title: Quantitative topochemistry of rat liver enzymes during postnatal development in relation to activity-rest cycle.
abstract: A quantitative histochemical method (Trident) has been adapted to measure the activities of 4 enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase (SD), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD), within the liver acini of the rat during the postnatal developmental period. Quantitative changes of these enzymes in livers of rats of 25 g and 50 g body weight were studied, with particular emphasis on the activity-rest cycle. The results indicate a time-dependent heterogeneous distribution of enzymes along the acinar zones and the pattern of localization is age-dependent. When the mean enzyme activity from each group in relation to the time of the day are compared, a mirror image of each other could be seen. In general, a high enzyme activity has been observed during the resting phase in 25-g rats and low in 50-g rats. During the developmental period, the mean ICD activity is diminished, whereas G6PD and 6-PGD are augmented, and SD activity remains unchanged.
mesh_terms: D000204:Activity Cycles; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats / Q000378:metabolism*; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012146:Rest; D014018:Tissue Distribution