Prostaglandin Biosynthesis in the Tissue Homogenates of Marine Animals

Abstract

The prostaglandin synthetase activity in fish and marine invertebrates was measured by the incubation of ¹⁴C-labeled dihomo-γ-linolenic acid with a tissue homogenate. The tissues of sea-squirt, crab, bivalves and carp have a synthetic activity of prostaglandins from dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, but the yields of prostaglandins were generally low (<10% conversion) compared with those of the renal medulla of rabbit (about 20%). Of the tissues, the moderate activity was observed in gill and mantle, whereas the activity was very low in gonad. Some unidentified products from the incubation mixture were detected by autoradiography.