Postnatal developmental changes in fucosyltransferase activity in rat brain

GDP-fucose:asialofetuin fucosyltransferase activity was studied during the postnatal development of rat brain. The enzymatic activity was very low during the first days of life and reached a maximum level around 21 days. This increase in enzymatic activity was characterized by two periods of rapid change. A rapid increase occurred between 3 and 7 days after birth, followed by a slow increase from 7 to 17 days, then a new rapid change from 17 to 21 days. Stimulation of the enzymatic activity by Triton X-100 increased with age. The development profiles of GDP-fucose pyrophosphatase and fucosidase did not change during this period.