Longissimus muscle and plasma enzymes and metabolites in fetally decapitated pigs
Kraeling, R.R.; Rampacek, G.B.; Campion, D.R.; Richardson, R.L.
Growth 42(4): 457-468
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0017-4793 PMID: 750309 Document Number: 127941
Fetuses of 9 gilts were decapitated (D) in utero and fetuses of 8 gilts were sham operated (C) at 43-47 days of pregnancy. At 110 days, 1 fetus from each gilt was studied. Heart, liver, kidney, thyroid and body wts, were recorded. Thyroids were evaluated for the degree of colloid accumulation and height of the follicular epithelium. Blood glucose, lactate, triglycerides and creatine phosphokinase activity were determined. Longissimus muscle glycogen was evaluated histochemically. Longissimus muscle total phosphorylase, phosphorylase a, G-6-PDH activity and glycogen were determined biochemically. The D fetuses were hairless, edematous, devoid of adrenal glands and unaffected by maternal anesthesia. The fetal pig pituitary gland apparently is not required for continued fetal growth but is necessary for normal organ and endocrine gland development. Fetal decapitation caused delayed maturation of the longissimus muscle with little change in anaerobic glycolytic capacity but decreased aerobic glycolytic capacity accompanied by increased activity of the pentose shunt.