McDonagh A F, Palma L A, Schmid R
Biochem J. 1981 Jan 15;194(1):273-82. doi: 10.1042/bj1940273.
Biliverdin was reduced to bilirubin in pregnant and foetal guinea pigs, and the 100000 g supernatant from homogenates of foetal liver, placenta and maternal liver showed high biliverdin reductase activity. The placental transport of unconjugated bilirubin and biliverdin was compared by injecting unlabelled and radiolabelled pigments into the foetal or maternal circulation and analysing blood collected from the opposite side of the placenta. Injected bilirubin crossed the placenta from foetus to mother and vice versa, but injected biliverdin did not appear to cross without prior reduction to bilirubin. The guinea-pig placenta is apparently more permeable to bilirubin than biliverdin. Reduction of biliverdin to bilirubin in the foetus may, therefore, be essential for efficient elimination of haem catabolites from the foetus in placental mammals.
在怀孕的和胎儿期的豚鼠中,胆绿素被还原为胆红素,并且来自胎儿肝脏、胎盘和母体肝脏匀浆的100000g上清液显示出高胆绿素还原酶活性。通过将未标记的和放射性标记的色素注入胎儿或母体循环,并分析从胎盘另一侧采集的血液,比较了未结合胆红素和胆绿素的胎盘转运情况。注入的胆红素从胎儿穿过胎盘进入母体,反之亦然,但注入的胆绿素在未预先还原为胆红素的情况下似乎不会穿过胎盘。豚鼠胎盘对胆红素的通透性显然比对胆绿素的通透性更高。因此,在胎儿中将胆绿素还原为胆红素对于胎盘哺乳动物中胎儿有效清除血红素分解代谢产物可能至关重要。