Possible sites of catabolism of rat serum albumin

Abstract

Plasma, spleen, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph nodes and samples of skeletal muscle from rats were analysed for protein-bound S35 and S35 extractable with perchloric acid at various times after intraperitoneal injection of rat serum albumin/labelled with S35. The distribution of protein-bound S35 and S35 extractable with perchloric acid indicated that spleen, liver and kidneys all catabolize homologous serum albumin. Lungs and lymph nodes may exhibit very limited catabolic activity, but skeletal muscle has none.