The amino acid composition of the oviduct of the folic acid-treated and the folate-deficienct, oestrogen-treated immature domestic fowl.

Two experiments are described in which the effect of folate deficiency on the amino aicd content of the oviduct of oestrogen-treated, folic acid-treated and folate-deficient, immature domestic fowl is investigated. Oviducts from non-oestrogen treated, folic acid-treated and folate deficient birds are also compared. A third experiment was carried out in which the effect of folate deficiency on the amino acid composition of the five oviduct sections was examined. An attempt has been made to explain the differences in oviduct amino acid composition in terms of amino acid metabolism and the degree of structural development of the oviduct. It is concluded that folate is most essential for the response of oviduct tissue to oestrogen stimulation in areas where a specialised secretory function is involved. No direct evidence was obtained to indicate that the function of folate in glycine-serine interconversion or methionine regeneration was significant in the inhibition of oestrogen-stimulated oviduct growth.