Studies on the paraplacental free fatty acid transport in rats.

Using the tracer method and a mathematical model the paraplacental transport of free fatty acids (FFA) (via uterine fluid--yolk sac--fetus) has been investigated in 21 days pregnant rats. The results show that only 0.3 nmoles FFA per min pass into the fetus via this paraplacental route. This accounts for less than 1% of FFA transported from the maternal plasma across the placenta into the fetus (0.14 mumoles FFA per min). From these results we would like to draw the conclusion that the paraplacental transport of FFA to the rat fetus is of minor importance from the quantitative point of view.