Assay of the Nutritive Value of a Protein by its Effect on Liver Cytoplasm

Abstract

THE fact that the cytoplasm content of the liver cell is determined by the quality and quantity of the dietary protein has recently been utilized for the assay of the nutritive value of a protein¹. A measure of the cytoplasm content of the liver cell was obtained by estimating either non-glycogen non-lipid liver solids or liver protein per 100 gm. body-weight in female rats. It was then suggested that the variability of the method might be reduced by referring the amount of liver protein not to 100 gm. body-weight but to liver deoxyribonucleic acid, the only constituent of the liver which appears to be independent of variations in dietary protein². The possibility of using male instead of female rats was also considered.