TABLE 3.
Plasma ammonia levels of wild-type, heterozygous, and arginase AI-deficient mice
| Genotype | Phenotype | Mean ammonia concn (μmol/liter)a |
|---|---|---|
| AI+/+ | Normal | 554.10 ± 124.22 |
| AI+/− | Normal | 441.23 ± 95.88 |
| AI−/− | Liver arginase-deficient (terminal crisis) | 4,792.60 ± 1,021.02 |
a
Plasma ammonia values reported for phenotypically normal animals are the means measured in three animals each, whereas those for the AI-deficient animals are the averages of eight measurements. Normal plasma ammonia levels in humans are 12 to 47 μmol/liter. In comparison, normal ammonia levels in mice were much higher (20), at 412 μmol/liter, similar to the values we obtained for our phenotypically normal mice.