UTILIZATION OF UNIFORMLY LABELLED 14C-GLUCOSE IN THE PINEAL BODY OF GOATS

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Abstract
The in vitro utilization of uniformly C14- labelled glucose was studied in the pineal body of goats by using a quantitative application of the radio paper-chromatographic technique. The O2 consumption as well as the formation of CO2 and lactic acid from glucose in the incubation medium was comparatively very high in young goats and decreased gradually with increasing age. The same was true for the formation of labelled amino acids. Thus, there were no measureable amounts of radioactive amino acids in goats older than 6 years, while in the animals 1-3 months old no less than 11.7 [mu]g glucose was converted into amino acids per 25 mg wet weight of the pineal body. Glutamic acid and alanine were found in the highest amounts among the different amino acids formed from glucose in the youngest age group. There were also appreciable amounts of arginine, glutamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid and aspartic acid. Microscopical examination revealed that not only progressive degenerative changes but also a markedly reduced number of parenchymal cells per unit volume, might account for the diminished glucose metabolism fcund in the pineal body of adult goats. The metabolic findings, especially the very high rate of formation of amino acids from glucose in the youngest animals, are discussed in the light of the result investigations, which suggest secretion of a protein hormone from the non-adult pineal body.

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