NORMAL HEMATOLOGY, SEROLOGY, AND SERUM-PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS VALUESIN FETAL YUCATAN MINIATURE SWINE

We are currently developing fetal models of congenital heart disease i n Yucatan miniature swine for pharmacologic, diagnostic, and intervent ional methods used to treat cardiac arrhythmias and ventricular septal defect. Fifty-four fetuses from 12 pregnant sows were included in thi s study. Eleven were fetuses between 76 and 88 days of gestation (earl y gestation fetuses). A second population of 43 fetuses were between 9 6 and 110 days of gestation (late gestation fetuses). Erythrocyte, leu kocyte, serum electrolyte, enzyme, lipid, carbohydrate, and metabolite values were measured, Complete serum protein profiles were also obtai ned by electrophoresis. Significant differences could be shown between the sows and fetuses and between the early and late gestation fetuses in all of the categories studied, though not for every parameter. Thi s study provides a large normal database for development of Yucatan mi niature swine as an animal model in the rapidly expanding field of fet al medicine.