THE IMPORTANCE OF GLUCOSE IN THE OXIDATIVE METABOLISM OF THE PREGNANT UTERUS AND ITS CONTENTS IN CONSCIOUS SHEEP WITH SOME PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON THE OXIDATION OF FRUCTOSE AND GLUCOSE BY FETAL SHEEP

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Abstract
The day after implantation of catheters under general anaesthesia, U·[14C] glucose was infused intravenously into four conscious ewes about 130 days pregnant, and into two fetuses about 130 days old. U·[14C] fructose was infused into three other similar fetuses. It could be calculated that the pregnant uterus with its contents derived about 40% of its CO2 from blood glucose and oxidized directly about 45% of the glucose utilized. The total uptake of glucose by the uterus and contents accounted for about 70% of the glucose metabolism of the pregnant ewes, but the proportion of CO2 derived by the pregnant ewes from glucose was no higher than for non‐pregnant ewes or rams. The total oxygen consumption of uterus and contents was comparable to the extra oxygen used by a ewe when pregnant, as measured by calorimetry. The specific radioactivity of fetal blood fructose was still only about 60% of that of maternal blood glucose after 5 hours infusion which suggests that there are other precursors for fetal fructose besides maternal glucose. [14C] from fructose and glucose infused into the fetus was converted into CO2 and glycogen and [14C] from fructose was converted to glucose by the fetus or placenta. The degree of incorporation of both sugars into CO2 and glycogen was similar but neither sugar could account for more than a fraction of the CO2 production.

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