{"title":"Influence of gastrointestinal (GI) hormones on suckling, gastric emptying and pancreatic trypsin content in the developing rat.","authors":"K Kisfalvi, F Hajnal, G Varga, M Papp","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Unlabelled: </strong>Aim of this study was to investigate how gastrointestinal hormones such as exogenous s.c. caerulein (6 micrograms/kg body weight), secretin (100 U/kg body weight), bombesin (20 micrograms/kg body weight, s.c.), CCK-8 (10 micrograms/kg body weight, i.p.), the CCK-A receptor antagonist L 364,718 (100 micrograms/kg body weight, i.p.), camostate (400 mg/kg body weight per os) which releases endogenous CCK and the coadministration of camostate with atropin (250 micrograms/kg body weight, s.c) or L 364,718 (1 mg/kg) influence milk intake from nipples, gastric emptying, and discharge of pancreatic trypsin content in 10-day-old rat pups. Saline-treated pups served as controls. The non-fasting Wistar rat pups of both sexes were used in littermate order. The suckling lasted for 30 and 45 min, respectively. One pup was used only once. After suckling the pups were decapitated, their stomach and pancreas were removed and weighed. The gastric food content was regarded as intake of milk and expressed as difference between the filled minus empty stomach. Pancreatic trypsin and protein content, plasma CCK level were measured. The exogenous agents did not influence gastric content. The investigated peptides decreased, L 364,718, however, increased the pancreatic trypsin/protein ratio. Camostate increased gastric content by 60% and decreased pancreatic trypsin/protein ratio vs saline by 90%. The gastric and pancreatic effects of camostate were not reversed by atropine or L 364,718.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Exogenous and endogenous CCK seem not to influence milk intake while decrease pancreatic trypsin/protein ratio. However, endogenous CCK inhibit gastric emptying. The plasma CCK level was elevated due to the applied CCK-8 and camostate during the observed suckling period.</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 4","pages":"149-55"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19082411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Star volume estimates of the intervillous clefts in the human placenta: how changes in umbilical arterial pressure might influence the maternal placental circulation.","authors":"A L Karimu, G J Burton","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study estimated the mean volume of the clefts between adjacent villi in the normal term human placenta, and the effect on this of increasing the fetal perfusion pressure, using a new stereological tool called the 'star volume estimator'. This enables the measurement of irregular and complex structures, including both particles and cavities, in a mathematically defined and unbiased manner. To achieve this, a total of ten term placentae delivered by caesarean section were obtained. Four fetal arteries supplying opposite quadrants of the placental disc were perfusion-fixed under standard pressures of 40, 60, 80 and 100 mmHg respectively. Stereological estimates relating to the star volume of the clefts between the villi, and to the volume density of the intervillous space were obtained. There was a significant rise in the star volume of the intervillous clefts from 26.8 x 10(4) m3 at 40 mm Hg to 75.1 x 10(4) m3 at 100 mmHg (F = 75, df = 1.38, P < 0.05). The volume density of the intervillous space remained unchanged, thus obviating the possibility of fluid leakage into the intervillous space accounting for this change. It is concluded that the fetal vasculature provides hydraulic support to the villous tree, and that changes in the umbilical perfusion pressure can therefore alter the disposition of the villi within the intervillous space. As fetal blood pressure rises, for example during acute hypoxic episodes, the villi will move apart. The enlargement of the clefts between adjacent villi will have a secondary effect upon the maternal circulation, promoting more even perfusion of the intervillous space at higher overall flow rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 3","pages":"137-42"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19083107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Changes in uterine G-protein content during pregnancy in the guinea pig.","authors":"H Warsop, A Khouja, D P Wichelhaus, C T Jones","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>G-protein content (G(i) alpha, Gs alpha, Gq/11 alpha G(o) alpha and beta subunits) has been measured in membranes prepared from guinea pig uterus at different stages of pregnancy using SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Quantification using HRP- or 125I-labelled IgG as second antibody showed a good correlation between added membrane protein and measured G-protein content. Gs alpha appears as two bands of 45 kDa and 52 kDa respectively, the content of both were comparatively high in the non-pregnant