Desoxyribonucleic acid and pyrimidine synthesis in the rat during intra-uterine growth retardation: responsiveness of several organs.

The response of DNA synthesis, thymidine incorporation and the activities of uridine kinase, carbamyl phosphate synthetase and aspartate transcarbamylase were studied in the rat, following intra-uterine growth retardation. A good correlation was found between the falls of DNA production and thymidine incorporation and the decrease of the activity of the three enzymes during the fetal period. After birth, cell proliferation remained depressed but no further changes occurred in the enzymatic activities.