High activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in Kupffer cells isolated from rat liver.

Sinusoidal cells in the rat liver react intensively for G6DPH activity after appropriate incubation (Rieder et al. 1978). After isolation and purification of the sinusoidal Kupffer and endothelial cells, it was demonstrated that Kupffer cells exhibit a 5-8 times higher G6PDH activity on a per cell basis by comparison with endothelial cells, while the specific G6PDH activity was 3-4 times higher in Kupffer cells. The Kupffer cells can be divided into two groups which differ significantly in G6PDH activity calculated on a per cell basis. In histochemical studies, G6PDH can be used as a marker for Kupffer cell identification.