1. The enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway were assayed in supernatant fractions from rat muscle, liver and uterus. 2. On incubation of ribose 5-phosphate with uterus and liver supernatants, triose phosphate, sedoheptulose 7-phosphate and hexose monophosphate accumulated. 3. When a muscle supernatant was used, glycerol 3-phosphate instead of triose phosphate appeared and there was a negligible accumulation of hexose monophosphate. 4. Hexose monophosphate production from ribose 5-phosphate was also followed by measuring NADP+ reduction in the presence of an excess of phosphoglucose isomerase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. 5. With a muscle supernatant, NADPH was reoxidized as rapidly as it was formed owing to the presence of a NADPH–triose phosphate oxidoreductase. 6. A modification of the pentose phosphate pathway in skeletal muscle incorporating this enzyme is proposed.
