Lipid pattern and Na(+)-K (+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase activity in the salt gland of duck before and after adaptation to hypertonic saline.

Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were fed hypertonic saline for eight days, resulting in an activation and hypertrophy of the salt gland. The Na(+)-K(+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase, an enzyme generally assumed to be part of the active Na transport system, increased its specific activity by about 200% during this activation. Sulfatides, the major glycolipids of the salt gland, increased their concentration to the same extent. Cholesterol, cerebrosides, and six phospholipid classes showed an increase of 20-80%.