LIVER TRANSGLUTAMINASES AND VITAMIN-A-DEFICIENCY IN HAIRLESS MICE

In hairless mice, a moderate vitamin-A deficiency, without any clinica l signs or weight changes, reduces the activity of soluble cytoplasmic hepatic transglutaminase without affecting the membrame form of the e nzyme. This attack of soluble transglutaminase appears to be a biologi cal marker of early deficiency. The relations between this disturbance and the hepatocyte sensitivity to aggressors at this stage are discus sed.