The Placental Transmission of Selenium in Sheep

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Abstract
The placental transmission of selenium was investigated in thirteen ewes during late gestation. The ewes were injected either with Se75-sodium selenite, Se75(L)-selenocystine or Se75 (L)-selenomethionine. Twelve lambs and nine ewes were killed soon after delivery and the Se75-concentration was measured in the tissues of the lambs and ewes. The Se75-concentration in the tissues of the lambs was about half that of the ewes when they were injected with selenite. This indicates that the placenta constitutes to a certain extent a barrier for the passage of inorganic selenium. Se75-selenomethionine and Se75-selenocystine were more easily transferred across the placenta than Se75-sodium selenite. When the selenite dose was increased ten times the selenium uptake in milligrams per gram tissue in the lambs increased 5–8 times.