Catalytic enzyme activity concentration in plasma of man, sheep, dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat and mouse. Approach to a quantitative diagnostic enzymology, I. Communication.

For the most convenient laboratory animals in experimental medicine such as the sheep, dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, rat and mouse, the catalytic concentrations of seventeen enzymes and the protein and albumin concentrations in plasma were determined. The corresponding data for man were taken from the literature. The experimental conditions were selected so as to minimize the influence on catalytic activity, variance and statistical distribution pattern of such factors as handling procedures, the choice of blood drawing technique, the choice of anaesthetic agent for distinct species and the preparation procedure of plasma from the blood specimen. Because these considerations have been largely neglected to date in experimental enzymology, normal values for most enzymes require revision and were in some instances established for the first time in certain species. Our use of assay conditions, which were identical for all animal species, satisfies current requirements in clinical chemistry with respect to standardization and optimization of enzyme catalytic activity concentration measurement, and allowed comparison of these enzymes. The catalytic activities established this way will be the basis for a later comparative study of their kinetics of adjustment in plasma.