Lysozyme/Muramidase [MD194]

Lysozyme is a ubiquitous enzyme defined as muraminidase catalyzing the hydrolysis of the beta glycosidic bond in bacterial peptidoglycan, a major component of the bacterial cell wall. Lysozyme in tissues and body fluids is associated with the monocyte-macrophage system and enhances the activity of immunoagents. Lysozyme C catalyzes the hydrolysis of certain mucopolysaccharides of bacterial cell walls. Specifically, it catalyzes the hydrolysis of the bacterial cell wall beta glycosidic linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine. It is found in the spleen, lung, kidney, white blood cells, plasma, saliva, milk, and tears. Defects in Lysozyme C are a cause of amyloidosis type 8 (AMYL8), also known as systemic non-neuropathic amyloidosis or Ostertag-type amyloidosis. Lysozyme immunoreactivity has been found in myeloid cells, histiocytes, granulocytes, macrophages, and monocytes. It is a good marker for macrophages that are activated in phagocytosis. Lysozyme has been useful in the identification of hitiocytoma.