The distribution of muramidase (lysozyme) in human tissues

Abstract

The distribution of muramidase (lysozyme) in normal and pathologic human tissues has been studied, using an immunohistological technique. The enzyme was demonstrated in a variety of healthy tssues, including serous salivary acinar cells, lactating mammary tissue, Paneth cells, renal tubular cells, myeloid cells (including eosinophils), and histiocytic cells. In pathologic tissues the most striking positivity was encountered in reactive histiocytic cells in granulomatous conditions such as tuberculosis and Crohn's disease. The findings of this study are related to previous reports of the distribution of human and animal muramidase and the implications of patterns of muramidase staining in pathologic histiocytes are briefly discussed.