Comparison of Ehrlich ascites tumour and mouse liver cells by analytical subcellular fractionation combined with a sensitive computational method for data analysis.

A simple method of analytical subcellular fractionation, combined with a sensitive computational method for data analysis and presentation, has been used to reinvestigate the distribution and relative amounts of several enzymes in the cytoplasmic and plasma membranes of two different cell types: one is a neoplastic, transformed cell type (Ehrlich ascites tumour cells), the other an untransformed, highly differentiated cell type (liver hepatocytes plus Kupffer and endothelial cells). In general the distribution of the enzymes in particular membranes is similar in the two cell types, however the relative amounts differ. Ehrlich ascites tumour cells have a higher specific activity of galactosyltransferase and ouabain-sensitive (Na,K)ATPase, while liver cells have higher glucose-6-phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase and succinate dehydrogenase activity. These differences appear to be correlated with morphological and, in some cases, functional differences between the two cell types.