Abstract
Studnitz, W. von. Catecholamine and Adenosine Triphosphate Content of Human Foetal Adrenals. Scand. J. clin. Lab. Invest. 22, 185-188, 1968. The catecholamine content of the adrenals from seven human foetuses was determined by the finding of 9.8 (range 3.3-15.8) and 8.3 (range 1.5-13.4) μg/g of noradrenaline and adrenaline, respectively. A granule-rich fraction was prepared and the molar ratio of catecholamines to ATP was determined. It was found to be 0.0085 (0.0030-0.0108) which is about 370 to 1000 times less than that reported for adult adrenal tissue. These findings are discussed with regard to the closely related catecholamine producing tumours of the sympathic nervous tissue.