Taurine depletion of lactating rats: effects of developing pups.

Taurine is in high concentration in the milk of most mammals. Intraperitoneal injection of [35S]taurine into lactating rats leads to the appearance of label in the milk, and the dpm/ml milk are significantly decreased by treatment with guanidinoethyl sulfonate (GES), an analog of taurine. Pups nursed by GES-treated mothers have retinal taurine levels about 45% lower than controls during the period from birth to 17 days old suggesting a dependence of retinal taurine on dietary intake during the neonatal period. These deficits in taurine may be associated with visual dysfunction as seen in adult rats depleted of retinal taurine.