Metabolism of vitamin D/sub 3/ in the chick embryo

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974 · Arch. Biochem. Biophys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-9861(74)90018-6· OSTI ID:7199563

Moriuchi, S; DeLuca, H F

In agreement with previous reports, chick intestinal calcium-binding protein does not appear in the chick embryo until 1 day after hatching while intestinal alkaline phosphatase begins to appear at 19--20 days of embryonic life. The ability of chick embryo to metabolize vitamin D/sub 3/ to 25-hydroxyvitamin D/sub 3/, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D/sub 3/, and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D/sub 3/ is present at least by day 18 of embryonic life as demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro techniques. It also illustrates that metabolism of vitamin D/sub 3/ was not the limiting factor in the appearance of calcium-binding protein and alkaline phosphatase in intestine. Instead, the uptake of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D/sub 3/ by the duodenum was very low prior to hatching, even though significant amounts were present in the yolk sac. Injection of a physiological dose of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D/sub 3/ to chick embryo at 9 days failed to stimulate appearance of calcium binding protein by 18 days of embryonic life. Thus, it appears that either the normal mechanism for transport of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D/sub 3/ to intestine or its receptors in intestine may not be present prior to day 18--19. A large fraction of radioactive vitamin D/sub 3/ injected into the yolk sac was found esterified especially in the embryonic liver. The significance of this is not yet understood. Injection of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D/sub 3/ at 325 pmoles/per egg at 9 days resulted in 70% mortality of embryos while a 32-pmole dose resulted in no significant increase in mortality. The basis for this toxicity is not yet understood.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison
• OSTI ID: 7199563
• Journal Information: Arch. Biochem. Biophys.; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Biochem. Biophys.; (United States) Vol. 164; ISSN ABBIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE
ANIMALS
BIRDS
BODY
CHICKENS
CHOLECALCIFEROL
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
EMBRYOS
ENZYMES
ESTERASES
FOWL
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
HYDROLASES
INTESTINES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
METABOLISM
MORTALITY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHOSPHATASES
PROTEINS
SMALL INTESTINE
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
UPTAKE
VERTEBRATES
VITAMIN D
VITAMINS