Postnatal development of mevalonate phosphorylation in the chick brain and kidney.

The quantitative role of the brain and the kidney of the chick the phosphorylation of mevalonic acid was studied in the early steps of development. In both tissues no significant differences were found in the amount of phosphomevalonic acid formed until 4 days, but a sharp decrease between 4 and 6 days was observed. The amount of pyrophosphomevalonic acid formed showed some change with age, but this change was relatively small when compared with the changes in the phosphomevalonic acid formed. According to the function of the brain and the kidney in the sterol and nonsterol pathways in the metabolism of mevalonic acid during neonatal development of chick, an important role for the mevalonate kinase during myelination can be suggested.