Studies on Hypoxia. VII. Effect of Prenatal Anoxia on Leucine- 3 H Incorporation of Neonatal Rat Pancreas and Submandibular Gland 1

Abstract

Summary

A radioautographic study has been made of the effect of prenatal exposure of rats to anoxia on leucine-³H incorporation by the pancreas and submandibular gland. Pregnant rats were subjected to anoxia on day 12, 15, or 18 of gestation period. On delivery the offsprings were given an injection of leucine-³H and sacrificed at 15, 60, or 120 min later. Pieces of the pancreas and submandibular gland were double-embedded, sectioned, and prepared for radioautography in a routine manner. Silver grains were counted over exocrine cells and compared with grain numbers obtained from appropriate control. Results indicate the following: (i) The incorporation of leucine-,³H in control rats goes on at a greater rate in the pancreas than in the submandibular gland. (ii) The submandibular gland is the more profoundly affected of the two, despite the higher rate of leucine-³H incorporation in the pancreas, (iii) In both organs there is a protracted suppression of leucine-³H incorporation which supports previous histologic data.