Abstract
Although the lung is active metabolically during late fetal development and in the immediate postnatal period because of large energy requirements for growth and the synthesis of surfaces active phospholipids, there is little information available concerning substrate oxidations by the developing lung. We have measured the capacity of lung slices obtained from 17 day fetuses to adults to oxidize glucose and fatty acids. Glucose oxidation to CO2 decreased between 17 and 20 days of fetal development. Coincident with birth CO2 production from glucose increased and remained constant until weaning when activity again increased possibly in association with the shift to higher carbohydrate intake. The ratio of glucose -1-14C: Glucose -6-1414C oxidation to 14CO2 was highest during late fetal development suggesting increased glucose oxidation via the pentose phosphate pathway at that time Oxidation of palmitate in fetal, newborn and adult lung was negligible even in the presence of carnitine. However, oxidation of capric acid (10 carbon) was significant and increased from 55 n moles/g/hr at 17 days gestation to 130 n moles/g/hr by the 5th postnatal day. Activity then declined to adult levels which were approximately 25% that of glucose oxidation. The data suggests that while the developing lung can oxidize glucose and medium chain fatty acids, palmitate oxidation is limited possibly because of requirements for its utilization as a substrate for pulmonary lecithin.
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Warshaw, J., Terry, M. GLUCOSE AND FATTY ACID OXIDATION BY DEVELOPING LUNG. Pediatr Res 11, 413 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00263
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00263