Plasma amino acid pools show important variations throughout the gestational period
in the rat, with decreased values at mid-pregnancy and recovered levels before parturition.
This decrease in amino acid levels at mid-pregnancy is mainly due to changes in the
gluconeogenic amino acid group. During pregnancy, whole tissue amino acid pools increase
in the liver but no changes appear in other studied tissues. However, individual gluconeogenic
amino acid concentrations change significantly in skeletal muscle, skin and liver
through the gestational period. Pregnancy may be understood as a challenge to the
mother's metabolism but the pattern of tissue amino acid changes is not similar to
that found in some stressant situations and it should be the net consequence of maternal
adaptations to the increased metabolic needs.
Rat
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Pregnancy
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Amino Acid Pools
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Liver
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Kidney
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Skin
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Skeletal Muscle
