[Age-related changes in ATPase activity from rat salivary glands].

The ATP hydrolysis by homogenates of oral cavity mucosa, parotid, mandibular and sublingual glands of rats was studied depending on the animal age (1,3 and 12 months). In all the studied tissues the souring of incubation medium due to ATP hydrolysis is followed by its subsequent alkalization up to the initial pH. The alkalization rate increases with the animal age and by 12 months reaches its constant value (within 22.5 +/- 4.1-25.7 +/- 7.5 ng-ion H3 per 1 mg of protein for 1 min). The observed effect evidences for an increase in the mitochondrial membrane permeability of the studied tissues with the animal age.