Principal substrates of fetal metabolism.

FC Battaglia, G Meschia - Physiological reviews, 1978 - journals.physiology.org
FC Battaglia, G Meschia
Physiological reviews, 1978journals.physiology.org
The requirements of a growing organism such as the mammalian fetus include both the fuels
of energy transformation and the building materials for the production of new tissue. In this
review we attempt to summarize present knowledge about the quantity and types of
substrates that the fetus and some of the fetal organs use as major sources of energy and as
major sources of carbon and nitrogen used for new tissue growth. The fetus makes contact
with the maternal organism via the placenta. In some species (eg, rabbit) the modality of …
The requirements of a growing organism such as the mammalian fetus include both the fuels of energy transformation and the building materials for the production of new tissue. In this review we attempt to summarize present knowledge about the quantity and types of substrates that the fetus and some of the fetal organs use as major sources of energy and as major sources of carbon and nitrogen used for new tissue growth. The fetus makes contact with the maternal organism via the placenta. In some species (eg, rabbit) the modality of contact is complex, for it is made via two types of placentas that are perfused by two separate fetal circulations, the chorioallantoic and the vitelline (31). However, in most species the umbilical circulation is the only avenue by which the fetal body acquires substrates from the placenta and the maternal environment. For the sake of precision, note that even in these species some molecules can reach the fetus via another route: namely, molecules may enter the amniotic cavity via the uterine mucosa and be taken up by the fetus either through the skin or by swallowing. There is no evidence that this route is of any quantitative importance in comparison with the umbilical route. Therefore in this review the expressions “umbilical uptake of substrate” and “fetal
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