Nucleotide Nitrogen Content of Certain Tissues of the Dog and Rabbit

Abstract

Recent investigations have attributed several properties to the nucleotides which occur in the tissues. The most important of these properties is the participation of adenosine triphosphate in the phosphorylation of the hexose arising from the hydrolysis of glycogen. This is a very necessary procedure in the anaerobic formation of the lactic acid of the muscle. 1 However, as is well known, all tissues do not show the same behavior in their ability to form lactic acid. 2 As a method of approach to the study of this difference and its possible regulation by the nucleotide level of the tissue, a study of the quantitative distribution of nucleotide nitrogen among the various tissues has been carried Out.

Table I contains the results of the analyses of certain tissues of the dog and rabbit for their nucleotide nitrogen content. The quantitative method of Kerr and Blish 3 was used. All results were obtained from duplicate check samples. A minimum of 5 animals was used for each tissue determination.