uterus and fell about 4-fold close to term (60-67 days). G(i) alpha showed the converse with low level in membranes from the non-pregnant uterus with level approximately 6-fold higher by term. G(o) alpha exhibited changes similar to G(i) alpha. The changes in the content of Gq/11 alpha where biphasic, with comparatively high levels in membranes from the non-pregnant uterus, a sharp fall early in pregnancy followed by a 3-fold rise by near term. The uterine membrane content of the common beta subunit exhibited changes comparable to that of G(i) alpha and G(o) alpha with a 6-fold rise in content between non- and late-pregnant. Measurement of the effect of GTP gamma S action on phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C activity in uterine membranes with exogenous substrate showed pregnancy-dependent effects. In membranes from the non-pregnant uterus 0.1 microM GTP gamma S caused a modest stimulation of activity of 16 +/- 1.9%, whilst at 100 microM it inhibited the enzyme by 25 +/- 6.48%. In membranes from the late-pregnant guinea pig uterus GTP gamma S at both concentrations caused stimulation of enzyme activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 3","pages":"91-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19082408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The roles of arginine vasopressin in fetal sodium balance and as a mediator of the effects of fetal \"stress\".","authors":"K J Gibson, E R Lumbers","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To see if arginine vasopressin (AVP) influenced fetal sodium balance, we infused AVP i.v. (45 mU h-1 kg-1) into two groups of chronically catheterized fetal sheep. One group had urinary osmolalities of 147 +/- 23 mosm kg-1 (SEM, n = 6) and the other group had higher urinary osmolalities (339 +/- 3 mosm kg-1, n = 4, P < 0.001). The group with high urinary osmolalities had higher systolic pressures (P < 0.05), higher glomerular filtration rates (GFR; P < 0.05), and higher urinary electrolyte excretion rates (P < 0.05), but lower membrane blood flows (P < 0.05) and lower fractional reabsorption of sodium by the proximal tubule (P < 0.01). In the group with low urinary osmolalities, AVP caused a rise in arterial blood pressure (P < 0.001), a fall in heart rate (P < 0.001), a fall in membrane blood flow (P < 0.02), but no change in placental or renal blood flow. Renal sodium excretion increased (P < 0.001) because GFR rose (P < 0.001) and proximal fractional sodium reabsorption fell (P < 0.001). Distal fractional sodium reabsorption increased (P < 0.001), but not enough to compensate for the fall in proximal fractional reabsorption. Lung liquid flow decreased (P = 0.006), as did lung liquid sodium excretion (P = 0.002). There were no changes in fetal plasma sodium, blood volume or haematocrit. The effects of AVP infusion were similar in the group with high urinary osmolalities. This study shows that high levels of AVP, such as occur in fetal \"stress\", have widespread effects on fetal cardiovascular, renal and lung functions. The characteristic profile of the fetuses with high urinary osmolalities prior to AVP infusion could be entirely explained by high endogenous AVP levels and AVP could possibly be a sole mediator of these widespread effects of fetal \"stress\". Furthermore, although during infusion of AVP sodium excretion increased, blood volumes did not change. Therefore, the fetuses must have accessed additional sodium from either their extracellular fluids, the amniotic and/or allantoic cavities or across the placenta.</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 3","pages":"125-36"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19083106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S F Guiang, J A Widness, K B Flanagan, R L Schmidt, W J Radmer, M K Georgieff
{"title":"The relationship between fetal arterial oxygen saturation and heart and skeletal muscle myoglobin concentrations in the ovine fetus.","authors":"S F Guiang, J A Widness, K B Flanagan, R L Schmidt, W J Radmer, M K Georgieff","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Myoglobin, a hemoprotein found in abundance in the muscle of postnatal animals, increases in concentration in response to hypoxia, thereby protecting tissue from damage. Fetuses exposed to intrauterine hypoxemia are also susceptible to organ damage, but the response of fetal muscle myoglobin to hypoxemia is unknown. To study whether fetal muscle myoglobin concentrations are elevated following intrauterine hypoxemia, we exposed eight chronically catheterized late gestation sheep to a wide range of fetal oxygen levels over 15 to 30 days and correlated the level of fetal oxygenation with heart and skeletal muscle myoglobin concentrations measured at sacrifice. A lower level of fetal oxygenation, expressed as the integrated area under the arterial saturation (SaO2)-time curve, was associated with greater myocardial myoglobin concentration (r = 0.90; P < 0.01). This relationship was not observed for skeletal muscle (r = 0.43; P = ns). A lower level of fetal oxygenation was associated with lower myoglobin:iron (w/w) ratio in skeletal muscle (r = 0.71; P < 0.03), implying less incorporation of iron into myoglobin. A similar relationship was not apparent for cardiac tissue. The higher myocardial myoglobin concentrations found in the more hypoxic fetuses were consistent with previous observations in postnatal animals. This likely represents an intracellular compensatory mechanism for sustaining short-term mitochondrial oxygen delivery in a critical organ with a high rate of oxygen consumption. The lack of myoglobin responsiveness to hypoxia in fetal skeletal muscle may be due to its much lower oxygen consumption rate and activity level.