Ontogenic characteristics of lactate dehydrogenase turnover in the mouse.

1. In order to investigate the ontogenic and turnover characteristics of lactate dehydrogenase (L-lactate:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.27) in the foetal mouse, activities of this enzyme and isoenzyme distributions have been measured during development, and the time sequence of incorporation of radioactive amino acids have been determined during the last weeks of gestation. 2. In the early foetal stages, the enzyme was present with low specific activity and in the form of lactate dehydrogenase-5 in all regions, but a marked increase in specific activity became evident about the seventeenth day of gestation, and was accompanied by the formation of tissue specific patterns of isoenzyme distribution. 3. Measurement of turnover parameters was undertaken by both double-label ([3H] and [14C]leucine) and pulse-chase ([3H]leucine) techniques. Both procedures provided indications that appreciable degradation may occur during embryogenesis, with general proteolysis proceeding at a faster rate than with lactate dehydrogenase, and with higher rates of degradation occurring in foetuses which were smaller than average. 4. This data has been discussed in relation to the regional variation in these characteristics and the significance to studies of growth and differentiation.