Perinatal changes of interorgan differences in cell metabolism

Differences of metabolic qualities and capacities among organs and tissues of perinatal rabbits were investigated. A suitable alternative for the measurement of substrate utilization of single organs seems to be the total amount of certain key enzyme activities calculated for whole organs. The immediate perinatal period is the object of this study with adult animals serving as a reference. We have selected the phosphofructokinase activity to represent the upper segment of glycolytic reactions, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase as a key enzyme for beta-oxidation of fatty acids and citrate synthase activity to represent the Krebs cycle activity. In fetal, newborn, and adult rabbits we analyzed liver, kidneys, heart, lung, brain, brown and white adipose tissue, stomach and intestines, skin, a representative sample of skeletal muscles, and of bones. The organ weight distribution, total amount of protein, and DNA was determined for the same ten organs. The share each organ contributes to the total body key enzyme activity shows the importance of each metabolic capacity which is represented by the three enzymes. In perinatal adipose tissue the very high potential for energy production through utilization of Krebs cycle reactions is striking. The same tissue has a high capacity to oxidize fatty acids. The skeletal muscle represents the biggest capacity of glycolytic reactions in all age groups. After birth the metabolic profile of the whole organism shows a marked and steep increase of glycolytic capacity, whereas the capacity to oxidize fatty acids decreases slowly.