Forms of ceruloplasmin in developing piglets

Abstract

Ceruloplasmin was purified and resolved into two forms, ceruloplasmin I and ceruloplasmin II, according to the order of elution by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, hydroxylapatite and Sephadex G-150 from pigs ranging in age from 2 days to 10 weeks. The sera of the 2-day-old pigs contained only one form of ceruloplasmin, ceruloplasmin II. As the pigs grew older and the overall level of ceruloplasmin increased, the amount of ceruloplasmin II remained relatively constant, while the level of ceruloplasmin I increased dramatically. The two forms of ceruloplasmin differed in their specific enzymatic activity towards p- phenylenediamine and in their copper content, with ceruloplasmin I being the greater in both cases.