Red cell enzymes—IV. A comparative study of red blood cells from various species of marsupials in Australia

Abstract

1. 1. An investigation was undertaken to measure the level of activities of 13 different enzymes of the Embden-Meyerhof and pentose phosphate pathways of glucose metabolism in the red blood cells of animals of nine species of marsupials representative of four families. 2. 2. The results indicate that there are considerable differences in the levels of the enzymes associated with glucose metabolism in the red blood cells of different species of marsupials. 3. 3. Grey kangaroos had strikingly high activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in their red cells. 4. 4. Koala's red cells were found to have considerably higher activity of glucose phosphate isomerase, aldolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase than other marsupials. 5. 5. Long-nosed bandicoots had significantly higher activities of six different red cell enzymes than short-nosed bandicoots. 6. 6. The findings are discussed in relation to enzymology of eutherian red cells.