ABSTRACT
Two midgestation placentas were perfused in situ with a combination of [7α-3H] dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and [4-14C] oestrone sulphate and metabolites were isolated from the placentas, perfusates and maternal urine specimens. Approximately 70 per cent of the perfused radioactive material was recovered from these three sources.
The bulk of the administered radioactive material was recovered in an unchanged form from the perfusates; some 2–4 per cent was excreted in the urine and less than 0.5% was found in the placentas.
The tritium to carbon-14 ratio of the unconjugated material isolated from the perfusates and placentas was higher, and that of the conjugated material recovered from the same sources was lower than the ratio of the administered material. In addition, more tritium than carbon-14 labelled material was present in the urine.
Approximately 2 per cent of the perfused dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate was recovered in the form of phenolic steroids, mostly from the urine. From this source double labelled oestrone, oestriol, 16α-hydroxy-oestrone and 16-epioestriol were isolated. The tritium to carbon-14 ratio of all oestrogens isolated from the urine was higher than that of the perfused material. From the urine specimens 10 to 15 times more double labelled oestriol than oestrone was isolated.
Biochemical differences between amniotic fluid and maternal urine.
