The activities of enzymes of purine metabolism in murine thymus dependent lymphocytes.

Measurement of the activities of purine metabolizing enzymes in murine T cell subpopulations showed that these activities differed markedly among T cells of different levels of functional maturity. The activities of adenosine deaminase and deoxyadenosine phosphorylation were highest in immature, PNA + thymocytes, while the activities of purine nucleoside phosphorylase, ecto-5'-nucleotidase and deoxyguanosine phosphorylation were highest in mature, splenic T cells. These enzymes' activities can be used as biochemical markers for T cell of different degree of maturation.