Glucose-6-phosphatase activity in regenerating, embryonic, and newborn rat liver.

Abstract

Summary Glucose-6-phosphatase activity was investigated in regenerating, sham-operated, fetal, and newborn rat liver. The enzymatic activities were expressed per wet weight, nitrogen, and average cell basis. 1.It was shown that glucose-6-phosphatase activity was affected by the sham operation. The restoration of total liver glucose-6-phosphatase activity paralleled the regeneration of liver weight. The rapid restoration of this microsomal enzyme was contrasted to the lag in the regeneration of mitochondrial enzymes. 2.There was no or only minimal glucose-6-phosphatase activity in the fetal rat liver. This corresponds to the absence of glucose-6-phosphatase activity in the hepatoma tissue. On the other hand, in the fast-growing adult liver the glucose-6-phosphatase activity per unit was not decreased. 3.Glucose-6-phosphatase activity in newborn rat liver was 30–40 per cent higher than that in normal adult rat liver. 4.The behavior of glucose-6-phosphatase in normal, regenerating, fetal, newborn, and neoplastic liver was discussed.