Plasma albumin synthesis during neonatal development of the rat.

1. Liver slices were incubated with (14)C-labelled amino acids. Albumin was isolated from the slices by precipitation with specific antibody and the incorporated radioactivity measured. 2. The rate of synthesis was seen to be equal in liver slices from adult and late-stage foetal rats. 3. Synthesis was very high in the pregnant rat (three times the normal adult value) and in the 5-15-day post-natal rat (twice the normal adult value). 4. The post-natal increase may be due to the disappearance of haemopoietic tissue and its replacement by active parenchymal cells.