, Tyr-, Val-, Ser-, Arg- and Gly-Pro-MNA) are hydrolysed in the apical-cell membranes (membrane-bound peptidases) and, in a number of cells, within the cytoplasmic matrix. Section histochemistry showed that peptidase activities were almost only directed against gamma-Glu- and Gly-Pro-MNA at the cell apices. It is concluded that most of the exopeptidase activities in the apical cell membrane of the visceral yolk-sac epithelium are only demonstrable in unfixed yolk sacs. These activities are of great importance for the supplying of the embryo with amino acids.