Multiple forms of uridine kinase in normal and neoplastic rat liver

Two species of uridine kinase with molecular weights of approximately 120000 (I) and 30000 (II) have been identified in the rat liver system. Species I predominates in the 7-day postnatal and adult rat liver and increases in the regenerating remnant of the latter after partial hepatectomy; the concentration of species II is low in these tissues. Species I also predominates in the slow-growing hepatomas 5123D and 7800. In contrast, II is the predominant form in the foetal rat liver and accounts for 40% of the total activity in the rapidly growing Novikoff ascites hepatoma. In contrast to species II, which was stable, species I was inactivated by preincubation for 30min at 37 degrees C, before assay at 23 degrees C.