Subcellular distribution of thiamine-pyrophosphokinase and thiamine-pyrophosphatase activities in rat isolated enterocytes.

Starting from mucosal cells, isolated from rat small intestine, subcellular fractionation was carried out. Four fractions were prepared and characterized by marker enzymes and electron microscopic examination: nuclei plus microvilli, mitochondria, microsomes and supernatant. Thiamine-pyrophosphokinase activity was localized mainly in the supernatant fraction, with minor amount in mitchondria and microsomes. On the contrary thiamine-pyrophosphatase activity was present only in the particulate fractions (especially in microsomes), being completely absent from the supernatant.