Ultrastructure and Drug Metabolism in the Developing Guinea Pig

Unlike a variety of other animal species, such as the rabbit, mouse or rat, the guinea pig has a relatively long gestation period and is a more fully developed animal at birth. Kuenzig et al. reported that drug metabolic activity which increases very slowly during fetal life, increases rapidly after birth. Hepatocytes of a 3-day old neonate metabolize drugs and reduce cytochrome P-450 at a rate comparable to that observed in the adult animal. Moreover the administration of drugs like phenobarbital to pregnant guinea pigs increases the microsomal mixed function oxidase activity already in the fetus.Drug metabolic activity is, generally, localized within the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) of the hepatocyte.