The metabolic effects of cold exposure in the newborn rabbit.

Blood glucose, lactate, plasma free fatty acid and plasma and tissue individual free amino acid levels were followed in newborn rabbits exposed for 10 h to an environmental temperature of 25 degrees C. Severe hypothermia developed with an increase of blood lactate and accumulation of total free amino acids in plasma and liver. Alanine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, ornithine and taurine were elevated in the plasma; alanine and ornithine in the liver; leucine and isoleucine in the muscle.