Abstract
A remarkable reticulocytosis was induced in rabbits by the injection of acetylphenylhydrazine. The comparison between the mature erythrocyte and the reticulocyte was made in the activities of the enzymes including aldolase, lactic dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and in the contents of reduced glutathione and of pyridine nucleotide.
1) Aldolase: The reticulocyte has approximately 8 to 10 times higher activity than the mature erythrocyte.
2) Lactic dehydrogenase: The reticulocyte has approximately 4 times higher activity than the mature erythrocyte.
3) Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase: The reticulocyte has approximately 6 times higher activity than the mature erythrocyte.
4) Reduced glutathione: The reticulocyte has approximately 3 times higher content than the mature erythrocyte.
5) Pyridine nucleotide: The reticulocyte has approximately 3 times higher content than the mature erythrocyte.
6) The utilization of glucose by the reticulocyte is far greater as compared with that by the mature erythrocyte.
These results suggest that the reticulocyte has more active metabolism of glucose through the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and the pentose phosphate pathway, as compared with the mature erythrocyte.
