[Kinetic study of prostaglandin biosynthesis. A mathematical model]

A mathematical model has been suggested to describe the kinetics of the prostanoid biosynthesis in the Plexaura homomalla coral. It allows to predict the changes in prostaglandin A2 concentration at various pH and concentration of sodium ions citrate when the latter is not too high. The degradation of prostaglandin biosynthesis intermediates is shown to proceed as two consecutive first-order reactions. For the second step the reaction rate grows into the raise of prostaglandin A2 concentration, apparently due to autocatalytic character of the process.