Distribution of some non-physiological amino acids (AIB, DAB, MeAIB) in mice

The distribution of labelled 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) and 2-(methylamino)-isobutyric acid (MeAIB) was studied by whole body autoradiography in mice. All the amino acids were rapidly cleared from the blood and were taken up in most of the organs in the body. The results suggest the presence of operating transport systems for these amino acids into the majority of different cell types in mice. In the central nervous system, small amounts could be registered and in the pancreas there was a marked difference between DAB, which was not taken up, and the other two amino acids which were heavily accumulated. In an early embryo only MeAIB was observed in a high concentration.