[Features of vertebrate brain Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase activation by detergents]

Abstract

Studies have been made on changes in the activity of Na,K-ATPase in brain homogenates of vertebrates (rat, hen, frog, tortoises) induced by various detergents (sodium deoxycholate, Twin-20, Twin-80, Triton X-100). After application of detergent at optimal concentrations, usually the enzymic activity increased, the increase being dependent on animal species and the brain structure. In crude homogenate of the forebrain, Na,K-ATPase activity was the highest in hen and was altogether absent in frog; detergents practically did not affect the enzymic activity in hen and sharply increased it in frogs. It is suggested that the activating effect of detergents is associated with damage of vesicular membrane structures which are formed during homogenization of the brain tissue, the degree of vesicularization being dependent on fatty acid composition of membrane phospholipids of the brain.