Document Detail


Urea formation in rat, bovine, and human lens.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  6662205     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Lenses produce both ammonia and urea, and a previous report suggested that bovine lenses contain a complete urea cycle capable of synthesizing urea from bicarbonate and ammonia. To determine whether lenses produce urea by a complete urea cycle or by arginase alone, intact lenses were cultured with [guanido-14C]-arginine or [14C]-bicarbonate. The [14C]-urea was volatilized to [14C]-CO2 by urease and collected in KOH. The cultured rat, bovine and human lenses produced [14C]-urea from [14C]-arginine; therefore lens arginase activity was also examined in homogenates of rat and human lenses. Rat lens homogenates had constant arginase activity for at least 2 hr at 37 degrees C, and activity increased linearly with the concentration of lens homogenate. Rat lens arginase had an apparent Vmax of approximately 13 nmol/hr/mg lens wet weight in lens homogenates and produced 4-6 nmol urea/hr/mg at 25 mM arginine. Human lens homogenates produced 1-5 nmol/hr/mg. In contrast, neither bovine nor rat lenses cultured with [14C]-bicarbonate produced detectable [14C]-urea, although label was incorporated into unidentified nonvolatile products. These products were shown by ion exchange chromatography and enzymatic assay to contain no detectable arginine or urea. It was concluded that although arginase activity is present, neither rat nor bovine lenses contain significant urea cycle activity. However, it is possible that arginase serves as a source of lens ornithine.
Authors:
H M Jernigan
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Publication Detail:
Type:  In Vitro; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Experimental eye research     Volume:  37     ISSN:  0014-4835     ISO Abbreviation:  Exp. Eye Res.     Publication Date:  1983 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1984-03-23     Completed Date:  1984-03-23     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0370707     Medline TA:  Exp Eye Res     Country:  ENGLAND    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  551-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Animals
Arginase / metabolism
Arginine / metabolism
Bicarbonates / metabolism
Carbon Radioisotopes / diagnostic use
Cattle
Cells, Cultured
Humans
Lens, Crystalline / enzymology,  metabolism*
Middle Aged
Rats
Urea / biosynthesis*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
EY 02665/EY/NEI NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Bicarbonates; 0/Carbon Radioisotopes; 57-13-6/Urea; 74-79-3/Arginine; EC 3.5.3.1/Arginase

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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