AMINO-ACID-METABOLISM IN RAT HIPPOCAMPUS DURING THE PERIOD OF BRAIN GROWTH SPURT

We studied protein synthesis, lipid synthesis and CO2 production by ox idation of glycine, alanine and leucine by slices of rat hippocampus d uring the period of brain growth spurt. The metabolism of the three am ino acids decreased with the age of the animals. A major reduction was observed in protein synthesis, which was 4 times higher at 7 days of age than at 21 days of age for all amino acids studied. Glycine oxidat ion to CO2 was twice as high as alanine oxidation and ten times higher than leucine oxidation. The major pathway of leucine utilization was incorporation into proteins. Glycine was the amino acid that had the h ighest metabolic rate.