| Abstract: | Ability to synthesize porphyrobilinogen (PBG) from  -aminolevulinic acid (ALA) was determined in homogenates of tissues of the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, and small intestine of 77 albino rats. All these organs were found to be able to synthesize PBG. Highest ALA dehydratase activity was found in the liver tissue, followed in descending order by the kidneys, lungs, pancreas, small intestine, heart, and spleen. On the addition of a lead solution to the synthesizing system a significant decrease in enzyme activity was observed in the liver tissue, but in kidney tissue its activity was unchanged. On the addition of lead and D-penicillamine simultaneously no changes were found in the toxic effect of lead.M. F. Vladimirskii Moscow Regional Clinical Research Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. S. Debov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 86, No. 12, pp. 687–689, December, 1978. |
