Observations on the energy and redox state and protein synthetic

Dual perfusion of the isolated lobule of the human placenta is increasingly used for transport and metabolic studies: the method is relatively simple because only a portion of the large organ is used [24]. Assessment of the biological function of the^preparation is most important for the trophqblast is known to have a high oxygen consumption [6] a high glucose utilization rate [23] and a high protein turnover rate in vivo [35] and might be expected to deteriorate quickly, suffering ischemic injury both during collection, and as a consequence of subsequent inadequate perfusion. CARROLL and YOUNG [7] showed that tissue ATP values fall swiftly during ischemia, being halved in one minute in the guinea pig placenta, and BLOXAM and BOBINSKI (4] had similar findings for ATP, ATP/ADP ratios and energy charge in the human placenta after delivery. In contrast, PENFOLD et al. [22], SIMMONDS et al. [28] and ILLSLEY et al. [17] found little deterioration of the energy charge during 30 minutes after delivery and consider the human placenta a robust organ which does not deteriorate quickly. These investigators also considered that the tissue of the lobule dually perfused with oxygenated Krebs-Ringer solution, was stable for two to three hours, using the criteria of energy charge and oxygen and glucose consumption; further they observed little change in ultrastructure during this procedure [16]. CONTRACTOR et al. [8] however, Curriculum vitae