[Amino acid metabolism in liver tissue]

Following determination by the method of ion-exchange chromatography of free amino acids in the blood drawn from the portal and liver veins and the abdominal aorta 30 minutes after introduction of a casein suspension to rats it was found that only 50 per cent of amino acids with ramified chain are retained in the liver. Most of the other amino acids, however, become metabolized largely in the liver and it is only their insignificant part that goes into the general circulation. These data may be of use in considering problems related to the peculiarities of metabolism of amino acids with ramified chain.