SOME METABOLIC CHANGES RESULTING FROM TREATING KIDNEY TISSUE WITH TRYPSIN

Abstract

Trypsin increased the O2 uptake of cell suspensions or slices from rat kidney. An increased O2 uptake with trypsin did not occur in the presence of soybean trypsin inhibitor. EDTA, which will free cells from tissue, did not change the O2 uptake, and cell suspensions prepared by trypsinization took up O2 at a greater rate than cell suspensions prepared mechanically. Chymotrypsin also enhanced respiration. In addition to O2 uptake, other metabolic processes were changed when trypsin was added to tissue. There was a loss of cellular lactate dehydrogenase, and lactate formation decreased. Slight amounts of pyruvate accumulated in reaction vessels when cell suspensions respired, but this was less in those treated with trypsin. Both intra- and extra-cellular amino and keto acids were increased by trypsin. The increased O2 uptake with trypsin was only partially blocked by cyanide.