Studies on urea cycle enzyme levels in the human fetal liver at different gestational ages.

Urea cycle enzymes involved in the detoxification of ammonia were studied in liver tissues of 57 male and 49 female fetuses of different age groups ranging from 13 to 36 wk of gestation. Surgical wedge biopsies of liver from 18 male and 12 female adults were used as controls. Significant enzyme activity was found to be present as early as the 13th wk of gestation. As gestational age advanced, enzyme activity gradually increased, reaching about 90% of the adult activity by the 36th wk of gestation.