DIFFERENCE IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT PEPTIDES AND AMINO-ACIDS IN NORMAL AND MALIGNANT-CELLS AND TISSUES

The amount of low molecular weight amino acids and peptides measured i n the form amino acids released by hydrolysis was found to be very low in malignant tissues and cell lines compared to normal tissues and ce ll lines. The ratios of acid soluble proteins to these low molecular w eight compounds were statistically different in normal and malignant c ells. The difference may reflect faster growth, greater membrane perme ability or other aspects of the malignant process itself.