Abstract
The optimal conditions for the evaluation of serum ornithine carbamyltransferase activity, based on the do-termination of citrulline formed during the enzymatic reaction, were investigated and the serum ornithine carbamyltransferase activity of cattle were surveyed. Barbital-acetate buffer(70m moles/L, pH 7.0 at $37^{\circ}C$) were usea for the entire experiment. The results were as follows. 1. When the concentration of $H_2SO_4$ in color reagent exceeds 3.0 m1/100m1 the serum protein precipitated and absorbance increased. 2. The concentrations of antipyrine and diacetylmonoxime required for maximal color formation were 1g/L and 5g/L, respectively. 3. The absorbance was maximal when the reaction mixture was boiled for 25 minutes. 4. The chromogen were stable for at least 60 minutes under loon lighting condition, but decolorized rapidly under direct sunlight. 5. The minimal concentration of urease solution(Sigma Chemical Co., Type III) required for elimination of serum urea was 0, 6mg/ml. 6. When the concentration of L-ornithine solution increased up to 22m moles/L, the ornithine carbamyltransferase activity was not inhibited by zwitterion of ornithine. 7. In accordance with the increase of carbamylphosphate concentration the ornithine carbamyltransferase activity increased and the nonenzymatic citrulline production also increased slightly. 8. The standard curve of citrulline revealed linear pattern within the range of this experiment (0.1~4.0m moles/L). 9. The ornithine carbamyltransferase activities of normal cattle investigated in this laboratory were 6.85$\pm$4.38U/L (mean$\pm$SD) in cows and 2.89$\pm$2.50U/L in bulls. The range of the activities were 0.39～29.12U/L in cows and 0.06~17.34U/L in bulls.
