Effect of Diet and Sex on Kidney Transamidinase Activity in the Rat. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The in vitro kidney transamidinase activity of female rats supplied with a purified diet and of chow-fed male rats was found to be approximately 50% of that of male rats supplied with the purified diet. This accounts for much of the variability that has previously been found in normal kidney transamidinase activity. The female rats did not have a greater creatinuria than the comparable male rats, but the chow-fed male rats exhibited moderate creatinuria. Extra dietary glycine did not increase the transamidinase activity of the female or chow-fed rats. Also, glycine had no effect on urinary excretion of creatine by creatine-fed rats. These observations indicate that there are factors other than creatine which limit the activity of kidney transamidinase.