Spectroscopic quantitation of cytochrome P-450 in human lung microsomes

The cytochrome P-450 content of human lung microsomes was measured by difference spectroscopy of the carbon monoxide-complexed hemoprotein. These measurements were only possible after the microsome preparation had been subjected to centrifugation over a discontinuous sucrose gradient, to remove an opaque black contaminant. The specific concentration of total cytochrome P-450 in human lung microsomes is essentially identical to that of microsomes prepared under identical conditions from untreated baboon lungs, but is only 0.7% of the specific content found in lung microsomes from untreated rabbits. These measurements correspond well to the observed metabolic capacities of the various microsome samples.