Some aspects of adenosine triphosphate synthesis from adenine and adenosine in human red blood cells

1. The synthesis of ATP has been studied in human erythrocytes. Fresh cells showed no net synthesis of ATP when incubated with adenine or adenosine, although labelled adenine was incorporated into ATP in small amounts.2. Cold-stored cells (3-6 weeks old) became progressively depleted of adenine nucleotides but incubation with adenosine or adenine plus inosine restored the ATP concentration to normal within 4 hr. Incorporation of labelled adenine or adenosine into the ATP of incubated stored cells corresponded to net ATP synthesis by these cells.3. Synthesis of ATP from adenosine plus adenine together was 75% derived from adenine and only 25% from adenosine, indicating that nucleotide synthesis from adenine inhibits the simultaneous synthesis of nucleotide from adenosine.