The effect of zinc levels in fetal circulation on zinc clearance across the in situ perfused guinea pig placenta

Abstract

Although zinc is essential for normal fetal growth and development, little is known about factors that influence its transfer across the placenta. The in situ perfused guinea pig placenta model was used to study the influence of the zinc concentration of fetal circulation on maternofetal placental zinc transfer. A placenta of the anaesthetized sow was perfused (on the fetal side) with a physiological perfusate via the umbilical vessels, with the fetus excluded. The sow was infused intravenously with 65zinc as a tracer of placental Zn clearance, and with antipyrine as an indirect indicator of maternal placental blood flow. Maternal plasma and placental effluent samples collected at intervals were counted for 65zinc by gamma counter, and the absorbance of nitrosated antipyrine was measured at 350 nm. Varying the mean zinc concentration in the perfusate from 0.176 to 1.87 mg/L had no effect on relative zinc clearance calculated as zinc clearance/antipyrine clearance (mean ± SEM; 0.085 ± 0.010 vs. 0.114 ± 0.018; n = 6; p > 0.05). The results suggest that short-term changes in fetal zinc status do not influence placental zinc transfer.Key words: placenta, zinc, transport, trophoblast.