Correlation between G-6-PDH Activity of the Erythrocytes and the Sex Chromatin Frequency in the Somatic Cells in New-Born Girls

Abstract

It was demonstrated in investigations performed in 44 new-born girls, that the G-6-PDH activity of the erythrocytes gradually decreases up to the seventh day of life. This process goes hand in hand with the increase of sex chromatin, i.e. of heterochromaticchromosomes. These phenomena can be indirectly ascribed to the estrogens. No similar changes in enzyme activity were found in 28 new-born boys investigated as controls.