Disaccharidase and lysosomal enzyme activities in amniotic fluid, intestinal mucosa and meconium. Correlation between morphology and disaccharidase activities in human fetal small intestine.

Brush border membrane bound disaccharidases (sucrase and maltase) and lysosomal enzyme (alpha-glucosidase, beta-D-fucosidase and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase) activities awere studied in amniotic fluid (AF). The above enzymes except N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase showed a decrease in activity with gestational age beginning at about the 19th week. The activities of sucrase and maltase correlate with the morphological maturation of fetal intestinal mucosa. The distribution of disaccharidases and lysosomal alpha-glucosidase in AF and intestinal mucosa showed different patterns suggesting that these enzymes originate in diverse fetal tissues.