Effects of transitory maternal pteroylglutamic acid (PGA) deficiency on levels of adenosine phosphates in developing rat embryos

Abstract

Abstract A transient maternal folic acid deficiency resulted in alterations in the concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), diphosphate (ADP), and monophosphate (AMP) in developing rat embryos. At the end of the treatment period the ATP level was markedly reduced and the pool of adenine (as ATP, ADP, and AMP) was decreased in experimental embryos. On the basis of these findings an explanation is suggested for the increased oxygen consumption previously observed for rat embryos from folic acid‐deficient females.