A cytochemical study of some enzyme activities in biliverdin-treated cell cultures.

The authors studied the modifications of the activities of some enzymes in cell cultures submitted to the action of biliverdin. This biliary pigment rapidly induces a remarkable increase in alkaline phosphatase and ATP-ase activities and subsequently, an activation of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase. On the contrary, 5'-nucleotidase and glucose-6-phosphatase activities remain unchanged. These results are discussed and compared with those obtained in our and other laboratories by using unconjugated bilirubin on different biological substrates.