[Activity of tissue and plasma kallikrein and level of their precursors in eye tissue structures and media of healthy rabbits].

Activity of tissue and blood plasma kallikreins as well as total content of their inactive precursors were studied in rabbit eye structures and media: iris, ciliary body, cornea, vascular striatum, retina, aqueous humor, tear liquid, lacrimal gland by means of fluorimetric procedure using Z-Phe-Arg-MCA as a substrate. Dissimilar capacity of the trypsin soya bean inhibitor and of aprotinin (basic inhibitor of Kunitz type) to inhibit tissue and blood plasma kallikreins enabled to differentiate the enzymatic activity. Lacrimal gland contained the highest activity of tissue kallikrein which amounted to 70% of total Z-Phe-Arg-MCA-hydrolyzing activity of the homogenate. Total Z-Phe-Arg-MCA-amidase activity and activity of individual kallikreins was distinctly lower in all the eye structures and media studied as compared with that of lacrimal gland. Activity of tissue kallikrein was higher than blood serum kallikrein activity in iris, ciliary body, vascular striatum, retina and conjunctiva. The highest content of prekallikreins was found in conjunctiva, aqueous humor, iris and ciliary body. Tissue and blood plasma kallikrein-kinin systems appear to carry out dissimilar functions in eye tissue structures; they are apparently involved in pathogenesis of some eye diseases.