Urinary crystal growth: effect of inhibitor mixtures

1. The crystal growth inhibitory activity of mixtures of known inhibitors and of mixtures of known inhibitors with normal urine was determined in calcium oxalate monohydrate and hydroxyapatite seeded crystal growth systems. 2. The inhibitory activity of the mixtures was compared with the measured activity of the individual components of the mixtures. All mixtures had inhibitory activity equal to the sum of the activities of their components, with the exception of RNA/urine mixtures in the calcium oxalate monohydrate system. 3. RNA/urine mixtures had inhibitory activity toward calcium oxalate monohydrate crystal growth which was less than would be predicted from the activity of the RNA and of the urine which were added. This reduced inhibitory activity was shown to be due probably to hydrolysis of RNA by the ribonuclease activity normally present in urine. 4. The results of these experiments make it possible to determine quantitatively the contribution of various naturally occurring urinary crystal growth inhibitors to the total measured inhibition observed in urine.