Amino-acid decarboxylases of rat liver

Abstract

The 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) decarboxylase activity of extracts of rat liver was comparatively high, being of the same order as that previously recorded for extracts of guinea pig liver. The rat was unusual in that the DOPA decarboxylase activity of an extract of its kidney was much lower than that of its liver; the ratio was about 1/10. The mean cysteic acid decarboxylase activity of extracts of the livers of male rats was about twice that of females. This difference was abolished by the spaying of the females, but not by the castration of the males; it was partly restored by the injn. of estrone into the spayed females.