</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 3","pages":"99-104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19082409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Role of heart mass in the developmental changes of ventricular fibrillation threshold and spontaneous defibrillation in young dogs.","authors":"F A Kralios, C K Millar, A C Kralios","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the course of studying developmental changes of induction and maintenance of ventricular fibrillation in canine pups, we have documented that at about the third week of age, hearts reach a critical point where ventricular fibrillation may become both inducible and sustainable, thus forming the basis for cardiac arrhythmic death. Since age-related variations of cardiac mass may account for these findings, this study was conducted to systematically investigate the role of changing heart mass on the induction and maintenance of ventricular fibrillation in the canine heart, during the early postnatal development. Repetitive determinations of ventricular fibrillation threshold and individual incidence of spontaneous defibrillation were obtained in 87 puppies 1-6 weeks old, from litters of varied body size breeds, studied at weekly intervals. Overall, ventricular fibrillation threshold correlated positively with ventricular weight (VFTmA = 3.30 + 1.27 Vwtg, r = 0.71). However the slopes were steeper and correlations were stronger for the first, second and sixth week and nonsignificant in the fourth and fifth weeks. The ventricular fibrillation to ventricular weight ratio also varied with age (P < 0.01). Spontaneous defibrillation occurred at least once in 68 of the puppies (78%). In general, spontaneous defibrillation was more likely to occur in hearts weighing less than 9 grams (P < 0.01), but the overall correlation of the decreasing defibrillation incidence to increasing weight was weak (SDF % = 48.6-0.90 Vwtg, r = 0.106). Spontaneous defibrillation was not observed at any age or weight in two litters, totaling 9 puppies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 3","pages":"119-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19083105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
B S Richardson, L Carmichael, J Homan, J E Patrick
{"title":"Cerebral oxidative metabolism in fetal sheep with prolonged and graded hypoxemia.","authors":"B S Richardson, L Carmichael, J Homan, J E Patrick","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cerebral oxidative metabolism and associated circulatory responses were determined in 14 unanesthetized fetal sheep near term, during a normoxic control period and subsequently, during four days of prolonged and graded hypoxemia induced by progressively lowering maternal inspired oxygen concentration with 1-2% CO2 added; first day 18%, second day 16%, third day 12-14%, fourth day 10-12%. Preductal arterial and sagittal vein blood samples were analyzed for oxygen content, blood gas tensions and pH. Regional blood flow was measured with a microsphere technique. Cerebral blood flow increased in a stepwise manner with the graded reduction in fetal arterial O2 saturation and continued to be well predicted by blood gas and metabolic alterations, with no adaptive change evident. Cerebral oxidative metabolism remained little changed with chronically induced hypoxemia until arterial O2 saturation was less than 30% and with fetal acidemia evident when decreased to 70% of normoxic control values. Whether the decrease in oxidative metabolism by the brain at this time represents an adaptive response whereby growth and functional alterations lead to a decrease in nonessential energy utilization or rather a pathological change, remains to be determined.