To Estimate the Activity of Lipase in Serum

Abstract

Lipase is the enzymes that cause hydrolysis of glycerol esters of long chain fatty acids into glycerol and free fatty acids. Only the ester bond at carbons 1 and 3 (α-positions) is attacked, and the reaction produces two moles of fatty acid and one mole of 2-acylglycerol (β-monoglyceride) per mole of substrate. The latter is resistant to hydrolysis, but it can spontaneously isomerizes to the 3-acylglycerol, that is, α-form. This isomerization splits off the third fatty acid, a process that occurs at a much slower rate. Lipase acts at an oil-water interface on emulsified substrates. Most of the lipase found in serum is produced in pancreas, but pulmonary, gastric, and intestinal mucosa also secretes lipase. Lipase activity can also be demonstrated in leucocytes in adipose tissue cells and in milk.