Distribution of Calcium, Carbonic Anhydrase and Alkaline Phosphatase Activities in the Uterus and Isthmus of Young and Old White Leghorn Hens

INTRODUCTION TAYLOR and Hertelendy (1960) and Hertelendy and Taylor (1964) reported that calcium concentration in the uterus of laying hens was found to be significantly lower than that in the isthmus. Brown and Badman (1962) and Wilcox and Cloud (1965) found significantly higher alkaline phosphatase activity in the uterus than in the isthmus. Both alkaline phosphatase and carbonic anhydrase activities are considered to participate in the physiological mechanism of shell calcification (Petersen, 1965; Mongin, 1968). It therefore seemed worthwhile to combine examination of the activity of both enzymes and calcium concentration determinations of the uterus and isthmus in the laying hen, and the same parameters in the blood. Since both egg production and shell quality of old hens’ eggs are known to be lower than those of young hens, a comparison of the above-mentioned parameters in the isthmus and uterus was carried out in the present study in two groups…