THE FETOMATERNAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE ENDOGENOUS GASTRIN

Abstract

The transport of endogenous gastrin across the human placenta and the influence of the maternal gastrin to the embryonal development of digestive organs were investigated.
1. The gastrin levels in the arterial blood of the mother, umbilical arterial and venous blood, were measured by radioimmunoassay immediately after delivery.
2. Synthetic human gastrin (S.H.G.) was administered successively to pregnant mice. The stomach of the new born was morphologically observed.
The mean serum gastrin levels were 65.4±11.6 pg/ml in the femoral artery of mothers; 69.0±12.1 pg/ml in the umbilical artery; and 67.5±15.3 pg/ml in the umbilical vein. There were no significant differences among each blood sample.
The infant's stomach of gastrin administered group was 32.6% heavier in weight, and was 33.3% larger in size, on the average, than that of the control group.
The results indicate that the maternal gastrin crosses over the placenta freely and accelerates the development of the fetal stomach.