Distribution of hepatic phosphofructokinase isozymes in parenchymal and sinusoidal cells.

The distribution profile of the isozymes of phosphofructokinase (PFK) in different cell types of rat liver is established using the techniques of electrophoresis and immunodiffusion. Agarose gel electrophoresis of the extracts of parenchymal cells, Kupffer or sinusoidal cells, and whole liver indicated that two PFK isozymes are present in whole liver and that the faster moving hepatic PFK isozyme is present only in parenchymal cells; whereas, the slower moving hepatic PFK isozyme is only in sinusoidal cells. Immunodiffusion studies using antiserum specific for the major hepatic PFK isozyme (PFK-L₂) revealed that PFK-L₂ is present only in whole liver or parenchymal cell extracts and is absent from sinusoidal cells. It is apparent that the other hepatic PFK isozyme (PFK-L₁) is normally found only in sinusoidal cells.