ATP-consuming processes in hepatocytes of river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis on the course of prespawning starvation.

The work was performed to establish which of the major ATP-consuming processes is the most important for surviving of hepatocytes of female lampreys on the course of prespawning starvation. The requirements of protein synthesis and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase for ATP in the cells were monitored by the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in the presence of corresponding inhibitors from the peak of metabolic depression (January-February) to the time of recovery from it (March-April) and spawning (May). Integrity of lamprey liver cells was estimated by catalytic activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in blood plasma.