Aminopeptidase activity levels during axonal and dendritic growth in the rat brain. |
| |
Authors: | J M de Gandarias J Irazusta E Echevarría E San Martín L Casis |
| |
Affiliation: | Department of Physiology, Medical School, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain. |
| |
Abstract: | Brain aminopeptidase activity has been suggested as a candidate for the regulation and biotransformation of several neuropeptides. In this paper, changes in Lys- and Leu-aminopeptidase activities in rat brain hemispheres, cerebellum and medulla were examined in 1-, 3-, 5- and 7-days postnatal subjects. Aminopeptidase activities were studied by measuring the rate of hydrolysis of the artificial chromogenic substrates Lys- and Leu-2-naphthylamides (fluorimetrically detected in triplicate). Both enzyme activities show a decrease on the 3rd day of life followed by increases on the 5th and 7th day postbirth. It is suggested that these activities could play a part in the neurochemical changes that take place during axonal and dendritic growth in the rat brain. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|