A rapid and convenient technique for measuring the rate of protein synthesis in tissues by injection of [3H]phenylalanine

Abstract

A rapid procedure for measuring the specific radioactivity of phenylalanine in tissues was developed. This facilitates the accurate determination of rates of protein synthesis in a wide range of [rat] tissues by injection of 150 .mu.mol of L-[4-3H]phenylalanine/100 g body weight. The large dose of amino acid results in a rapid rise in specific radioactivity of free phenylalanine in tissues to values close to that in plasma, followed by a slow but linear fall. This enables the rate of protein synthesis to be calculated from measurements of the specific radioactivity of free and protein-bound phenylalanine in tissues during a 10 min period after injection of radioisotope.