Growth-related changes of parameters of the methylation cycle and jejunal aminopeptidase M in the rat.
During development from juvenility to adulthood, rats displayed constant vitamin B12, decreasing folic acid and increasing homocysteine levels in blood plasma parallel to decreasing aminopeptidase M activities in the jejunum. The rising homocysteine level with advancing age implies growing metabolic stress and may be seen as cause for the increase of the number of cleft lip alveolus palate at pregnancies in higher age. Similarly, additional morphologic changes of the villi and crypta were regarded to reflect age-related adaptation of the digestive tract. Thus, the rat model is interesting for human-relevant studies of metabolic diseases or fetal anomalies, as in man these parameters develop likewise with increasing age. Sufficient supply of B vitamins is an important factor for a normal course of pregnancy, healthy offsprings and physiologic blood parameters and is essential to a stable methylation cycle.
Weingärtner
Jens
J
Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Friedrich-Löffler-Strasse 23c, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany.
Maile
Sergej
S
Fanghänel
Jochen
J
Proff
Peter
P
Gedrange
Tomasz
T
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D018826:CD13 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006128:Growth / Q000502:physiology; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000201:enzymology*; D008745:Methylation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D018826:CD13 Antigens; D014805:Vitamin B 12