MadSci Network: Biochemistry
Query:

Re: Why is there so much catalase in the kidney?

Date: Tue Apr 3 23:14:55 2001
Posted By: Greta Hardin, Secondary School Teacher, Science
Area of science: Biochemistry
ID: 985545035.Bc
Message:

Catalse in the Kidney

	I confess I do not know this as a fact, but I am reasoning it out based 
on my knowledge of Biochemistry and Biology.
The liver deals with "poisons" in the blood, and other waste products.  So 
it makes sense that catalase is present in large amounts.  Use the same 
reasoning with the rest of your liquidised tissues.  What is the job of the 
kidneys?  To deal with waste products filtered out of the blood - which I am 
sure contains a reasonably large amount of peroxides (which catalase is 
designed to break down into O2 and H2O).  Therefore it is sensible that 
kidney tissue contains plenty of catalase.  
	The other tissues you tested - muscle and heart (another muscle after 
all) are employed in using energy.  Certainly, they will need to dispose of 
a small bit of local H2O2, but movement, not waste disposal is their job.  
The tissues mainly invoved in liquid waste processing (liver and kidneys) 
should have lots of catalase.
	I am not surprised all the info was on the liver... once a classic 
experiment gets around... it can take over. 

Hope this helps - 
Greta



Current Queue | Current Queue for Biochemistry | Biochemistry archives

Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Biochemistry.



MadSci Home | Information | Search | Random Knowledge Generator | MadSci Archives | Mad Library | MAD Labs | MAD FAQs | Ask a ? | Join Us! | Help Support MadSci


MadSci Network, webadmin@www.madsci.org
© 1995-2001. All rights reserved.