Accumulation of Carboxylic Acids From Glucose by the Pre-Implantation Mouse Embryo

Abstract

The accumulation of carboxylic acids from glucose was measured by incubat-ing pre-implantation mouse embryos in [U-14C]glucose and separating the carboxylic acids by liquid-liquid partition chromatography. Lactic acid was the main carboxylic acid accumulated. The one-cell zygote produced five times as much lactate as the unfertilized ovum, and during subsequent development lactate accumulation increased substantially.