PLACENTAL-TRANSFER OF FREE FATTY-ACIDS - IMPORTANCE OF FETAL ALBUMIN CONCENTRATION AND ACID-BASE STATUS

Free fatty acids (FFA) are the main class of naturally occurring lipid s transferred across the placenta, irrespective of species. In order t o study the importance of fetal plasma albumin concentration and pH on placental transfer of FFA, in situ perfusion of the rabbit placenta i n late gestation was used as an experimental model. Increasing albumin concentration on the fetal side of the placenta from 1 to 6% signific antly increased transfer of FFA across the placenta. However, alterati on of the umbilical perfusate pH in the range 7.0-7.5 had no significa nt effect.