</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 2","pages":"77-83"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19394735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Thyroxine and fetal blood coagulation: a fetal lamb study.","authors":"C T Kisker, D Bohlken, W R Clarke","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Glucocorticoids have been shown to accelerate the development of blood coagulation in the fetal lamb (Kisker, Robillard & Bohlken, 1983). The current studies examine the influence of high levels of triiodothyronine (T3) on the development of blood coagulation in the fetal lamb. Eight twin fetal lambs were studied during the last trimester of pregnancy (109-138 days gestation) using chronically placed arterial and venous catheters for infusion of T3 and withdrawal of blood samples. One fetus of each twin was infused intravenously with T3 at a constant rate of 0.6 micrograms T3/0.4 ml/h for 48 h. The other twin was infused with 5% dextrose at 0.4 ml/h for 48 h. Blood samples for measuring PT, PTT, TT, fibrinogen, factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII were obtained prior to and at the completion of the infusions. The results were analyzed for differences between the samples from paired control and T3 treated animals. Factor V significantly decreased in the T3 infused animals from 51.2% +/- 12.5% to 44.8% +/- 13.8% (P = 0.038). Factor VII also decreased in the treated animals 57.8% +/- 20% to 43.6% +/- 10.8%, but the changes were not statistically significant (P = 0.06). Factor XII significantly increased in the treated animals from 37% +/- 10.5% to 45% +/- 13.7% (P = 0.004). High levels of T3 in third trimester fetal lambs are accompanied by a moderate decrease in factor V and an increase in factor XII activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 2","pages":"57-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19394731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Phospholipase A2 and arachidonic acid release from permeabilised myometrial cells from guinea pig uterus.","authors":"A Khouja, C T Jones","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The release of arachidonic acid and inositol polyphosphates from permeabilised myocytes derived from guinea pig uterus has been studied. Both are enhanced by free calcium at 100 nM and 10 microM and particularly by 50 microM GTP gamma S. To distinguish between the contributions of phospholipase C and A2 to the release of arachidonic acid the phospholipase C inhibitor neomycin was used. At 1 and 10 mM, but not at 0.1 mM, neomycin caused effective inhibition of inositol polyphosphate release of over 95%. Neomycin (1 mM) also reversed GTP gamma S-stimulated, but not calcium-stimulated release of arachidonic acid. This action was reflected in changes in [3H]arachidonic acid labelling of the membrane phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine pools, which were depressed by over 20% on the addition of 50 microM GTP gamma S, an effect completely reversed by 1 mM neomycin. The effects of neomycin were much more pronounced on inositol phosphate than on arachidonic acid release. The ability of 1 mM neomycin to inhibit arachidonic acid release was reversed by addition of 1 microM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, implying a role for protein kinase C activation in stimulation of arachidonic acid release. Measurement of phospholipase A2 activity with 1-stearoyl 2-arachidonoyl phosphatidylcholine as exogenous substrate demonstrated the ability of 1 and 10 mM neomycin to inhibit the enzyme particularly when it was maximally activated with 1 mM free calcium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 2","pages":"61-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19394732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ontogeny of a circadian rhythm in body temperature in newborn lambs reared independently of maternal time cues.","authors":"T L Davidson, J E Fewell","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To investigate the ontogeny of a circadian rhythm in body temperature, we performed 24-h temperature measurements at six postnatal ages in ten newborn lambs reared independently of their ewes. At 18 to 48 h of age, a significant time-of-day variation in body temperature was found, the variation achieving a peak between 5.00 pm and 6.00 pm. Over the next two weeks, this time-of-day variation disappeared, reappearing at 18 days of age, although the phase had shifted such that the peak temperature was achieved between 8.00 am and 9.00 am. At 26 days of age, the time-of-day variation in body temperature was still present, maintaining the same phase relationship as at 18 days of age. It is possible that the significant time-of-day variation observed in the two oldest groups is due to the emergence of a discernable circadian rhythm in body temperature entrained to the light-dark cycle during the second or third week of life, whereas the time-of-day variation observed in the 18 to 48-h old is due to residual effects of entrainment to maternal zeitgebers. We speculate that the lack of any observable time-of-day variation in the 4, 6 and 11 days-old lambs may denote the presence of no rhythm or possibly a free-running rhythm in body temperature in subjects not yet able to entrain to photic zeitgebers.</p>","PeriodicalId":15572,"journal":{"name":"Journal of developmental physiology","volume":"19 2","pages":"51-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1993-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"19394730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}