Biomaterial Database

Bilirubin, UDP-glucuronyl transferase of liver in postmature rats. A functional and morphologic comparison. 1981

J O Cukier, and P F Whitington, and G B Odell

Postmaturity was induced in dated pregnancies in Wistar rats by daily injection of 25 units of chorionic gonadotrophin, beginning on day 18 of gestational life. Animals were either delivered operatively on day 23 of postconceptual age or allowed to deliver spontaneously on day 24 by stopping the gonadotrophin. The hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity (E.C.2.4.1.17) was quantitated in these animals and compared with that of control animals of normal gestations operatively and spontaneously delivered of similar postconceptual age. Normal animals at birth have very little hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity, but it rapidly achieves adult activities in the first 4 days of neonatal life. In contrast, the postmature animals of 23 and 24 days of postconceptual age exhibited marked suppression of the hepatic bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity, but they exhibited rapid neonatal maturation after delivery. The ultrastructure of the hepatocytes from the postmature rats of 24 days postconceptual age exhibited the same paucity of smooth endoplasmic reticulum of 21-day rats, which is in striking contrast to of postnatal life. The findings are interpreted to suggest that the intrauterine milieu actually suppresses fetal maturation of liver function.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008099	Liver	A large lobed glandular organ in the abdomen of vertebrates that is responsible for detoxification, metabolism, synthesis and storage of various substances.	Livers
D008297	Male		Males
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D004721	Endoplasmic Reticulum	A system of cisternae in the CYTOPLASM of many cells. In places the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the plasma membrane (CELL MEMBRANE) or outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. If the outer surfaces of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes are coated with ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum is said to be rough-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, ROUGH); otherwise it is said to be smooth-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, SMOOTH). (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Ergastoplasm,Reticulum, Endoplasmic
D005260	Female		Females
D006063	Chorionic Gonadotropin	A gonadotropic glycoprotein hormone produced primarily by the PLACENTA. Similar to the pituitary LUTEINIZING HORMONE in structure and function, chorionic gonadotropin is involved in maintaining the CORPUS LUTEUM during pregnancy. CG consists of two noncovalently linked subunits, alpha and beta. Within a species, the alpha subunit is virtually identical to the alpha subunits of the three pituitary glycoprotein hormones (TSH, LH, and FSH), but the beta subunit is unique and confers its biological specificity (CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN, BETA SUBUNIT, HUMAN).	Chorionic Gonadotropin, Human,HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin),Biogonadil,Choriogonadotropin,Choriogonin,Chorulon,Gonabion,Human Chorionic Gonadotropin,Pregnyl,Gonadotropin, Chorionic,Gonadotropin, Human Chorionic
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000831	Animals, Newborn	Refers to animals in the period of time just after birth.	Animals, Neonatal,Animal, Neonatal,Animal, Newborn,Neonatal Animal,Neonatal Animals,Newborn Animal,Newborn Animals
D001663	Bilirubin	A bile pigment that is a degradation product of HEME.	Bilirubin IX alpha,Bilirubin, (15E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, (4E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, (4E,15E)-Isomer,Bilirubin, Calcium Salt,Bilirubin, Disodium Salt,Bilirubin, Monosodium Salt,Calcium Bilirubinate,Hematoidin,delta-Bilirubin,Bilirubinate, Calcium,Calcium Salt Bilirubin,Disodium Salt Bilirubin,Monosodium Salt Bilirubin,Salt Bilirubin, Calcium,delta Bilirubin