Alanine formation and alanine aminotransferase activity in the nerve tissue with proliferating macroglia

Abstract

In the nerve tissue with proliferating macroglia cells were observed a lowered oxygen consumption, an increased aerobic glycolysis and alanine formation and a higher alanine aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase activity than in the control tissue in the homogenates and in the cell sap fraction. The substrate saturation curves, apparent Km and pH optimum values in the tissue with proliferating macroglia and in the control did not differ from one another. The authors assume that a higher alanine aminotransferase activity in the tissue with macroglia proliferation can reflect either a higher synthesis of the enzyme in the altered tissue, or a predominance of glial elements in the altered tissue possessing a higher alanine aminotransferase activity than the nerve cells.