Zinc transport in rabbit tissues. Some hormonal aspects of the turnover of zinc in female reproductive organs, liver and body fluids
- 1 February 1972
- journal article
- Published by Portland Press Ltd. in Biochemical Journal
- Vol. 126 (4), 869-876
- https://doi.org/10.1042/bj1260869
Abstract
1. To investigate the influence of hormonal conditions upon the kinetics of zinc transport, specific radioactivity of 65Zn was determined in certain tissues and fluids from unmated or pregnant rabbits during the first half of gestation. 2. Compartmental analysis was used to find the simplest mathematical model that simulated satisfactorily tracer behaviour. Models were fitted to experimental results by a numerical procedure using a computer. 3. The kinetics of zinc exchange in most tissues investigated could adequately be described by a three-compartment model, in which total tissue zinc content was divided into a rapidly exchanging pool, with a turnover time of about 1h, and a slowly exchanging pool, the turnover time of which was in liver 15h, in peak-stage corpus luteum 8h, and in the other tissues 30–70h. 4. In rabbit endometrium zinc transport varied with hormonal conditions, the turnover rate being higher in non-pregnant than pregnant endometrium. 5. Uptake of 65Zn by uterine fluid was slow, and in the free-lying embryos (blastocysts) slower still, in keeping with uterine fluid acting as carrier of zinc into the unimplanted embryos. 6. In placental tissue zinc transport varied with gestational stage. Foetal placenta exchanged zinc with blood plasma four times faster than maternal placenta. In foetuses zinc turnover time and flux equalled that of the slow zinc compartment in foetal placenta. 7. Corpus luteum on days 5–6 of gestation showed peak specific radioactivity and zinc flux values, which exceeded those of all other tissues. 8. In liver the slow zinc compartment had a higher rate of turnover than corresponding compartments in tissues other than peak-stage corpus luteum, but no hormone-dependent changes were observed. 9. Zinc uptake by erythrocytes was the slowest of all examined.Keywords
This publication has 8 references indexed in Scilit:
- CALCIUM CONTENT AND UPTAKE OF 45Ca IN RABBIT BLASTOCYSTS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTReproduction, 1971
- Carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes in the erythrocytes and uterus of the rabbitBiochemical Journal, 1970
- Zinc and Carbonic Anhydrase in the Rabbit UterusNature, 1969
- Congenital Malformations Resulting from Zinc Deficiency in Rats.Experimental Biology and Medicine, 1966
- Metal Binding and Catalytic Activity in Bovine Carbonic AnhydraseJournal of Biological Chemistry, 1962
- CARBONIC ANHYDRASE IN THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT. II. ENDOMETRIAL CARBONIC ANHYDRASE AS INDICATOR OF LUTEOID POTENCY: CORRELATION WITH PROGESTATIONAL PROLIFERATIONJournal of Endocrinology, 1957
- CARBONIC ANHYDRASE IN THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT. OCCURRENCE, DISTRIBUTION AND HORMONAL DEPENDENCEJournal of Endocrinology, 1955
- Studies on blood zinc; a clinical and experimental investigation into the zinc content of plasma and blood corpuscles with special reference to infancy.1952