CREATINE-KINASE IN CATTLE - A REVIEW

In cattle, as in other species of mammals, creatine kinase (CK, EC 2.7 .3.2) is almost specific of skeletal muscles, myocardium, intestine an d brain. The MM isoenzyme constitues most of CK in skeletal muscles an d myocardium and is also the main plasma isoenzyme but the fractionnat ion of plasma CK isoenzymes has no current routine use. Reference valu es depend on the technque. With the IFCC (Federation Internationale de Chimie Clinique) recommended procedure, activities are lower than 100 Un in adults. Plasma half-life is short, about 8 to 9 hours, and musc le concentration high, about 2 to 5 000 U/g fresh muscle. CK thus is a sensitive, early and shea-lived marker of muscle damage whatever its etiology : trauma, physical exercise, decubitus, intramuscular injecti ons, intoxications, nutritional myopathies, ...