Abstract
The effect of added purines on uric acid production by the kidney, liver, diaphragm, spleen, intestinal mucosa, and smooth muscle of the intestine of the rat was investigated by the methods previously described. 1
The results (Table I) indicate that the intestinal mucosa and the liver account for most of the uric acid production from these purines. The mucosa is the only tissue that acts upon adenine to any extent.
It is also very active in transforming guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine into uric acid. The liver actively transforms all these purines except adenine. Striated muscle (diaphragm) has very little effect upon any of them, and the small conversion due to smooth muscle may be the action of small quantities of mucosa which could not be removed. The kidney and spleen were only moderately active in the conversion of xanthine and hypoxanthine. The study of the production of uric acid in these tissues from other possible precursors is being studied further.
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