Abstract
A fluorometric method for determination of glutathione reductase activity in microgram samples of tissue, i.e., microtome sections, based on measurement of the decrease of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate due to its oxidation on reaction with oxidized glutathione, was developed and applied to the quantitative histologic distribution of the enzyme in the adrenal gland of the rat. Single subcutaneous injections of adrenocorticotropin in saline solution (25 mg/kg) produced little change of enzyme activity in any of the histologic zones, although there was some tendency for the peak activity to shift from fasciculata to the fascicular-reticular border region. The possible interrelationship of glutathione reductase with ascorbic acid and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate in adrenal function was considered.