Effect of exposure to cold and fasting on the placental glycogen and triglyceride content in the rat.

The effect of exposure to cold (+2 degrees C, 3 and 24 h) and fasting (1, 2 and 3 days) on placental glycogen and triglyceride content was investigated in rats pregnant for 20 days. The stimuli did not affect the level of glycogen in the placenta. The level of triglycerides remained unchanged in the rats exposed to cold. It rose after only one day of fasting and then levelled out on the 2nd and 3rd days. Fasting, but not exposure to cold produced hypoglycemia and elevation of the plasma free fatty acids level. We conclude that activation of the adrenergic system during exposure to cold does not interfere with the glycogen and triglyceride content of the placenta. Prolonged hypoglycemia also does not affect the placental glycogen level although it increases the accumulation of neutral fat.