Acetate as a metabolic substrate in the fetal lamb.

Fetal acetate metabolsim was studied in chronically catheterized fetal lambs of 110-141 days' gestation. Acetate concentration was measured enzymatically in whole blood drawn simultaneously from maternal and fetal pre- and postplacental vessels. The oxygen content of the fetal blood samples was also measured. Fetal umbilical venous acetate concentration was found to be proportional to the maternal arterial acetate concentration and had a mean value of 0.366 mM. Fetal blood acetate increased significantly, by a mean of 0.081 mM, during circulation through the placenta. This increase was proportional to both the maternal acetate concentration and the concentration gradient of acetate across the placenta. The mean maternal arterial acetate concentration was 1.153 mM. Maternal blood lost significant amounts of acetate, 0.112 mM, during circulation through the uterus and appeared to be the source of the acetate being gained by the fetus. It is estimated that a total of 23 mmol of acetate/kg of fetal weight is being taken up by the fetus each day, providing it with 0.560 g of carbon/kg. Comparisons of acetate uptake with fetal oxygen uptake indicate 10% of the daily fetal oxygen consumption would be required to completely oxidize the acetate being gained by the fetus.