Abstract
1. Comparative studies have been made of the esterases of the thyroid-parathyroid complex in four mammalian species, using inhibitors and activators in order to characterise the enzymes. 2. In all species (dog, rat, rabbit and guinea-pig) the C cells contain a strong cholinesterase. In the case of the rabbit only, this is a specific acetylcholinesterase. 3. An E 600 resistant esterase is present in the C cells of guinea-pig and rabbit thyroid. In the case of the rat and dog this enzyme is present in the acinar cells only. 4. Cholinesterase-positive C cells were observed in the internal parathyroid gland of both dog and rabbit, and in the region of the thyroglossal duct in the latter. 5. This evidence suggests that the C cells are not exclusively thyroid cells, and that they may be quite widely distributed through the thyroid-parathyroid complex.
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