Adenosine deaminase in renal ontogeny and compensatory hypertrophy in the rat

Recent studies have indicated a possible link between cell proliferation and adenosine deaminase (ADase); the characteristics and specific activity of ADase in the kidney of neonatal rats and unilaterally nephrectomized rats were therefore determined. The enzyme was found to have a molecular weight of 35,000. Two variants with electrophoretic points at pH 4 x 53 (ADase I) and 4 x 63 (ADase II) were resolved by analytical isoelectric focusing. Enzyme activity was high in newborn rats (250 milliunits/mg protein) but declined to about 150 milliunits/mg protein from 20 days old to maturity. Enzyme activity and its biochemical characteristics were not altered in compensatory renal hypertrophy (CRH).