Disaccharidases activities in 20-day-old chick embryonic intestine were induced by the addition of sucrose, maltose, fructose and glucose to the culture medium. However, maltitol, which cannot be digested by intestinal enzymes, showed no effect on the induction of disaccharidase activity.
Kinetic study of the enzymes demonstrated that the maximum velocity (V_max) and the Michaelis constant (Km) of sucrose induced disaccharidases activities of the explants showed changes similar to those observed in the chick of same developmental stage in vivo. Namely, V_max values of sucrase and maltase were increased. Km values of sucrase did not change, but that of maltase showed a significant decrease during development.