Membrane phosphatase activities in isolated and cultured adult rat hepatocytes

Membrane bound phosphohydrolysing enzymes, such as Na-K-ATPase, Mg-ATPase, ALPase and G-6-Pase were assayed in intact liver, in freshly isolated cells and in cultured hepatocytes to evaluate the effects of the isolation procedure and culture on these enzyme activities. Na-K-ATPase and Mg-ATPase are significantly reduced following cell dispersion while ALPase and G-6-Pase are nearly unaffected. During culture, Na-K-ATPase is restored to the "in vivo" level within the first two days, but rapidly declines in the following days. The Na dependent, energy requiring AIB uptake shows a similar pattern; Mg-ATPase is practically unmodified. A significant increase in ALPase activity and a net decrease of G-6-Pase activity, as a function of the culture time has been observed.