Hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase response to litter size in suckling rats.

Rats were raised in litters of 3 or 14 from the 3rd postnatal day. Already, 2 days later on day 5, those raised in groups of three had elevated blood cholesterol and insulin levels and a very much lower hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG) CoA) reductase activity, than the other group. When aged 40 days, hepatic HMG CoA reductase activity was higher in the group raised three rats per litter than in the large litter group.