Uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDPGLcUA) in the human fetal liver, kidney and placenta.

The endogenous concentration of uridine 5'-diphosphoglucoronic acid (UDPGLcUA), the endogenus substrate of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, was measured in the human fetal and adult liver and kidney and in the placenta. The concentrations (mumol/Kg wet weight) of UDPGLcUA were 59.4 +/- 11.3 (fetal liver), 301 +/- 119 (adult liver), 11.9 +/- 3.2 (fetal kidney), 17.4 +/- 3.0 (adult kidney), 17.8 +/- 1.8 (mid-term placenta) and 17.0 +/- 1.7 (term placenta). UDPGLcUA is present in the human fetal liver at a concentration 5-fold lower than in the adult liver indicating a potential limiting factor for glucuronidation ind the human fetus.