ENZYMATIC ACTIVITY OF THE ISOLATED GLOMERULUS IN NORMAL AND NEPHROTIC RATS*

Abstract

Quantitative histochemical methods have been adapted for the study of six enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, hexo-kinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase and isocitric dehydrogenase) in isolated rat glomerulus, whole kidney homogenate and renal arterioles in normal and nephrotic rats. Enzymatic activity was expressed per unit of dry weight. The production of acute nephrosis with the aminonucleoside of Puromycin results in a significant increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, lactic dehydrogenase and malic dehydrogenase, and a marked decrease in alkaline phosphatase of glomeruli. The kidney homogenate activity of the nephrotic animals is significantly increased for hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; a decrease is observed in alkaline phosphatase. These changes seen to be closely related to the severity of the disease as judged by proteinuria.