INTRACELLULAR AMINO-ACID-CONCENTRATIONS IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC RENAL-INSUFFICIENCY

We studied amino acid concentrations in granulocytes and plasma of 24 children with chronic renal failure and 15 healthy children. Granulocy tes were isolated from 10 mi of blood using a dextran-Ficoll-Hypaque p rocedure. Intracellular levels of leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phe nylalanine, lysine, histidine, tyrosine, and arginine were significant ly lower in children with chronic renal failure than healthy children. There were no significant differences in intracellular and plasma ami no acid concentrations between children with chronic renal failure on a well-balanced protein-restricted diet and children with chronic rena l failure with a normal protein intake.