University of Colorado, Boulder CU Scholar Series in Biology Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Spring 4-1-1958 Significance of peroxidase in eosinophils Margaret A. Kelsall Follow this and additional works at: http://scholar.colorado.edu/sbio Recommended Citation Kelsall, Margaret A., "Significance of peroxidase in eosinophils" (1958). Series in Biology. 14. http://scholar.colorado.edu/sbio/14 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at CU Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Series in Biology by an authorized administrator of CU Scholar. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. SIGNIFICANCE OF PEROXIDASE IN EOSINOPHILS M a rg a ret A . K e lsa ll Peroxidase-bearing granules are the primary component and product of eosino phils. The physiological significance of eosinophils is, therefore, considered to be related to the ability of this cell to synthesize, store, and transport peroxidase and to release the peroxidase-positive granules into body fluids by a lytic process that is controlled by hormones, by variations in the histamine-epinephrine balance, and by several other stimuli. Peroxidase occurs not only in eosinophils, but also in neutrophils and blood platelets; but it is not present in most cells of animal tissues. The purpose of this work is to consider, as a working hypothesis, that the function of eosinophils is to produce, store, and transport peroxidase to catalyze oxidations. Many of the aerobic dehydrogenases that catalyze reactions in which hydrogen peroxide is produced are involved in protein catabolism. Therefore, relations between eosinophils and several normal and pathological conditions of increased protein catabolism are emphasized, and also the significance of peroxi dase in eosinophils and other leukocytes to H 20 2 produced by irradiation is considered.