Suitability of the azocoupling reaction with 1-naphthyl-beta-D-glucoside for the histochemical demonstration of lactase (lactase-beta-glucosidase complex) in human enterobiopsies.

The suitability of the simultaneous azocoupling reaction with 1-naphthyl-beta-D-glucoside and hexazonium-p-rosanilin in the detection of the activity of lactase (or lactase-beta-glucosidase complex) in jejunal biopsies of patients with various forms of the malabsorption syndrome was tested. Results were compared with those obtained with the indigogenic method using 4-Cl-5-Br-3-indolyl-beta-D-fucoside which is the method of choice. Both methods gave identical results as far as the relative intensity of the brush border staining was concerned. The azocoupling method applied in unfixed cold microtome sections can be recommended for the routine diagnostics of the malabsorption syndrome when the indolyl substrate is not available.