Philipps A F, Porte P W, Raye J R
Biol Neonate. 1985;48(2):85-9. doi: 10.1159/000242158.
In the chronically catheterized fetal sheep, umbilical glucose uptake has previously been found to be related to maternal glucose concentration over a wide range of values. The relative contribution of fetal insulin secretion to resting umbilical glucose uptake has not previously been assessed. Simultaneous measurements of umbilical glucose uptake and an estimate of fetal insulin secretory rate were performed in 21 fetal lambs in late gestation over 1-hour sampling periods. Because of the relatively narrow range of maternal blood glucose concentrations, no relationship was apparent between maternal glucose concentration and umbilical glucose uptake. However, a significant relationship was present between the area beneath the insulin concentration curve, a rough estimate of insulin secretory rate, and umbilical glucose uptake. The data suggest that fetal insulin secretory rate may be an important regulator of fetal glucose uptake under physiologic circumstances.
