Ascorbic acid and aging in the rat. Uptake of ascorbic acid by teeth and concentration of various forms of ascorbic acid in different organs.

1. The uptake of ascorbic acid in vitro by the teeth of rats showed a gradual decrease with age, indicating that the uptake may be related to collagen synthesis as in bone. 2. The concentration of total free ascorbic acid in various organs declined with age, but the rate of decline was different in different organs. In the spleen, however, it increased until maturity and then declined. 3. This decrease may be due to one or both of the following reasons: (a) the permeability of different tissues may decrease at different rates for ascorbic acid, or (b) the requirement for ascorbic acid may decrease at different rates. 4. The bound ascorbic acid declined with age in the skin, kidney, liver and brain after the age of 10-12 weeks, and in the spleen after the age of 26 weeks. 5. The concentration of dehydroascorbic acid and dioxogulonic acid declined with age in the skin.