[The creatine kinase system in rat thymus and thymocytes].

The content of creatine phosphate, creatine and creatine kinase activity in thymus is shown to be 17.6, 5 and 4 times respectively higher, than in thymocytes isolated from this organ, both the level of adenine nucleotides and adenylate energy charge being practically the same. The creatine phosphate content in thymocytes decreases with addition of papaverine and remains unchanged under the influence of adenosine and concanavalin A. The creatine kinase activity increases considerably during the concanavalin A-induced thymocyte blasttransformation reaction. Creatine inhibits blasttransformation of thymocytes stimulated by this mitogen.