Carbonic anhydrase activity in the membrane and contents of the ovarian follicles and oviduct mucosa of hens.

Observations were conducted on the activity of carbonic anhydrase in the membrane and contents of the ovarian follicles at the time of their growth. A rise was observed in the activity of the enzyme in the membrane of the follicles parallelling their diameter increase, with a simultaneous decrease of this activity in the contents of the follicles. An increase in carbonic anhydrase activity was observed also in the mucosa of the shell gland at the time of egg shell formation in it as compared with the activity of the enzyme in the mucosa of the remaining parts of the oviduct: infundibulum, magnum and isthmus. These observations indicate the carbonic anhydrase activity in the mucosa of the shell gland is closely related to the process of egg formation and is highest at the time of egg shell formation.