| Summary: | Abstract Background Enzymes are the biological catalysts which accelerate the various cellular reactions. In general, the enzymes alkaline phosphatase (ALPase), acid phosphatase (ACPase), 5′-nucleotidase (5′-Nu) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) have important roles in metabolism. In the present study, a comparative account of the localization of activity of four enzymes acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase and 5′-nucleotidase was carried out in the organs and tissues of important human digeneans Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium from infected hamster (Cricentus auratus) in Egypt. Material and methods Histochemical methods were used on whole parasites to study the distribution of these enzymes. The following organs and tissues were studied: oral sucker, oesophagus, oesphageal gland, ventral sucker, ventral sucker rim, gynaecophoral canal edge, intestine, tubercles, muscles, tegumental folds, testes and excretory pore. Results Variable observations in the different organs and tissues were recorded. In S. mansoni, glucose-6-phosphatase was detected with the highest activity while alkaline phosphatase showed the lowest activity in most organs and tissues. In S. haematobium, acid phosphatase showed the highest activity and alkaline phosphatase showed the lowest activity in most organs and tissues. Although all enzymes showed clear activity in the oral sucker for both species, only glucose-6-phosphatase gave a positive reaction in the ventral sucker rim and acid phosphatase in the excretory pore of S. haematobium. On the other hand, all enzymes showed no activity in the muscles and excretory pore in S. mansoni. Conclusion ACPase activity was observed in most organs of S. haematobium. Also, G-6-Pase was detected in the ventral sucker rim and 5′-Nu was detected in tubercles. Meanwhile, ACPase and 5′-Nu were observed in the muscle fibers, testes, excretory pore and tegumental folds. On other hand, G-6-Pase is the most active enzyme in most organs of S. mansoni except the muscle fibers.
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